On Monday Elaine and Francesca joined a table with ten writer friends to watch the glittering annual spectacle that is the RoNAs (Romantic Novel Awards), an event organised by the Romantic Novelists’ Association.
We were going to write an article, but have decided to let the pictures tell their own story…
Requesting the pleasure of your company
Francesca and Elaine take a photo call.
Compere Jane Wenham Jones interviews Barbara Taylor Bradford, who was presenting the prizes.
The beautiful ceiling of the Gladstone Library.
The candelabra lit tables created a romantic setting for the event.
An opportunity to catch up with friends, as well as mingle with well known authors, agents and publishers.
Lucy Dillon, winner of the Contemporary Romantic Novel Award (post-1960) for ‘A Hundred Pieces of Me’.
Ella Harper, winner of the Epic Romantic Novel Award for ‘Pieces of You’.
Hazel Gaynor, winner of the Historical Romantic Novel Award (pre-1960) for ‘The Girl Who Came Home’.
Lucy-Anne Holmes, winner of the Romantic Comedy Award, with’ Just a Girl, Standing in Front of a Boy’.
Louise Allen, winner of the RoNA Rose Award (for category/series and shorter romance) for ‘Scandal’s Virgin’.
Joss Stirling, winner of the Young Adult Romantic Novel Award and the overall winner of the Romantic Novel of the Year for ‘Struck’. She is the first YA novelist to win this prize.
Two Outstanding Achievement Awards were presented this year. Both authors awarded have made extraordinary contributions to romantic fiction and both have had at least twenty-five novels published.
Carole Matthews, the other winner of the Outstanding Achievement Award. She said that in an age when it’s popular for writers to go it alone, her publisher had done so much and made her a better writer. She gave us several tongue-in-cheek reasons why she deserved the award, including the time she got a one star review because Amazon didn’t deliver the book on time!
Jill Mansell, winner of one of the Outstanding Achievement Awards. She told us she read Barbara Taylor Bradford’s novel ‘A Woman of Substance’ as a 21 year-old, but never thought she’d be presented with an award by her. She said she’d found the RNA “helpful and supportive and wise” and had even considered getting an RNA tattoo!
A hearty congratulations to all the winners.
After the awards were presented we carried on mingling and drinking the bubbly provided on each table. Time went quickly and it didn’t seem long until another enjoyable RoNA ceremony was over. Perhaps we’ll see you there next year?
For a full report on the evening, see the RNA blog post, A Night For Romance.
Twitter: @FCapaldiBurgess @RobertsElaine11
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