Emma Nominated for RNA Joan Hessayon Award!
For The Importance of Being Emma to be shortlisted for any award is fantastic. To be shortlisted for two in one month is unbelievable!
The latest award nomination is the Romantic Novelists’ Association Joan Hessayon Award. This is given to the best debut novel that has been assessed by the RNA’s New Writers’ Scheme and subsequently published during the last year. There are 7 of us in contention and Catherine Jones, Chair of the RNA, describes our novels as ‘perfect examples of romantic fiction: engaging, brilliant books with a wonderful love story at the heart of each one.’
The winner will be announced at the RNA’s Summer Party on May 13th. The award is generously sponsored by Dr David Hessayon, in honour of his late wife Joan, who was a longstanding member of the RNA and a great supporter of the New Writers’ Scheme.
JA adds: I found the New Writers’ Scheme feedback invaluable. It helped me improve The Importance of Being Emma and motivated me to find a publisher. I’m very proud to be a contender for the Joan Hessayon Award as it’s great recognition for getting published and a way of encouraging unpublished writers to keep going.
The Importance of Being Emma has also been shortlisted for the 2009 Melissa Nathan Award for Comedy Romance.
