Judging Panel – Dystopian Fiction Prize 2027
Our Professional Judging Panel
Richard Blair
Richard Blair is the son of George Orwell and the patron of The Orwell Society. Taking an active role in the society’s events and prizes, he hopes they will provoke meaningful discussions about Orwell and the issues his father took a passionate interest in.
Nicola Rossi
N. A. (Nicola) Rossi is the author of the dystopian Rockstar Ending books which are now in development for a TV series. She left a 30-year corporate career to focus on her writing after winning an award from the Orwell Society in 2018. Find out more about Nicola at https://nicolarossi.com.
Luke Seaber
Luke Seaber is Senior Teaching Fellow in Modern European Culture on University College London’s Undergraduate Preparatory Certificate for the Humanities, which he also co-ordinates. He’s author of various books, chapters and articles discussing Orwell and early 20th-century British literature more widely, and has been a judge of the Orwell Society Prize for Dystopian Fiction since it started.
Amy Minney
Amy Minney studied English Literature and English Language at York St John University. She then proceeded to pursue secondary teaching as a career and studied a PGCE at the University of Nottingham. She has been teaching in Barnsley, South Yorkshire for the last ten years. She is the Curriculum Leader of English at a new secondary school in Barnsley called Trinity Academy St Edward’s (opened in 2021). Having secured the Orwell Society teacher and school bursary in 2024, she has collaborated with the Society on various different units to strengthen her team’s and students’ knowledge on George Orwell and his writing intent. From the generous donation of texts to the school library, to Quentin and Bruce delivering a presentation to a year group of students, to Richard Blair and Liz and Quentin Kopp attending our school opening event, to the upcoming collaboration with Bruce on Dystopian fiction. Amy is excited to be involved in the judging process and reading the work of literary experts.