Michael Salort from New York has been shortlisted for the Page Turner Awards Writing Award for his Women's Literature manuscript, Ex & Why.
Michael entered the Page Turner Awards, where published and unpublished fiction and non-fiction writers of all genres can enter their writing to get discovered by high-profile judges from the literary world.
Ex & Why is about a woman whose view of love and family is obliterated when her highly successful husband comes home one day and declares he feels like a woman inside.
Laurie Hinkle of San Francisco, who had experienced the heart-wrenching saga that would be fictionalized in Ex & Why, approached Michael Salort because of his previous work on Tyra Banks’ Modelland novel. Laurie and Michael spoke over many sessions and Michael fell in love with the story. He agreed to conceptualize a way to write the book that would not violate the privacy of her children.
While running Tyra Banks’ company, Michael found a folder full of scrap notes in the office of the company's former COO. Tyra had written the notes on napkins, sticky notes, and random slips of paper. When pieced together like a puzzle, the notes outlined the makings of a fantastical tale in a magical place, a story with the central goal being the empowerment of young women.
Michael asked Tyra if she minded if he turned the notes into a treatment for a book. Michael wrote the treatment, in between his other duties for the company and, with Tyra's approval, submitted it to New York's publishing houses.
One week later, Michael and Tyra secured meetings with seven of the top publishers. Random House was the winning bidder and, when the book Modelland was released, it became a New York Times bestseller and was positively reviewed by Publisher's Weekly.
Michael is hoping for a similar success with Ex & Why. He said, “I am so grateful to the Page Turner Awards for offering a new way for fresh stories to find audiences. As writers we so very much need the access, support, and comfort Page Turner provides. Thank you, Page Turner Awards for recognizing that carefully arranged words can nudge the world ever so sweetly.”
Read more about Michael and his story here: https://pageturnerawards.com/writing-award-finalists/michael-salort
The Page Turner Awards, sponsored by ProWritingAid, gives writers and authors the chance to enter unpublished or published fiction and non-fiction books, where a group of literary agents and publishers will read the work.
Judges are carefully selected literary agents and publishers who are looking for writers to represent and publish, plus influencers in the publishing industry.
Founder of Page Turner Awards and award-winning novelist, Paula Wynne said: “There are writers from all walks of life, from manual laborers to academics. All with stories to tell, most of them heart-warming and moving. We’re proud that our Awards celebrates excellent writing and helps writers and authors to get their stories discovered.”
Success stories from this year’s awards include three writers winning literary representation, six writers winning a writing mentorship, five writers winning a publishing contract and thirteen independent authors winning an audiobook production.
Find out more about The Page Turner Awards: https://pageturnerawards.com. Submissions for 2021 will open on the 1st of January 2021.
