Nominations for the Joan Hessayon award 2018

The countdown to the announcement has begun, eeeek! I am nominated with 16 other fabulous authors for this year's Joan Hessayon award 2018 which will be announced on Thursday at the Ashmolean museum, Oxford. 

The Joan Hessayon Award is generously sponsored by gardening expert Dr David Hessayon OBE, in honour of his late wife Joan, who was a longstanding member of the RNA and a great supporter of its New Writers’ Scheme. The scheme has been run by the RNA since 1962 and is unique among professional writing associations. It aims to encourage fresh talent in the writing of romantic novels that reflect all aspects of love and life, contemporary or historical. Imogen Howson, who co-ordinates the New Writers’ Scheme, commented, “It is wonderful to see debut authors graduating from the New Writers’ Scheme and we are ever grateful to Dr David Hessayon who continues to support the Awards in honour of his late wife, Joan.”

The full list of nominated authors:
Mick Arnold, The Season for Love, Passion in Print
Donna Ashcroft, Summer at the Castle Café, Bookouture
Susanna Bavin, The Deserter’s Daughter, Allison & Busby
Cryssa Bazos, Traitor’s Knot, Endeavour Press
Hannah Begbie, Mother, Harper Collins
Anita Belli, The Traveller and the Rose, Endeavour Press
Lynn Forth, Love in La La Land, Crooked Cat
Erin Green, A Christmas Wish, Aria Fiction
Lisa Hill, Meet Me at Number Five, Choc Lit
John Jackson, Heart of Stone, Crooked Cat
Jane Lacey-Crane, Secrets and Tea at Rosie Lee’s, Aria Fiction
Zoe May, Perfect Match, HQ Digital
Sue McDonagh, Summer at the Art Café, Choc Lit
Kate Ryder, Summer in a Cornish Cove, Aria Fiction
Elaine Roberts, The Foyles Bookshop Girls, Aria Fiction
Tanya Jean Russell, Broken Trust, Evernight Publishing
Awen Thornber, Foxtrot in Freshby, Crooked Cat

You can 'follow' the announcements and Twitter feed by connecting with @RNATweets #SummerParty2018 on Thursday.

​Good luck to everyone - let's make it a cracking night!

Contenders for The Joan Hessayon Award 2018

Update: Despite all your good wishes I didn't win... but I had the most fabulous night celebrating success. Which is what matters to me. The Ashmolean museum, Oxford was a beautiful venue and very fitting for such a wonderful night. It felt more like a graduation party than anything else and so, we let the bubbles flow amongst the chatter and laughter.

I have frequently talked about the 'naughty girls' on the 22:00 Euston London train, well three of us were present and I am proud to say we didn't disappoint. Philippa had the bright idea to visit The Turf, a Oxford bar that she's frequented as a student, so she led a small group towards the fun. Boy, did we have a giggle - apologises to the students present, it's not everyday a bunch of loud people, old enough to be your parents crash your bar! But, we did! 

I was slightly overdressed for a uni haunt but what the heck, what a fabulous night!

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