The RNA Industry Awards 2017 Celebrate those who Champion Romantic Fiction

THE ROMANTIC NOVELISTS’ ASSOCIATION

ANNOUNCES INDUSTRY AWARD WINNERS

London: 15 November 2017 The Romantic Novelists’ Association’s (RNA) is delighted to announce the winners of its annual industry awards, which this year feature the addition of a new category, Librarian of the Year. This new award recognises the important work that librarians do in supporting the romantic fiction genre, and the Association in particular. Six awards were presented during the RNA’s Winter Party, held in the Library at the Institute of Mechanical Engineers in London.

Librarian of the Year

Shirley Everall, Librarian of the Year

The inaugural award was presented to Shirley Everall, Audience Development Officer, Hertfordshire Libraries, for hosting a great number of events for RNA members, and promoting romantic fiction in Hertfordshire Libraries.

Runner-up Rachel Gee, from Tiverton Library, was nominated for her continual support and proactivity in promoting romantic fiction.

Romantic Bookseller of the Year

Kearan Ramful, Sainsbury's

This award recognises booksellers promoting and championing romantic fiction in a positive and proactive way throughout the year. This year’s winner, Kearan Ramful, book buyer for Sainsbury’s Plc, was awarded the title for his continuing support for romantic fiction by selecting many romantic titles for Sainsbury’s stores. 

Runner-up was David Headley and team at Goldsboro Books.  

Best Adaptation of a Romantic Novel

Debbie Horsfield

The award for best adaptation of a romantic novel, whether for stage, screen (TV or movie) or radio goes to Debbie Horsfield for Poldark Series 3 (BBC TV).  The adaptation must have been broadcast/screened from September 2016 through to the end of September 2017, at any time and for any duration.  After three series, Poldark remains a fantastic series with stunning scenery, excellent casting, and still stays close to the original text. It is one of those can't-be-missed programmes, with a charismatic but flawed hero and heroine.

Runner-up was Whit Stillman and Jane Austen for Love and Friendship, a film based on Jane Austen’s novella.

Media Star of the Year

Blogger Linda Hill was awarded Media Star of the Year for her continued support for romance novels through retweeting, reviewing and blogging. Friendly and professional, even when her TBR pile is overflowing, she’ll take more books on, going above and beyond the call of duty, and all with a smile. This award recognises those who have helped raise the profile of romance writing and/or the RNA in a positive way.  

Blogger Kaisha Holloway was runner-up and was nominated for her great support for authors and her honest, detailed and reflective reviews which are constructively critical.

Agent of the Year

Broo Doherty, DHH Literary Agency

For the literary agent who has striven to support, mentor, nurture and promote their authors’ careers, the genre in general and the RNA in particular. This year’s winner, Broo Doherty, DHH Literary Agency, was nominated for her championing of romantic fiction and support for the RNA. With a list featuring several authors in the genre, she provides guidance and great support to her clients, being honest and tactful, as well as kind, supportive and savvy about romantic fiction. 

Runner-up Rebecca Ritchie, AM Heath Agency, was nominated for her dedication, warmth and genuine passion for the genre. A great editor and all-round fantastic partner, a great listener, offering wise words and sound advice.

Publisher of the Year

Charlotte Ledger, Publisher of the Year

For the publisher who embraces the genre, mentors writers to produce their best work, and is innovative, creative and visionary in the marketing and promotion of romantic fiction on every level.  This year’s award goes to Charlotte Ledger, HarperImpulse, for her tireless championing of romance novels at Harper Collins, giving many debut novelists their first break. Open and honest, she provides transparent dealings with those authors under her wing and many nominated her, citing that working with Charlotte is a team effort, and she has a real personal touch when it comes to developing writers’ careers.

Runner-up was DC Thompson, a stalwart and steady publisher of a great number of members over the years. Both The People's Friend and My Weekly magazines have pocket novel imprints and their editors have mentored and published RNA members over many years, following a long tradition of nurturing writers of romance.

The RNA Industry Awards are decided by the membership, with every member eligible to nominate within each category. The awards were presented at the RNA’s Winter Party at the Institute of Mechanical Engineers, Birdcage Walk, London on 15^th November 2017. 

Photos from the event will be available on The Romantic Novelists' Association's website in due course.

For further information please contact:
Pressofficer@romanticnovelistsassociation.org
Or Katrina Power 07 963 962 538 or katrina.power@yahoo.com 

About the Romantic Novelists' Association

The RNA was formed in 1960 to promote romantic fiction and encourage good writing and now represents more than 900 writers, agents, editors and other publishing professionals.

RNA CONFERENCE: Meet the agents

The RNA conference 2017 will soon be upon us (14th-17th July, to be exact!) This year there are seven literary agents offering one-to-one pitching sessions. We thought it might be helpful to host the agents here on the blog, so that those people applying for a pitching session can get to know them a little better before they send off an application.
The agents attending are:

• Kate Nash (Kate Nash Agency)
• Lisa Eveleigh (Richard Becklow Agency)
• Broo Doherty (DHH Literary Agency)
• Tanera Simons (Darley Anderson Agency)
• Felicity Trew (Caroline Sheldon Agency)
• Julia Silk (MBA Literary Agency)
• and Isobel Dixon (Blake Friedmann).

Unfortunately Julia Silk was on holiday at the time of putting this article together. We have a full length interview with Laura Longrigg of MBA here on the blog which you may like to refer to. (Of course Laura and Julia will have different tastes, but Laura's interview will give readers an idea of the ethos behind the MBA Agency.) *UPDATE* Julia Silk has very kindly taken time to respond on the last day of her holiday. Her replies are listed separately at the bottom of the post.

Isobel Dixon was also unavailable at the time of going to press. We have an interview with the wonderful Carole Blake of Blake Friedmann here for reference, but please note again that Carole's tastes and Isobel's may well have been different.

A warm welcome to those agents who were able to make it today. Thanks for answering our questions at such short notice!

What is it you are most hoping to find from your pitching session at the conference? Are there any particular genres/themes that you would love to read? 

Kate Nash:You might as well ask me to predict the outcome of a dress shopping expedition! Yes, I have an idea of some styles and colours I like but until I see the dresses on the rail, I simply don't know which one I'm going to absolutely love. However, the number one thing that gets me into a story is realism: real characters dealing with real life problems in real settings. I'd like to see more stories from different regions of the UK and overseas, and stories involving characters from different backgrounds. 

Lisa Eveleigh: I always hope to find an unputdownable story, something that grabs me from the first paragraph.  I would love to find an author writing a multi-layered family story which involves romance, along the lines of Elizabeth Jane Howard.  I also like romantic comedy. Anything with a First World War and/or 1920’s setting is hugely appealing.  I’m also interested in historical romance generally, though later than Medieval.  

Broo Doherty: This may sound trite but in these uncertain times, I am looking for epic stories well told, with engaging, well developed characters and psychological depth. I’m looking either to be taken out of my comfort zone and transported to a place I have never been too, or shown a new, original perspective on a situation I know well.

Tanera Simons: I am really excited to meet with enthusiastic aspiring authors, and am crossing my fingers to meet someone whose work I love and who I could see myself working with. In terms of genres/themes, I am open to anything and everything: rom-coms, thought-provoking storylines, dark love stories, historical romances… the list goes on! I want to get completely swept up in the story, and fall in love with characters so real that I don’t want to say goodbye when I finish reading. I want fiction with strong but fallible female protagonists: the next Bridget Jones or Rebecca Bloomwood, who show us that even the best of us make mistakes!

Felicity Trew: I’d love to find a striking, powerful female voice – one that inspires women whether we’re left laughing or crying.  I’m a huge fan of a good weepy, historical, funny, psychological suspense, saga and anything truly unputdownable!

Have you noticed any particular trends in romance in the past year or so, and if so, what do you think publishers are looking for at the moment? 

Kate Nash:Digital opportunities mean that publishers are quite open to different story types but I think that romance is under some pressure from the popularity of psychological/women's thrillers on the one hand and emotional "women's mysteries" on the other. My "reading for pleasure" pile has got the following current bestsellers on it from both these genres: I See You by Clare Mackintosh, The Couple Next Door by Shari Lapena, Lyrebird by Cecelia Ahern and This Must Be The Place by Maggie O'Farrell. Having said that sagas are very much holding their own with WW2 and the post war period popular, and there is still plenty of demand for escapist romantic comedies. Beaches, Cornwall and gin all trending. 

Lisa Eveleigh: Cosy romances involving cup-cakes, beach huts, and tea-shops still seem to be going strong though I wonder if this isn’t mainly a digital-first trend.  

Publishers tell me that they are looking for a strong ‘millennial’/Generation Y’ romantic novel.  This is going to be very hard to find, since younger writers with the necessary vocabulary are much more interested in fantasy and dystopia and therefore tend to aim at the Young Adult market in which romance is mostly – but not always – subsidiary to plague, and/or magic and mayhem.  I’ve also been asked for paranormal romance.    

Broo Doherty: Novels featuring diversity seem to be gaining ground at the moment which is not before time, given we live in a multicultural society, and I think that would apply to the romantic genre as well.

Tanera Simons: I always find the subject of trends a tricky one: I would always advise writers to write what they’re good at rather than attempt to follow current trends. If your writing is good enough and story compelling enough, you will always succeed! However, at the moment I definitely think that people want to read escapist, feel-good fiction, that takes them away from the stresses of politics and news of terrorism. Readers want to be transported into a fictional world of warmth and positivity. I also think that editors are on the look-out for anything a bit different, that takes the classic love story and introduces a new element: perhaps more diversity, so not just a ‘boy meets girl’ love story, but a ‘girl meets girl’, or love across different cultures etc. Of course, trends will come and go and these are just some themes that I’ve noticed.

Felicity Trew: Any of the above genres I’ve mentioned are getting on publishers’ radars but they do have to have that competitive high quality to them. However, sagas in particular are having a wonderful revival at the moment (which I’m very excited about).

What's been your favourite romance novel recently?

Kate Nash: I've actually been reading a lot of psychological thrillers but I did enjoy The Judge's Wife by Ann O'Loughlin which was shortlisted for the RoNAs. A mystery, I was completely sold on the realism of the setting and the characters.

Lisa Eveleigh: I’ve recently been on holiday so read a fair few, and it’s impossible to name one, so if I’m allowed? 

The House on Bellevue Road – Rachel Hore 

A Secret Garden -  Katie Fforde

Are My Roots Showing? – Karola Gadja 

An Unconventional Act – Jan Jones

Broo Doherty: That’s an impossible question to answer – too many to choose from!

Tanera Simons: Again, such a difficult question as there is some really exciting romance fiction around at the moment! I would have to say Paige Toon’s The Last Piece of My Heart, though. I haven’t read her for a while, and reading this latest one reminded me just how brilliant an author she is. Bridget (the protagonist) is just such a wonderfully warm character, and I completely fell in love with her story.

Felicity Trew: I was extremely lucky to receive a proof copy of Dawn O’Porter’s The Cows (HarperCollins, 2017) just before its publication, which I utterly devoured – one of those books you just don’t want to finish because it’s become like a friend to you!

Julia Silk MBA Literary Agency

1 What is it you are most hoping to find from your pitching session at the conference? Are there any particular genres/themes that you would love to read? 

I grew up on Georgette Heyer and 80s bonkbusters - I'd like to find a great Regency romance, and I still love the glitz and glamour of authors like Shirley Conran and Judith Krantz, so anything that brings to mind either of those genres would make me happy. I'm also always on the lookout for something with a touch of the gothic or ghostly - not supernatural/paranormal so much as hinting at unusual goings-on.

2. Have you noticed any particular trends in romance in the past year or so, and if so, what do you think publishers are looking for at the moment? 

Subjects that have come up a few times recently are stories with an international feel featuring interesting locations. Also, sagas sent in the 1920s/30s or earlier. Timeslip also seems to be on editors' wishlists and I suspect this genre is due a bit of a moment. I love Barbara Erskine myself, so I'd be really pleased to read something that brings her work to mind.

3. What's been your favourite romance novel recently?

I'm a big fan of Rowan Coleman and adored We Are All Made of Stars. I really enjoy novels with interconnecting stories and for me the range of age and life experience of the protagonists, combined with the clever structure, made for an unusual and satisfying read. I also love anything by JoJo Moyes and Marian Keyes - the combination of serious subjects with humour and the perfect slow burn to the romance storyline gets me every time.

* * *

Thank you all so much for answering our questions today. We appreciate you taking the time out at such short notice, and we hope you have a successful - and enjoyable! - time at the 2017 RNA Conference.

Questions compiled by Helena Fairfax

If you would like to write for the blog please contact us on elaineeverest@aol.com

Ellie Holmes: The Flower Seller

Today we are joined Ellie Holmes who talks about her debut novel 'The Flower Seller. Ellie's inspirational tale reminds us that persistence definitely pays off because, after twelve years, her novel is finally published this June.

I first joined the RNA in 2004 and eagerly submitted my manuscript The Flower Seller to the New Writers’ Scheme.  The report I received was tremendously helpful in highlighting where the weaknesses were and how they might be tackled.  I knuckled down and in 2005 submitted the reworked manuscript to the NWS, having taken into account a lot of what my reader in 2004 had suggested.  This time The Flower Seller made it through to second read stage so all the hard work was worth it.

2005 was also the year of my first RNA Conference.  At that conference I attended an Agents’ Panel discussion when the wonderful Broo Doherty (now of DHH Literary Agency) spoke of her wish to find new authors.

I didn’t think she could possibly be talking about me.  After all The Flower Seller still needed more tweaking and I felt sure Broo would only want people who were the finished article.  Then the fabulous Nicola Cornick of this parish (who at the time ran the NWS) spoke to me, asking if I was going to contact Broo. I explained my reasons for not doing so. Nicola, in the nicest possible way, gave me a metaphorical slap round the head and told me to contact her anyway. A few weeks’ later, the ink was drying on my contract with a London literary agent.

Over the years that I have worked with her, Broo has made me a better writer but despite her best endeavours we never landed that elusive contract for The Flower Seller or my later books.

As the marketplace changed, I decided I would go down the self-published route and it made sense to make The Flower Seller, which is so dear to my heart, my first release.  I took it out of the forgotten folder it had been tucked into on the computer and set about giving it a polish and an update (smartphones were only a twinkle in Steve Jobs’ eye when the book was first written). Taking my courage in both hands I set out on the path to becoming an indie author benefitting hugely from all those who have gone before and been generous enough to share their experiences.

The Flower Seller was finally published on 2nd June. A nice little postscript to this tale is that as I was putting The Flower Seller together for publication I made my first sale to a traditional publisher. I am used to those kind of kinks in the road now.

There are several things I’d like you to take from my tale:-

The RNA is a wonderful organisation and the NWS is a wonderful scheme.

Rewrites that are focused and with a purpose in mind are all part of the job.

We all need cheerleaders – mine were Nicola and Broo.

The road to publication may have as many twists and turns as your plot so be prepared.

    NEVER GIVE UP!

About Ellie:

Ellie Holmes writes commercial women's fiction and romantic cosy mysteries.  Born in Essex but made in Cornwall, Ellie takes her inspiration from the beautiful Essex countryside and the sublime Cornish coast. Juggling commitments to family and friends alongside a part time job in the law and her writing, Ellie describes her days as hectic and her nights as long but says she wouldn’t have it any other way.

Links:

Website
Facebook
Twitter
Amazon

Thank-you for taking the time to tell us here at the RNA Blog about your experiences Ellie. We hope this story is the first of many we will see from you.

If you wish to write something for the blog or be interviewed please contact elaineeverest@aol.com