Newcastle’s Ben Randall is in the running for a prestigious prize because of his work exploring the world of human trafficking through the written word. 

The local author is one of five from 850 writers shortlisted for Hachette’s 2021 Richell Prize for Emerging Writers.

The winner will receive $10,000 and a year’s mentoring with one of Hachette Australia’s publishers. 

The company will also work with the writer to develop their manuscript which may result in publication. 

Ben says it feels amazing to be acknowledged for his work. 

“I was really not expecting it but it is really exciting and really encouraging,” he said. 

“Hachette is one the five major publishers and they now have an interest in the short listees with the view of having a potential publishing deal with them, which would be amazing.”

His entry into the competition explored his time in Vietnam and his journey to find his friends after they were kidnapped by a local human trafficking ring. 

When he found out they had been taken, Ben started The Human, Earth Project and set out on what seemed like an impossible mission. 

“Each of those five girls had her own story, but two in particular – May and Pang – were still in China and wanted help,” Ben told the Newcastle Weekly earlier in the year. 

“They’d both been forced into marriage with older men, but they had no idea where they were.

“It took five months in total to contact, locate and meet up with these girls. 

“It was a pretty frustrating process at times trying to narrow down their locations using any clues we could get from their phones or from what they could observe around them.

“I was ecstatic to [find] them both, though that feeling was somewhat overshadowed by the fact that the meetings themselves were quite risky for all of us.”

Ever since he was a child, Ben hoped to turn his love of writing into a career. 

“I have been writing for myself since I was very young and I always hoped to become an author at some point in my life,” he said.

“It is amazing to see that finally happening. 

“In terms of the trafficking work it was only ever intended to be a six month project and the fact that it is still going now, it’s been nearly nine years, is unexpected.

“It is amazing that it has reached so many people.”

The winner of the 2021 Richell Price for Emerging Writers will be announced on 4 November. 

To stay up-to-date with Ben Randall’s work go to the Sisters for Sale / The Human, Earth Project Facebook page.

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