Award Ceremonies

Romantic Comedy of the Year short listers.

It's the season of awards and whether it's a Bafta, an Oscar or an RNA award, what they all have in common is the frocks, the photos and the ceremony. 
On Monday evening I attended the Romantic Novelists' Assocation awards at the amazing Gladstone Library No 1 Whitehall Place, and had all my fingers and toes crossed for Margaret James who was short listed for her fabulous romantic comedy, The Wedding Diary. Here she is in the line-up. We were very stoic when the announcements were made! To be short listed is to win - as a judge of competitions I am a firm believer in the this statement. Different day, different reader and someone else wins. That's how it goes. 
After the lovely (and tiny) Darcey Bussell presented the trophies we were treated to a very funny speech by Helen Fielding (author of Bridget Jones' Diary). It is a rare author who does not have a collection of rejection tales to gladden the heart of the likes of me.  
This Saturday it's the Exeter Novel Prize award ceremony and I don't know whose novel our esteemed judge, Broo Doherty is going to chose to take home the trophy but the splendid six on our short list are all winners. Congratulations to Joan Brennan, Su Bristow, Barbara Hudson, Heather Reed, Anne Summerfield and Sonya Weiss.

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