Floodlit Dreams are delighted to announce that The Breath of Sadness, written by our founder Ian Ridley, has been shortlisted for the prestigious William Hill Sports Book of the Year award.

Written after the death last year of Ian’s wife, the trailblazing sports reporter Vikki Orvice, The Breath of Sadness is a poignant, tender and candid exploration of love and loss played out against the backdrop of a season watching the County Championship. It was edited by Charlotte Atyeo and the cover was designed by Steve Leard.

“Wow. What an honour,” said Ian. “A big reason for writing the book – alongside helping me to try and work through my grief and maybe to help others who have lost people close to them as so many have this year – was to tell the world what an amazing woman Vikki was. Hopefully this wonderful accolade will help spread the word about her.

“We had a long listing with Football’s Coming Out by Neil Beasley with Seth Burkett a couple of years back but this is a first short listing for Floodlit Dreams and I’m proud of that,” added Ian. “I’m so grateful for Charlotte Ayteo’s sensitive editing and Steve Leard’s beautiful cover.”

The Breath of Sadness joins Born Fighter by Ruqsana Begum with Sarah Shephard, The World Beneath Their Feet by Scott Ellsworth, The Unforgiven by Ashley Gray and The Rodchenko Affair by Grigory Rodchenko on the shortlist.

The winner will be announced on Thursday December 3rd at a ceremony at Tottenham Hotspur Football Club. The winning author receives £30,000.

Click here to order a signed copy of the book.