Goldsboro Books increases sponsorship for 2019 RNAs

Goldsboro Books has increased its sponsorship for the 2019 Romantic Novel Awards, run by the Romantic Novelists' Association.

The London bookshop will now be supporting two awards, the Contemporary and the Historical Novel of the Year Awards, which will replace The Romantic Novel of the Year Award. 

The RNA’s 2019 tranche of awards will comprise of Contemporary Romantic Novel of the Year, Historical Romantic Novel of the Year, Romantic Comedy Novel of the Year, Fantasy Romantic Novel of the Year, Shorter Romantic Novel of the Year Award and Debut Romantic Novel of the Year Award.  Award submissions will open 18th June, and the deadline for submissions is 30th September 2018.

RNA chair Nicola Cornick said: “We are delighted to announce a new partnership with Goldsboro Books, who will be sponsoring both the Contemporary and Historical Romantic Novel of the Year Award in 2019. Goldsboro Books has been hugely supportive of the RNA and of our authors and we are very happy to have this opportunity to develop our working relationship with them through sponsorship and joint events.

David Headley, m.d. of Goldsboro Books and founder of DHH Literary Agency, said: "The Romantic Novelists' Association's awards reflect excellence and breadth in the genre, and we are delighted to have increased our sponsorship and commitment to continue working with the RNA to support this.”

The Debut Romantic Novel of the Year for a book by a first time author will be sponsored by author Katie Fforde, who is also president of the RNA.

Fforde said "Getting published can be a long and difficult road for many writers - it was for me! This is an opportunity to acknowledge those authors whose first novels show exceptional talent." 

In addition, the organisation will be introducing a Popular Romantic Fiction award, voted for by booksellers, bloggers and librarians to celebrate the commercial success of romantic fiction and the "enduring popularity" of the genre with readers. The RNA will continue to present an Outstanding Achievement Award to a writer who has made an extraordinary contribution to the field of romantic fiction. This year the recipient was Jilly Cooper. For 2019 the winner will be chosen from nominations from the RNA’s members.

Sponsorship for the other awards will be announced later in the year.