All roads led to London for the
annual Romantic Novelist Association’s Romantic Novelist of the Year Awards (RoNA’s)
held this year in the Gladstone Library at the Liberal Club, One Whitehall
Place.
Bubbly
Members, guests and finalists met
to chat over a glass of bubbly before the main event of the evening got under
way. We had a chance to peruse the books that were up for awards under the six
sections as well as catch up with friends and fellow members. The RNA is
nothing if not friendly and we love a celebration and a party. Who would win
and what else was in store during the evening ahead?
Canapes
and Introductions
 |
| Jane Wenham Jones & Barbara Taylor Bradford |
After finding our tables and
partaking of the delicious canapes our Chair, Pia Fenton welcomed everyone to
the event. Agents, publishers, established authors, new writers, friends and
family clapped enthusiastically as Jane Wenham Jones started the evening’s
proceedings by introducing our special guest, Barbara Taylor Bradford. There
was more than one author in the room who had dreamt of becoming a writer after
reading Barbara’s A Woman of Substance. Barbara
was warm and encouraging offering advice to any would be aspirant to be
focussed and concentrated. Those of us in the room were focussed on Barbara,
looking as immaculate as any heroine.
Category
Winners
This year, books
shortlisted for the RoNA Rose, for category/series and shorter romance,
competed for the first time with all other categories for the overall prize of
Romantic Novel of the Year. Prior to announcing the overall award winner,
Barbara Taylor Bradford revealed the winners of the individual categories and
presented them with star-shaped crystal trophies.
Historical – Hazel Gaynor, The
Girl Who Came Home
William Morrow, (Harper Collins)
For novels set in a period before 1960
 |
| Hazel Gaynor |
RoNa
Rose
– Louise Allen, Scandal’s
Virgin
(Harlequin Mills & Boon Historical)
For category/series
and shorter romance.
Epic – Ella Harper, Pieces
of You
(Avon)
For novels containing serious issues or themes, including gritty,
multi-generational stories.
(Hodder &
Stoughton)
For mainstream romantic novels set post-1960, and can include chick lit,
paranormaland romantic suspense.
paranormaland romantic suspense.
 |
| Lucy Dillon |
Young Adult– Joss Stirling, Struck
- formerly Storm & Stone
(Oxford University
Press)
Featuring protagonists who are teenagers or young adults.
 |
| Joss Stirling |
Romantic
Comedy
– Lucy-Anne Holmes, Just
a Girl Standing in Front of a Boy
(Sphere (Little, Brown)
For consistently
humorous or amusing novels.
 |
| Lucy Holmes |
The categories and the award
winners with Barbara Taylor Bradford.
The Romantic Novelist of the Year Award would be announced later in the proceedings. Who would be the winner?
Outstanding Achievements
A high spot of the evening was the
presentation of Outstanding Achievement awards to two of our favourite authors,
Jill Mansell and Carole Matthews, both ladies having reached the pinnacle of
their careers by having twenty five books published. In her acceptance speech
Jill revisited her twenty-one year old self when becoming a writer wasn’t even
yet a dream and Carole attributed her fat bottom (not true) and repetitive
strain industry to her career. Naturally – because that’s the sort of people
they are – they heaved praise and thanks upon all the people who had helped
them along the way.
Team of Judges
All too soon the official part of
the evening was drawing to an end. A panel of
independent judges read the six category winners’ novels before meeting to
debate the finer points of each book. The panel included Sarah Broadhurst, formerly The
Bookseller; Alison Flood, Guardian.co.uk; Jane Mays, The Daily
Mail; Karin Stoecker, ex-Editorial Director, Harlequin Books and Matt Bates
of WHSmith Travel.
The Big Moment!
Barbara opened the red envelope and
announced the winner of the Romantic Novel of the Year Award to be…Joss Stirling with, Struck. A fantastic achievement and the
first time the prize has gone to a novel in the young adult category. Barbara Taylor Bradford presented Joss with her trophies
and a cheque for £5000
Praise
The five judges were fulsome in their praise of Struck:
“A fast -paced novel, full of adventure and danger, as well as a satisfying
romance with an instant attraction.”
“Mean Girls meets 21 Jump Street, navigating life and themes of
school cliques and bullying.”
“Main characters were well drawn.”
“A satisfying developing relationship between heroine and hero. A provocative
read which delivered on the romance. Good plot. Great hero and heroine.”
“An absorbing read that really pulled you in – I admired the energy and pace.”
Our heartiest congratulations to
Joss and indeed to all of the contenders and winners.
Until
Next Year
Guests lingered to sip wine and
chat before heading for home and your intrepid blogging team took the
opportunity to chat to potential interviewees for the blog. Yet another
fabulous RNA event had come to an end. Well done to the organisers and the
committee for pulling off another fabulous and memorable event. Farewell until
next year – but first we have the Summer Party, our Summer Conference and the
Winter Party. See you there!
Elaine
& Natalie
