Lovely RITA: And the Winner Is…
I’m posting early this week because of some travel plans.
Last night in the Big Apple, romance authors from around the world gathered to celebrate the best of the best in the romance genre at the Golden Heart and RITA awards.
Barbara O’Neal’s Six RITAs
The Golden Heart Award honors aspiring authors. Named after Romance Writers of America pioneer and first president, Rita Clay Estrada, the RITA award goes to published authors in several subgenres.
Look for these up-and-coming authors, this year’s Golden Heart winners:
Kimberly Buckner, Contemporary Romance
Michelle Arris, Erotic Romance
Sara Leyton, Historical Romance
Jeanne Oates Estridge, Paranormal Romance
Tracy, Poole, Romantic Suspense
Alexa Rowan, Short Contemporary Romance
Stephanie Winkelhake, Young Adult Romance
And the RITA goes to:
Run to You, by Clara Kensie, Best First Book
Baby It’s You, by Jane Graves, Contemporary Romance – Long
One in a Million, by Jill Shalvis, Contemporary Romance – Mid-length
A Texas Rescue Christmas, by Caro Carson, Contemporary Romance – Short
The Saint, by Tiffany Reisz, Erotic Romance
Fool Me Twice, by Meredith Duran, Historical Romance: Long
Romancing the Duke, by Tessa Dare, Historical Romance: Short
A big, big, congratulations to Tessa, a member of one of my local RWA chapters, OCC on her second RITA!
Deceived, by Irene Hannon, Inspirational Romance
This is Irene’s third RITA, thus ushering her into the RWA Hall of Fame!
Evernight, by Kristen Callihan, Paranormal Romance
Her editor accepted the RITA for her–she was upstairs in her hotel room suffering from food poisoning!
His Road Home, by Anna Richland, Romance Novella
Concealed in Death, by J.D. Robb, Romantic Suspense
Boys Like You, by Juliana Stone, Young Adult Romance
The Nora Roberts Lifetime Achievement Award went to Carole Mortimer who has just published her 200th book.
If you love to read romance, this list of RITA winners gives you a wonderful place to start looking for new favorite authors!
Have you read any of these authors or books? I’ve read Tessa Dare, of course, and I’m moving Meredith Duran to the top of my list of new authors to read. Send me your top recommendations!
Images: Wikimedia