If there is blood to be spilt on the pages of a thriller, it very often belongs to a poor unfortunate female victim. Or multiple victims in the case of best-selling serial killer novels such as Stieg Larsson's The Girl with a Dragon Tattoo.
However, a new literary prize for the thriller genre is hoping to disrupt this disturbing norm.
Open to all authors over the age of 18, the Staunch Book Prize wants to break away from such clichés. Instead, it will reward a great thriller that doesn’t feature a woman being “beaten, stalked, sexually exploited, raped or murdered”.
Bridget Lawless, a British author and screenwriter who founded the prize, credits the #MeToo movement against the sexual abuse and harassment of women in Hollywood and beyond as catalyst for launching the prize. She wanted to do her part to keep the conversation going.
“This is a critical point in time, and the prize, in its small way, is getting people talking about the issues,” she tells me via email.
"When the #MeToo campaign started, I decided to abstain from voting for the Baftas," she says. "I knew there would be more stories of abuse coming out, and I didn't want to unwittingly reward someone whose story only came out later. This is far from over.
“I’d really like to see discussions in writers’ courses, reading groups, publishers, agents and among the producers, directors and actors who might be involved in adaptations.”
The author believes that books and other media that use violence against women as a plot device are doing it for commercial gain. The result is rather lurid, instead of informative, fiction.
“People who are interested in the reality of [violence against women] tend not to read that kind of fiction, because they find it distasteful and exploitative, and maybe part of the problem.
"They put their efforts into finding out more about what's happening to real women,
and trying to do something about it."
For those determined to tackle the popular thriller genre, what does Lawless suggest they write about instead? How about “hostile environments or extreme weather”? She adds that predatory behaviour and “people injuring and murdering each other is only a small part of what’s possible with the genre”.
Lawless clearly feels that violence against women is a rather tired trope. "It's a very well-worn and overused way to go," she says. "Why do you need to concentrate on stories where that's part of the plot? Can your characters use their wits to avoid these things? Can you come up with a situation in which no one is a victim?"
While the Staunch Book Prize has been praised for being innovative and fresh, there are critics. Some suggest that awarding a prize for excluding violence against women ignores the ongoing issue or makes it seem as though writing or reading about it is a terrible thing.
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Read more:
Women's March 2018: Celebrities show solidarity for women's rights
Why unequal pay should be as socially unacceptable as sexual harassment
Najwa Zebian: The Lebanese poet speaking up about the #MeToo movement
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"There is an element in the criticism that almost suggests thrillers which contain [this topic have] some kind of educational role, or are 'shining a light' on a difficult and otherwise hidden subject. I don't buy into that," Lawless argues. "It's quite surreal sometimes hearing people argue for violence against women… or describe the prize as a ban or censorship, or a call for violence against men or children. It's very clearly stated that we're looking for original writing and alternatives."
Submissions to the prize are invited from publishers, agents and directly from writers from February 22 to July 15. Alongside Lawless, the judges include comedian Doon Mackichan (Smack the Pony, Plebs) and literary agent Piers Blofeld. The winner of the £2,000 (Dh10,346) will be announced on November 25 to coincide with the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women.
For more information, visit www.staunchbookprize.com
BORDERLANDS
Starring: Cate Blanchett, Kevin Hart, Jamie Lee Curtis
Director: Eli Roth
Rating: 0/5
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Moral education needed in a 'rapidly changing world'
Moral education lessons for young people is needed in a rapidly changing world, the head of the programme said.
Alanood Al Kaabi, head of programmes at the Education Affairs Office of the Crown Price Court - Abu Dhabi, said: "The Crown Price Court is fully behind this initiative and have already seen the curriculum succeed in empowering young people and providing them with the necessary tools to succeed in building the future of the nation at all levels.
"Moral education touches on every aspect and subject that children engage in.
"It is not just limited to science or maths but it is involved in all subjects and it is helping children to adapt to integral moral practises.
"The moral education programme has been designed to develop children holistically in a world being rapidly transformed by technology and globalisation."
Griselda
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The%20Specs
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From Europe to the Middle East, economic success brings wealth - and lifestyle diseases
A rise in obesity figures and the need for more public spending is a familiar trend in the developing world as western lifestyles are adopted.
One in five deaths around the world is now caused by bad diet, with obesity the fastest growing global risk. A high body mass index is also the top cause of metabolic diseases relating to death and disability in Kuwait, Qatar and Oman – and second on the list in Bahrain.
In Britain, heart disease, lung cancer and Alzheimer’s remain among the leading causes of death, and people there are spending more time suffering from health problems.
The UK is expected to spend $421.4 billion on healthcare by 2040, up from $239.3 billion in 2014.
And development assistance for health is talking about the financial aid given to governments to support social, environmental development of developing countries.
The Perfect Couple
Starring: Nicole Kidman, Liev Schreiber, Jack Reynor
Creator: Jenna Lamia
Rating: 3/5
THE SIXTH SENSE
Starring: Bruce Willis, Toni Collette, Hayley Joel Osment
Director: M. Night Shyamalan
Rating: 5/5
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Greatest of All Time
Starring: Vijay, Sneha, Prashanth, Prabhu Deva, Mohan
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A cheaper choice
Vanuatu: $130,000
Why on earth pick Vanuatu? Easy. The South Pacific country has no income tax, wealth tax, capital gains or inheritance tax. And in 2015, when it was hit by Cyclone Pam, it signed an agreement with the EU that gave it some serious passport power.
Cost: A minimum investment of $130,000 for a family of up to four, plus $25,000 in fees.
Criteria: Applicants must have a minimum net worth of $250,000. The process take six to eight weeks, after which the investor must travel to Vanuatu or Hong Kong to take the oath of allegiance. Citizenship and passport are normally provided on the same day.
Benefits: No tax, no restrictions on dual citizenship, no requirement to visit or reside to retain a passport. Visa-free access to 129 countries.
SOUTH%20KOREA%20SQUAD
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