RoNA Rose Shortlisting!

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The Kydd Inheritance shortlisted for the RoNA Rose 2012!



The news is now out and I am so, so, so thrilled to be able to announce that I have been shortlisted for the Romantic Novelists' Association awards for the third year running!

This year, the awards have a new logo and a new name: the RoNAs. There are six awards being made - Contemporary, Epic, Historical, Romantic Comedy, Young Adult and the RoNA Rose for category and hardback-only romance.

The Kydd Inheritance is a Regency love story set amidst secrets and skullduggery. Nell Kydd has to outwit her dangerously creepy uncle, reinstate her dangerously adventurous brother and come to terms with his dangerously attractive friend, Hugo Derringer.



The winners in each category will be announced at a wonderfully posh "Bubbly and Bites" event at One Whitehall Place on Monday 5th March. It would be a terrible waste not to buy a new frock for it, yes?


I'm delighted to see so many of my friends on the 2012 shortlists. The full lists are as follows:

Contemporary:

Chances, Freya North, (Harper Collins)

Christmas at Tiffany’s, Karen Swan, (Pan Macmillan)

It Started with a Kiss, Miranda Dickinson, (Avon (Harper Collins))

Summer of Love, Katie Fforde, (Arrow (Random House))

The Untied Kingdom, Kate Johnson, (Choc Lit)

To the Moon and Back, Jill Mansell, (Headline Review)

Epic Category: 

Crimson China, Betsy Tobin, (Short Books)

Jubilate, Michael Arditti, (Arcadia Books)

That Liverpool Girl, Ruth Hamilton, (Pan MacMillan)

The Kashmir Shawl, Rosie Thomas, (Harper Collins)

The Lantern, Deborah Lawrenson, (Orion)

Historical Category: 

A Gathering Storm, Rachel Hore, (Simon & Schuster UK)

Daughter of Siena, Marina Foriato, (John Murray)

Highland Storms, Christina Courtenay, (Choc Lit)

Perhaps Tomorrow, Jean Fullerton, (Orion)

The Noble Assassin, Christie Dickason, (Harper Collins)

Romantic Comedy Category: 

Lizzy Harrison Loses Control, Pippa Wright, (Pan MacMillan)

Please Don’t Stop the Music, Jane Lovering, (Choc Lit)

The Look of Love, Judy Astley, (Transworld - Black Swan)

Who’s Afraid of Mr. Wolfe?, Hazel Osmond, (Quercus)

Wrapped Up in You, Carole Matthews, (Little Brown Book Group - Sphere)

Young Adult:

Angel Fire, L. A. Weatherly, (Usborne Publishing)

Artichoke Hearts, Sita Brahmachari, (MacMillan’s Childrens’ Books)

Dark Ride, Caroline Green, (Piccadilly Press)

My So-called Phantom Lovelife, Tamsin Murray, (Piccadilly Press)

RoNA Rose: 

Flirting with Italian, Liz Fielding (HMB Riva)

A Christmas Knight, Kate Hardy (HMB Medical)

Ordinary Girl in a Tiara, Jessica Hart (HMB Riva)

The Kydd Inheritance, Jan Jones (Robert Hale)

The Dangerous Lord Darrington, Sarah Mallory (HMB Historical)

Winning the War Hero's Heart, Mary Nichols (HMB Historical)

Further information can be found at the RoNA Awards site and the Romantic Novelists' Association.

Shortlisted!

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Wow!

I have just found out that The Kydd Inheritance has been shortlisted for the Choc Lit Best Historical Romance award at the Festival of Romance!

It's a very strong list, so I'm thrilled to be included on it

The full list is:

For the Choc Lit Best Historical Read Award:

Charlotte Betts - The Apothecary's Daughter (Piatkus)

Annie Burrows - Captain Corcoran's Hoyden Bride (Mills & Boon, Historical Regency)

Christina Courtenay - The Scarlet Kimono (Choc Lit)

Jean Fullerton - Perhaps Tomorrow (Orion)

Jan Jones - The Kydd Inheritance (Robert Hale)

There is also another award, so congratulations to all my friends on that one too:

For the Total-E-Bound Best Romantic Read Award:

Juliet Archer - Persuade Me (Choc Lit)

Fiona Harper - Swept off her Stilettos (Mills & Boon, Riva)

Carole Matthews - Wrapped up in You (Sphere)

Sue Moorcroft - Love and Freedom (Choc Lit)

Talli Roland - The Hating Game (Prospera Publishing)

Background: the Best Romantic Read Award is for contemporary novels of any romance genre, and the Best Historical Read Award is for novels of any romance genre set prior to 1961.

The Romance Reader Awards are judged by a panel of real readers who considered the submissions on readability and enjoyment.

The winners will be announced at the Festival of Romance Have A Heart Ball and Awards on Saturday 22 October, along with the Festival of Romance New Talent Award to recognise writers of great talent who have not yet been commercially published.

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RNA Summer Party 2011

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What a fabulous Summer Party it was this year! Gorgeous frocks, wonderful shoes, wine, canapés, an award presentation and the best of all company.







I gave my LSotY shortlist dress another outing - here I am looking almost grown-up as I warm up the crowd ready for the presentations.

In an all-change moment, RNA outgoing chair Katie Fforde handed over stewardship to Anne Ashurst,

outgoing president Diane Pearson got an IMMENSE round of applause for her years of service, and then we moved on to the Joan Hessayon Award for the 2011 best début novel.

Joan Hessayon contenders l-r: Molly Hopkins, Kate Jackson, Paula Williams, Charlotte Betts, Sally Clements

and the winner was announced as Charlotte Betts with The Apothecary's Daughter.

enjoying the speeches: Lucy King (winner 2010),
Kate Johnson, Lyn McCulloch, Talli Roland

Impossibly glamorous Danuta Kean with me

Carole Blake and Jan

Then it was on to more partying, more catching up with friends, more networking with editors, agents, journalists and PR gurus.

The Joan Hessayon trophy

God bless the Romantic Novelists' Association and all who sail in her.

(Most pix taken by Marte at mlr photo. Others taken by me or Liz Fenwick)

Awards Night 2011 !

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The Romantic Novelists' Association Pure Passion Awards night 2011 was FABULOUS!

Just look at this room

look at the Award Stars

look at the Ladies !

I arrived early and grabbed a photo opportunity by the fireplace in the Reading & Writing Room at One Whitehall Place. None too soon, because the room soon filled up with shortlisted books, authors, guests and champagne.

As with all RNA gatherings, masses of cheerful networking took place before we were called into the Gladstone Library for more champagne, canapés and the Awards announcements.

I didn't win the Love Story of the Year award, but I was thrilled that my lovely friend and Cambridge-Chapter-mate Louise Allen did for her fabulous historical romance The Piratical Miss Ravenhurst. And then another great friend Elizabeth Chadwick won the Historical Novel prize and a third, Jill Mansell, won the Romantic Comedy prize! I don't think it will be any great surprise to learn that more champagne appeared roundabout then...

The full list is:
RNA Love Story of the Year: The Piratical Miss Ravenhurst by Louise Allen
RNA Historical Novel Prize: To Defy A King by Elizabeth Chadwick
RNA Romantic Comedy Prize: Take A Chance On Me by Jill Mansell
RNA Romantic Novel of the Year: The Last Letter From Your Lover by Jojo Moyes
Lifetime Achievement Stars went to Penny Jordan and Josephine Cox

Elizabeth Chadwick, Jojo Moyes, Katie Fforde, Penny Jordan, Josephine Cox, Jill Mansell, Louise Allen

(photos 1, 5 and 6 taken by Marte of MLR Photo)
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It's nearly Awards time!

Shortlisted books for 2011 Love Story of the Year

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Eeek, it's nearly the RNA Pure Passion Awards night and I DO NOT have an approaching cold. I am telling my throat that it does not have that incipient tickle signalling full-on loss-of-voice, my glands are merely over-excited, my nose is not running, and my slight headache has simply been caused by the adverse weather.

However, just to be on the safe side I am carrying the Big Box of Tissues around with me and am mainlining tea with a side-order of paracetamol.

Because Monday sees a big sparkly Romantic Novelists' Association party and the announcement of the Romantic Novel of the Year, the Love Story of the Year, the RNA Historical Prize and the RNA Romantic Comedy prize. Nothing is going to stop me dressing up, going to the Gladstone Library at One Whitehall Place with my pals, celebrating being shortlisted and cheering on all the winners!

[Excuse me while I put the kettle on again, please.]
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