The award was announced at Saturday’s Able Authors gala dinner in Melbourne, Australia.
Authors from around the world have managed to create their own distinct niche by penning some wonderful works which have been widely appreciated for its engaging content. Out of the many such authors who have made their mark is 33 years old Mariam Elhouli from Australia who surprised all as her book ‘The Olive Tree’ won the best fiction book of the year award at Saturday’s Able Authors gala dinner which was held in Melbourne, Australia. Several senior and vastly experienced authors from around the world competed in a bid to win the award, which could possibly catapult their recognition on a global scale. In all 45 books were chosen for the finals amongst which Elhouli’s book bagged the prestigious award.
Mariam says that she is elated by being honoured for her work ‘The Olive Tree’ which had already become a bestseller after its launch. Bagging the first position has boosted her confidence to the next level as she says that all the hard work she put in has finally borne fruit in the form of this coveted award, which means a lot to her. The novel which was released in April this year had created a furore in the world of fiction as it has a gripping and engaging content which left the readers asking for more. Her style of storytelling has been widely appreciated, taking her standing as an author to the next level. Mariam says that her book was appreciated by a wide reader base owing to its profound message which demonstrated that under any circumstances a person who is good at heart doesn’t change their stand, like the protagonist in the book.
The Olive Tree teaches all of humanity that children are the ones who pay the price of our doings. Poverty brings along a lot of ignorance, which leads to wars between neighbours. The book has enough content that can be adapted for a Hollywood blockbuster film, say people who have appreciated it to its core. When asked about her win, Mariam says, “It’s an absolute honour that my book was chosen by the judges and I hope that the entire world understands what message the book has tried to convey. I hope the world reads it and understands that nothing good ever emerges out of a war, and its consequences are more profound than just living in poverty and losing loved ones.”
After her successful debut, Mariam is now prepping up to write her next titled ‘Souls of the Devil’ which delves deep into the subject of taboos that our society refuses to discuss and stays miles away from, and is confident that this one too would make it to the top like her first.
