Best Historical Read


I’m delighted that The Painter’s Apprentice has been shortlisted for the Festival of Romance’s Best Historical Read Award.

The winners of all categories will be announced at the awards gala dinner and ball on Friday the 16th November.

Last year’s ball was a glittering occasion in the romance writers’ diary and I’m looking forward to catching up with friends old and new.

2012 Festival of Romance Awards Shortlists

Romance Reader Awards

Best Romantic Read
Chocolate Shoes and Wedding Blues by Trisha Ashley
Dearest Rose by Rowan Coleman
It Started with a Kiss by Miranda Dickinson
The Cornish House by Liz Fenwick
Vampire State of Mind by Jane Lovering
Dream a Little Dream by Sue Moorcroft

Best Historical Read
Mistress of the Sea by Jenny Barden
The Painter’s Apprentice by Charlotte Betts
The Silent Touch of Shadows by Christina Courtenay
Desired by Nicola Cornick
Hold on to Hope by Jean Fullerton
The Road Back by Liz Harris

Best Short Romance
Back to You by Natalie-Nicole Bates
The Sanctuary by Cara Cooper
Tomorrow Belongs to Us by Lynda Dunwell
Dancing with Danger by Fiona Harper

Best Ebook Read
Miranda’s Mount by Phillipa Ashley
Change of Address by Natalie-Nicole Bates
Evie Undercover by Liz Harris
Darcie’s Dilemma by Sue Moorcroft
Tangled Love by Rosemary Morris

Best Author Published Read
Strings Attached by Mandy Baggot
The School Gates by Nicola May
Truth (Glimmering) by Jane Miller
Build a Man by Talli Roland
Mysterious Master by Isabella Rose

New Talent Award
Little Boxes by Celia Anderson
The Chainsaw Masquerade by Milly Atherton
Forgiving Nancy by Janice Cairns
Sophie’s Secret by Marilyn Chapman
Blackout by Glenda Cooper
The Boys of Summer by Vivienne DaCosta
Cinderella’s Truly Scrumptious Wedding Cake Emporium by Andrea Davies
Wish You Were by Karin Dixon
When Storm Clouds Rage by Lesley Eames
Bride of the Year by Elaine Everest
Once Upon a… Secret by Susan Fortin
Not Such a Sweet Young Thing by Miriam Frendo
Angel with a Badge by Eileen Hathaway
Four Left Feet by Sue Jackson
Follow Me by Laura James
Hats Off to Love by Susan Jones
Lady of Leoncourt by Cathy Lennon
Blackfeather by Helen Mallinson
Changing Casanova by Holly Martin
Baby Number Two by Catherine Miller
Snowbound by Kristy Price
Love Comes Later by Mohanalakshmi Rajakumar
The Perfect Life List by Vanessa Savage
Smiling Through the Pain by Debbie White
Nanny in New York by Maria Wilson

Romance Industry Awards

Innovation in Romantic Fiction (Publisher)
Choc Lit – for continuing innovation and range in genre publishing
Samhain – for their expansion into diverse sub-genres with their retro romance and gay romance lines
DC Thomson – for a bold rebranding of My Weekly and People’s Friend Story Libraries as Pocket Novels
Xcite Books – for innovation in romance packaging with tactile covers for erotic Secret Library series

Innovation in Romantic Fiction (Author)
Mandy Baggot – for innovation in author marketing and using topical pop-culture
Sheryl Browne – for combining romantic fiction and cookery into the same book
E L. James – for invigorating the whole romance category
Sue Moorcroft – for her unusual and captivating plots

Publisher of the Year
Choc Lit – for their continuing rosta of award winning books
Cornerstone – for breaking sales records with the Fifty Shades of Grey trilogy
Ebury – for innovation in both their mainstream and digital romantic fiction publishing programmes
Total-E-Bound – for now celebrating five years as the UK’s first dedicated romance digital publisher

Literary Agent of the Year
Carole Blake – for support to the romantic fiction genre
Valerie Hoskins – literary agent to publishing sensation E.L. James
Jane Judd – for support to the romantic fiction genre
Laura Longrigg – for support to romantic fiction and new writers via the Harry Bowling Prize

Film & TV Awards

Best Romantic Film
The Artist (France, dir: Michel Hazanavicius)
Bridesmaids (US, dir: Paul Feig)
Jane Eyre (UK, dir: Cary Joji Fukunaga)
Midnight in Paris (US, dir: Woody Allen)
My Week With Marilyn (UK, dir: Simon Curtis)
One Day (US/UK, dir: Lone Scherfig)

Best Romantic Television Programme
Sponsored by Rose and Crown Publishing
Birdsong (BBC One)
Call the Midwife (BBC One)
Downton Abbey (ITV1)
Grey’s Anatomy (Channel 5)
True Love (BBC One)
The Vampire Diaries (ITV2)

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