2024 Culture Award Shortlist

Though Deborah L. King has been a writer and storyteller her whole life, publishing her first short story at seven years old, she took 32 years to complete her first novel. As a fiction writer, Deborah loves the work of Octavia Butler, classic Stephen King, Peter David, and the illustrations of Dan

When Ellis isn’t moonlighting as a coffee aficionada, you might find her adventuring through Transylvania, doing photoshoots in Old Town Bucharest, or otherwise trying to talk her husband into moving to Eastern Europe. She’s a lover of history with a penchant for World War II and the Cold War, and

Before Melissa started writing romantic comedies and women’s fiction, she worked as a surgical Physician Associate in Nashville, where one of her favorite procedures was re-suturing a lower-lumbar tattoo. Her stories, like herself, are always a mix: light and dark, laughter and tears, outlandish and

Though Deborah L. King has been a writer and storyteller her whole life, publishing her first short story at seven years old, she took 32 years to complete her first novel. As a fiction writer, Deborah loves the work of Octavia Butler, classic Stephen King, Peter David, and the illustrations of Dan

Though Deborah L. King has been a writer and storyteller her whole life, publishing her first short story at seven years old, she took 32 years to complete her first novel. As a fiction writer, Deborah loves the work of Octavia Butler, classic Stephen King, Peter David, and the illustrations of Dan

Storyteller, teacher and poet, Australian-born Manisha Jane completed a Master in Arts Education, then travelled her homeland and India before finally settling in Europe. She has practiced and taught Sahaja Yoga meditation for over twenty years - a passion that she brings to light in her writing

Ayesha lives in Norway with her husband and two beautiful daughters. She was raised in Pakistan and worked for several years in Islamabad before moving to Norway, where she currently has a day-job as a Product Manager. In 2022 she won a bursary for Jericho Writer’s Self-Edit Your Novel course. Her

After gaining a degree in Anthropology, Sophie went into television production directing her first documentary for Channel 4 when driving from London to Johannesburg. Having produced an INSET series for BBC Education, she set up wildlife films in Botswana and a BLUE PETER exploration of South Africa

Georgette Skolnick's father lost everything during The Depression. So, she grew up in a poor dysfunctional family with both parents working to make ends meet. Their sole focus was on earning money instead of providing love and attention for their daughter. She was left alone to fend for herself, and

Georgette Skolnick's father lost everything during The Depression. So, she grew up in a poor dysfunctional family with both parents working to make ends meet. Their sole focus was on earning money instead of providing love and attention for their daughter. She was left alone to fend for herself, and