Tag Archives: #RNA60

JANET GOVER INTRODUCES THE RNA’S ONLINE WRITING COURSES

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Writers might be solitary creatures much of the time, but that doesn’t mean we are finding the current restrictions any easier to deal with. Our nature leads us to keeping our minds active, and like everyone else, we are missing being with friends and colleagues at social gatherings, conferences and events.

Purely by chance, a project I’ve been working on for a while now is coming to fruition at just the right time. I’m talking about the Romantic Novelists’ Association’s new online learning programme #RNALearning.

Teaching and writing are two things I’ve done all my life, and I’m also a bit of a geek. When online training was first suggested to me in my day job as an IT trainer, I wasn’t too thrilled. I like face to face contact with people I’m teaching. They are more likely to laugh at my jokes that way. But once I started training online, I soon became a convert.

It’s so easy to attend an online course. There’s no special technology needed – just the internet. If you can watch a cute cat video online and send an email, you can do an online course. And in the current world, it’s a great way to keep our minds active in a lockdown.

Online courses can include watching videos (and not feeling guilty about it), joining online chat (see previous comment re guilt), downloading notes and doing exercises. It’s a great way to maintain contact with other writers, and because it’s online you can make it fit into whatever your time commitments are.

The RNA’s courses are open to anyone to join, whatever genre they are writing. Tutors will cover topics of interest for writers at all stages of their career, using the RNA’s online learning portal, via Moodle, a standard teaching tool used in many colleges and universities.

It’s my great joy to be the tutor for the scheme’s pilot course: Taking the Plunge – Your Submission Pack – which runs for the entire month of May. This is aimed at anyone who wants to follow a traditional publishing route and submit their work to an agent or traditional publisher. I’ll be talking about giving a book the best possible chance with agents and editors: preparing the MS, writing a synopsis and cover letter and what to do when the answer is no – or what to expect if it’s yes. Most importantly, there’ll be exercises and feedback for everyone. At the end of the course, participants should have their submission pack ready to go.

We started planning this last year – and never expected to be launching it in a world turned upside down by crisis. I hope it will be more than just a learning experience full of useful information for writers – I also hope it will help us all feel more positive in this difficult time.

Bookings are now being taken for the first course. Details can be found at:

https://romanticnovelistsassociation.org/rna-learning-intro-page/ or email janetgover@romanticnovelistsassociation.org

 

About the author:  Janet Gover is a former journalist and IT specialist turned award-winning novelist. She is also a qualified trainer and a well regarded writing tutor. She runs the RNA’s New Writers’ Scheme and is part of the Association’s education team.

SAMANTHA TONGE ON WINNING THE VERY FIRST JACKIE COLLINS ROMANTIC THRILLER AWARD

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Excuse the pun, but what a thrill it was to win the first ever Jackie Collins Romantic Thriller Award at the Romantic Novelists’ Association 2020 awards ceremony. First and foremost because it is a huge honour to be connected, even in a tenuous way, to such an amazing person. I loved her Lucky Santangelo character when I was a young woman.

Jackie Collins wrote real page-turners that whilst glamorous and escapist, somehow seemed real. And what an inspiration she was, writing 32 novels and achieving over half a billion sales. She was a funny, feisty woman who created kick-ass heroines and it was an extra honour to have the award handed to me by her granddaughter. I was also thrilled to win as the competition was so stiff, the other contenders being the wonderful Dorothy Koomson, Lucinda Riley, Virginia Heath and Lauren Westwood.

Knowing You is my second dark women’s fiction novel – previously I’d had nine romantic comedies published. It was challenging changing my direction, but with my brilliant agent’s help, Clare Wallace from the Darley Anderson Literary Agency, I learned so much and it felt like a real validation, at the ceremony, to hear my name read out. I still remember that moment. A real whoosh went through me and I think I managed to mumble a few words at the podium, in a daze!

I was also so pleased because I’d poured my heart into writing Knowing You. It is a story about being brave enough not to conform, not to fit in. It’s about taking control of your life in the face of adversity. The main character is kind-hearted children’s editor, Violet. When her partner leaves she seeks the advice of her new flatmate, Bella, whom her old friends disapprove of. However when Violet was a child, her closest confidant and companion was a boy called Flint. Her mother didn’t approve of their closeness and he suffered a terrible end. Therefore Violet is determined that the same thing won’t happen to her new best friend now…

Samantha Tonge (centre) with her husband and her agent

The awards ceremony which took place on March 2nd, in the RNA’s diamond anniversary year, was a glittering occasion, attended by legendary romance authors Sophie Kinsella and Carole Matthews – and Strictly Dancing star Anton du Beke. Yes, I managed to speak to all three! Everyone’s outfits were fantastic and after the ceremony we enjoyed a buffet.

I feel incredibly lucky to belong to such an association that promotes such a popular and wide genre. For some reason it’s been much maligned and romance books rarely get shortlisted for the big industry awards, despite its millions of readers. As Milly Johnson said, at the podium, when she collected the Outstanding Achievement Award: ‘We are the glorious counterbalance to this climate of hate.’ More than ever we need happy ever afters and gripping reads that whisk us away and it’s great to see such stories recognised by the RNA. ​​​​​​

Samantha Tonge

 

Ian Chapman, COO of Simon & Schuster and close friend of Jackie Collins announced the new Jackie Collins Romantic Thriller Award in 2019 which S&S will sponsor for a minimum of 5 years. Jackie Collins was a creative force, a trailblazer for women in fiction and in her own words “A kick-ass writer!’. Since her debut The World is Full of Married Men in 1968, her books have sold in their millions in more than 40 countries and she is one of the world’s top-selling novelists. She passed away in September 2015 after years privately battling breast cancer.

 

Click below for all category winners https://romanticnovelistsassociation.org/news_article/romantic-novel-award-winners-2020/

MILLY JOHNSON ON WINNING THE RNA’S OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

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Sunday Times Bestselling Author Milly Johnson on winning this prestigious Outstanding Achievement Award and what the Romantic Novelists’ Association means to her. 

I cannot tell you how delighted I was to receive an email telling me that I was being given the RNA Outstanding Achievement Award this year – this very special 60th anniversary year too.  It was one of those ‘pinch-yourself’ moments: how was it that me, a northern bird with no industry connections, who always wanted to be an author but never really thought it would be possible, was getting this accolade? It made me quite reflective of all the years between those moments and I realised

Credit: Chris Sedgewick

how much hard work I’d done to be published and stay published. I was never under any illusion that getting a book out there would bring me instant fame and fortune but still, there was never anything I wanted to do as much as hold a book, written by me with my name on the cover. And here I am published, and actually selling a few copies as well.  I never get blasé about it, it’s a thrill every time to see my name on a new book, to see it out there in the wild.

I have grafted, gone above and beyond the call of duty as you do for something you want with all the fibre of your being. I remember reading an early Carole Matthews book, loving her work, looking up to her, wanting to be published like she was, promoting her to status of goddess in my head and then a few years later she was my pal and we had the same agent. I remember well that longing to be ‘one of the chosen’ and so I can easily put myself in the shoes of those who are looking at me and imagining themselves published one day.  If they want it hard enough, and put the work in, and if one agent rejects them, and they move on to the next never taking a no as the final answer, then one day that call will come to say they’ve got a deal. Then the hard work begins. I used to equate that first publishing deal with the pinnacle of Everest, but it’s not even Base Camp. And often in this job, writing the book is the easiest part!

I am so looking forward to the evening. I have many friends there shortlisted for an award that it is sure to be a jolly one, and my plus one for the evening is my best novelist pal Debbie Johnson, because you need someone who understands the intricacies of this crazy job, to trust with all your niggles and to act as a sounding board when you feel like screaming because you’ve had the worst review ever written by anyone. And you are there for them when the reverse happens. A bit of kindness in this game goes a long, long way. And it’s always the best Karma to pay it forward.

I joined the RNA when I was published, not before. I was quite adamant that’s the way I’d do it and what a misguided fool I was! Had I joined before I would have benefitted from so much inspiration and guidance, I would have had so many more writer friends to mix with rather than do it all alone. I missed out on help and fun and a lot of Prosecco. But join I did eventually and it was one of the best investments I made becoming part of the association. I encourage any other writer not to follow in my footsteps as far as my stubbornness goes, but to join as soon as you can and take advantage of the wealth of wisdom its ‘fabulousness of authors’ has to share.

 

My One True North by Milly Johnson is published on 5th March by Simon and Schuster and is available to pre-order now. 

 

DIAMOND DEAL AT THE HEART OF ROMANCE

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Like to win sixty romance novels to celebrate RNA60? Jane Cable on how – and why – you can.

Those who follow Sister Scribes will know the Romantic Novelists’ Association is very close to my heart. After all, I’ve made so many friends through it and it’s a wonderfully supportive organisation. But how to give something back? I’m not a committee person… I invariably end up wanting to run screaming from the room… so what to do?

Over a year ago I had an idea. It stemmed from a conversation on the RNA’s private Facebook group and it dawned on me that the RNA had nowhere on the platform to communicate with readers. Surely lovers of romantic fiction would flock to a page to chat about – and with – their favourite authors, especially with the strength of the organisation’s brand behind it.

Several other like-minded people commented on the thread so we got in touch and wrote a proposal for the RNA committee to consider, the result of which was a pilot of the Romantic Fiction Book Club with invited volunteer authors, bloggers and readers. All went well and it made sense for the launch to be part of the celebrations for the RNA’s diamond anniversary. We were given a date at the heart of Romance Reading Month – 14th February – but how to make a splash?

We toyed with Facebook live events and launch parties and various other concepts at the limits of our technical ability and then I came up with a crazy idea. What about a competition to win so many books it would make a massive splash? Sixty books, in fact. And sixty more for individual runner up prizes.

At the RNA last year conference I’d met Charlotte Ledger, editorial director of Harper Collins’ digital first arm, 0ne More Chapter. Heart in mouth I emailed her to ask if there was any chance at all they could provide sixty books. She came back within hours with a resounding yes, telling me her marketing manager would be in touch because she had some ideas.

Not just ideas, as it turned out, but expertise and enthusiasm. The competition could be hosted on their platform, they would administer it and provide promotional material as well as the prizes. I was practically dancing around the table with joy. Now all I had to do was find sixty RNA members willing to give a signed book as runner up prizes.

A post in the RNA’s private Facebook group and within twenty-four hours they were all pledged, which just goes to show what a fabulous organisation it is. As I write this the hard work is continuing behind the scenes to co-ordinate this aspect and the whole admin team is getting involved. The group is already open for new members but on launch day we can really start promoting it and the bookish chat should really take off.

“But how do I win sixty books?” I hear you cry. Simple… the link to the competition is here, and there are a number of ways you can enter. Just make sure one of them is to join the Romantic Fiction Book Club. https://gleam.io/EIObQ/one-more-chapter-and-rna-diamond-anniversary-book-giveaway

My heartfelt thanks go to the team at 0ne More Chapter and fellow admins of the Romantic Fiction Book Club, Lizzie Chantree, Julie Morris, Michele Josie and Ellie Henshaw who have worked so hard to make this competition happen.

DAZZLING DIAMOND YEAR OF ROMANCE

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We are more than delighted to announce that Frost magazine will play a part in the Romantic Novelists’ Association’s Diamond Anniversary celebrations in 2020. On the last Wednesday of every month we’ll be running articles about the RNA’s year, written by their fabulous authors, which we’re sure will be fascinating insights into the world of this incredible organisation.

 

The Romantic Novelists’ Association was started in 1960 by a group of six romance writers amongst them Catherine Cookson, Barbara Cartland and Rosamunde Pilcher and today we have over one thousand members. Our focus has always been to raise the prestige of romantic fiction, and to encourage romantic authorship. 2020 is our Diamond Anniversary year and we are marking this celebration with a year packed full of events.

  • Alison May (MLR photo)

    We’re launching new bursaries to encourage writers from underrepresented groups to join the RNA

  • In February we’re launching the inaugural Romance Reading Month
  • We’ll be hosting and promoting romantic fiction events with literary festivals and universities – starting on 15th February when we’ll be in Manchester http://www.manchesterwritingschool.co.uk/events/the-love-writing-manchester-series-launch-event-with-special-guest-author-d
  • On 4th June there will be a virtual romance festival where we will be live streaming a series of events from a prestigious London location before our 60th birthday party in the evening
  • And we’ll also be asking what is the nation’s favourite romantic novel of the last 60 years

And that’s on top of the events and activities the RNA undertakes every year. We have our New Writers’ Scheme that allows 300 unpublished authors to join the RNA and get a critique on their novel in progress. We also organise and present the annual Romantic Novel Awards, and also our Industry Award which celebrate publishers, agents, booksellers and bloggers who champion romantic fiction. We host a conference for romantic authors and industry professionals every year, and present the Joan Hessayon Award to a debut author who has ‘graduated’ from the New Writers’ Scheme. We also publish a quarterly magazine for our members and have a network of local chapter groups across the UK and Ireland.

Bella Osborne

All of that takes planning and organisation, and the RNA, like many arts and literary organisations, is run by volunteers from amongst our own members. The planning for the 60th Anniversary, for example, started in 2017 when Bella Osborne joined the RNA’s management board as Special Projects Officer for the Diamond Anniversary. Since then Bella has recruited a team of volunteers to work with her developing guidance for members on approaching literary festivals, organising events, and planning for Romance Reading Month.

We’re hoping to make 2020 an especially exciting and romantic fiction-filled year, but it’s going to be incredibly busy as well. So it’s incredibly exciting to be teaming up with Frost Magazine to bring you an insight behind the scenes into a very special year in the life of the RNA.

Please follow the hashtag #RNA60 for the latest events and get involved during 2020.

 

Alison May & Bella Osborne