Honoured to be on the list

The Romantic Novelists’ Association has been hosting their annual awards, the RoNAs, since 1960. The awards celebrate the best in romantic fiction and are highly regarded in the world of books and publishing.

Awards are given to the top novel in 10 categories:

·       Fantasy Romantic Novel of the Year,

·       Debut Romantic Novel of the Year,

·       Romantic Thriller of the Year,

·       Festive Holiday Romantic Novel,

·       Shorter Romantic Novel of the Year,

·       Historical Romantic Novel of the Year,

·       Romantic Comedy of the Year,

·       Contemporary Romantic Novel,

·       Romantic Saga of the Year,

·       and the Popular Romantic Fiction Award.

As well as these, there is the Joan Hessayon Award for New Writers, which is given annually for a debut book that was published after going through the New Writers Scheme, where aspiring romantic fiction writers receive constructive critiques of their novel in progress from established, published authors.

This year, I am proud to say that my novel, “The Earl Pretender,” is on the short list for the Historical Romantic Novel of the Year.

To say this is an honour and a thrill would be a vast understatement.

There are five books vying for this particular award.

As well as The Earl Pretender, which is set in Regency England, there are:

·       The Butterfly Garden by Rachel Burton, set in 1963 and 2018;

·       The Wicked Lady by Elena Collins, a time slip novel going between 1648 and the present day,

·       Shadows in the Moonlight by Santa Montefiore, a time travel story set in 1895 and the present day,

·       and The Last Song of Winter, by Lulu Taylor, set in the 1940s and the present day.

I'm very grateful I don't have to judge them.

Congratulations and best wishes to everybody on the short list.