The RoNA awards celebrate
the very best in romantic fiction and the party is always fun and
ultra-glamorous. The champagne flows, you get to meet some of the best writers,
publishers and agents in the business and RNA members’ shoes (from sky-high
heels to leopard-print ballet pumps) are a delight to behold.
This year’s party was held
at the RAF Club in London’s Piccadilly, with Judy Finnigan and Richard Madeley (no
mean writers themselves) on hand to announce the five category winners.
So three cheers for Katie
Fforde, who won the Contemporary Romantic Novel award for the second year
running – this time for Recipe for Love.
Rowan Coleman triumphed in
the Epic Romantic Novel category with Dearest
Rose while Jenny Colgan scooped the Romantic Comedy Novel award for Welcome to Rosie Hopkins’ Sweetshop of
Dreams.
The Historical Romantic
Novel winner was Charlotte Betts for The
Apothecary’s Daughter and the Young Adult Romantic Novel award went to
Victoria Lamb for Witchstruck.
The five winning novels now
go forward to the RNA Romantic Novel of the Year award and the overall winner
will be revealed at the RNA’s summer party on May 16.
RNA chair Annie Ashurst,
who’s written scores of novels herself, told the 250 party guests: “… we are
here to celebrate the success of our brightest stars. We are proud of their
talent, tenacity and dedication to their craft.
“It is a lovely thing to
write a novel and to keep on going even as doubts set in – as they do with us
all. Our awards give us an opportunity to publicly recognise the enjoyment you
bring to your readers.”
Hear, hear, Annie...
Hear, hear, Annie...
PS. As well as the RoNAs,
Sophie Kinsella was given an Outstanding Achievement Award. The RoNA Rose Award
went to Sarah Mallory.
