The RNA Awards Lunch (long post!)

It's late, I'm not long home from London (the train was late) and I'm a bit wired, so I've made myself a cup of tea... and as I know a few people are dying to hear what happened...

What an amazing weekend.

The journey to London was fine (especially as I got to read Julia Williams’ lovely debut, Pastures New) and had a lovely meal out that evening with my best friend and another of our oldest friends from university.

Monday dawned bright and sunny, and I headed in to town. Met up with my fellow Modern Heat author Heidi Rice for coffee at St Pancras (waves to Heidi - thank you for the coffee), then off to Kensington to find the hotel. Met lovely Roger Sanderson on the high street and then Ray-Anne; and the second we walked in (on the red carpet)... Wow! As one of the shortlisted authors I was suddenly very busy doing photo calls and interviews. Met up with loads of people I knew - lovely in particular to see Jan again - and all the hugs and congrats on the shortlisting were so very much appreciated.

It was lovely to see my fellow shortlisters too - Liz Fielding, Fiona Harper and Julie Cohen (I'll post Julie's pic a little further down the page ... well, you'll see why when you get there). Lucy Gordon somehow managed to escape my camera lens!

Saw my lovely editor Sheila and my wonderful agent Dot. Then in for lunch - and all the shortlisted authors had the most beautiful deep red single rose with a very sweet message from Catherine Jones, the RNA chair. That was such a lovely, thoughtful touch.

The staff all had very smart uniforms and white gloves, and the way they came into the dining room was sheer pageantry.

Lunch was scrummy. Now, I thought either Lucy Gordon or Liz Fielding would win... But just in case there were more photos afterwards (and because I am very clumsy and prone to spilling things) I decided to pass on the tomato and cumin soup. The guinea fowl was lovely, as was the mulled wine soufflé with plum ice cream.

And then it was time for the winners of the Romance Prize to be announced. Trisha Ashley was the chair of judges and told us what they thought of the shortlisted books. They described Breakfast at Giovanni’s as ‘warm and engaging’, which pleased me hugely. The judges said their decision was unanimous and I was getting ready to applaud the winner... and then Trisha mentioned the word ‘warm’ again. Followed by ‘realistic ending’.

Now, this is what my editor and agent always say about my books. Warm with a 'real life' feel.

And even as I was thinking, ‘no, it can’t be,’ Trisha announced that the winner of the Romance Prize 2008 was...

Kate Hardy.

It took a few moments to sink in. (As you can see from the pic below… - me saying to my lovely ed Sheila, did they really say me? , Karin Stoecker and Liz Fielding)


I remember welling up. I don’t remember getting on the stage and Trisha handing me the Betty Neels rosebowl.



But then it was me and the microphone. Making a speech.



I did manage to thank my wonderful editor and agent and my husband and the judges. I wasn’t expecting to win so I hadn’t prepared a speech. I really should also have thanked the RNA, certain authors who took me under their wing when I was a newly published M&B author (Liz Fielding, Jenny Haddon and Kate Walker), my mum (who always said I’d make it and I wish I could share this with her in person as well as spirit), my fellow shortlisted authors and my readers (without whom I wouldn't be here). So I’m saying thank you now and apologising for my poor manners.

I was just so proud and so thrilled that the words wouldn’t come out properly - they did come straight from the heart, though. I remember people clapping, and people came up to me afterwards to say they had a lump in their throat or I’d reduced them to tears (ha, Kate Hardy’s trademark weepie strikes again).

Helen Lederer made a fabulous speech (she was witty and sweet and judged the length perfectly rather than rambling – judging by this standard, her book will be v enjoyable), and the Romantic Novel of the Year Award went to Freya North, who made a gorgeous speech.

And then it was more photographs and interviews, and when the journalists realised I hadn’t had a chance to tell Gerry and the kids, they persuaded me to ring him. Gerry was driving the kids home from school, so I spoke to son, who relayed the message and there were all these screams and cheers from husband and kids... Just fantastic.

I got a chance to share a hug with my wonderful, supportive agent. (Apparently my speech made her cry. But she deserves her share of the glory and I was jolly well going to make sure she got it.)



And with my fellow shortlisted author Julie Cohen (now you can see why I didn't post this one earlier - would've given the game away a bit).


Thank you to everyone who came up to me and congratulated me. And to the RNA. (And to all the nice people in the pub afterwards who bought me drinks, and the guy with the guitar who came up and shook my hand - very appropriate, given what my lovely Giovanni does for a living.)

Then I met Fi, had something to eat at Liverpool Street, then caught the train home. In London, people tend to avoid your eye on the tube. But I think they saw the rose and the helium balloons and the wide smile on my face and judged correctly that I was celebrating - and they all smiled back at me.

It's been such a very special day. Up there with my wedding and the days my children were born and the day my first M&B was accepted. And it's my proudest career achievement to date.

Thank you.