What the Romantic Novelists’ Association means to me
I’ve been a member of the Romantic Novelists’ Association since about the year 2000. I heard about it from another author at a party for short story writers. I was sure she must have had one glass of wine too many when she told me that published novelists provided critiques for members of the New Writers’ Scheme, so when I saw a past chair, Marina Oliver, was coming to a library about half an hour away from my home, I went along not only to hear her but to ask whether this amazing opportunity was real.
It was! She even had a leaflet to give me and I joined the Association as a New Writer the next day. NB Marina has, sadly, recently left us, but she ended up as my first editor and suggested me for tutoring opportunities, so I owe her a lot.
It took a little while for me to decide that the RNA’s parties really were for everyone, not just published novelists, but I’ve rarely missed one since that first time. Each is an opportunity to meet authors at all stages of their careers and also all kinds of industry professionals. I’m not ashamed to say that before I was settled with my present wonderful agent (Juliet Pickering of Blake Friedmann) and editor (Helen Huthwaite of Avon, HarperCollins) I considered every agent and editor fair game to be chatted up with a view to sending them my books. If they minded, they wouldn’t come to the party, was my reasoning. And the authors! At my first party, at the Arts Club in Dover Street, I said to someone, ‘I wonder if Katie Fforde’s here? I’d love to meet her.’ Whoever it was turned around and introduced me to Katie, who is the nicest, friendliest person.
I won’t pretend that I wasn’t disappointed when my first entry into the New Writers’ Scheme (eventually published as Starting Over) received a rigorous critique but not what was then called ‘a second read’, which would have indicated that the reader felt I should be looking for a publisher or an agent. To be honest, I’d considered myself ready for a publisher or agent for a while and had been submitting all over!
My second novel into the scheme (eventually published as All That Mullarkey) did get a second read, and I have always been grateful to that reader, Trisha Ashley, and the NWS co-ordinator, Margaret James. Trisha recommended the coveted second read, and Margaret began suggesting names of editors and agents. I did get an offer of representation from an editor-turned-agent, but then she decided not to be an agent after all, which was a disappointment. But also from Margaret’s suggestions, I found my first agent from a large London agency. She later sold two of my books (Uphill All the Way – now A Home in the Sun; and Family Matters, now Want to Know a Secret?) to small publishers.
I won the Katie Fforde Bursary while still on the New Writers’ Scheme, which was an enormous boost for me. Kate Fforde awarded the bursary to someone she felt was ‘knocking on the door’ of having a novel published. Winning it not only gave me something great to put on my CV, but paid for me to attend the conference in a year when I don’t think I would have afforded it otherwise.
The conferences cost more than the parties, and I used to tell myself that I’d only attend if I could sell X number of short stories, as my earnings were slim from short stories and serials … and workshops and columns and appraisals and about any other fee-paying opportunity related to writing. But the scrimping was worth it, as the conferences gave me something – not just workshops or meeting editors and agents, but something that’s proved invaluable: a can-do attitude. Multi-published authors were in the lunch queue, in the bar, in the sessions and even in the Ladies, and they looked just like you or me. There was no golden aura or magic wand, they’d just taken their talent and worked hard on it, written great books and persisted until they got them into the right hands. If they could do it, I could do it. And I have.
I made the first contact with Transita, who published my first novel, at an RNA conference. The editors attended for the very reason of starting a new list and thought it was a good place to meet the right authors. That’s not luck – that’s taking an opportunity. I’ve carried on taking opportunities and now I have around twenty-five published novels to my name, and have been published in many different languages.
The structure of the RNA at the time was that you must be a full member in order to serve on the committee. That sounds like a dubious honour to some, I’m sure, because it was unpaid, just as most positions in the RNA are voluntary today. But apart from allowing me to give back to an Association that had helped me so much, I made amazing contacts and had fabulous experiences. OK, so being Minutes Secretary was just an admin post, but I also edited the RNA’s two anthologies of short stories and rubbed pages with big-name authors. Being a committee member meant I could always find a reason to bowl up to an industry professional at a party or conference and begin a conversation. I made use of these conversations when I later submitted to that editor or agent. We met at the RNA’s Winter Party when I showed you to your table. Shameless? Yep. Embarrassed? Nope.
I progressed as far as vice chair but didn’t move into the chair as, in the hell of bereavement, knew I was no longer the right person for the job. There would have been a real risk of me letting the Association down with a few choice words if someone was rude to me. Actually … more of a certainty than a risk.
Notwithstanding my leaving the committee, in the RNA I have found my community and my tribe. I’ve found some of my best friends; been given contacts that led to tutoring opportunities; I’ve benefitted from two bursaries and, later, sponsored two. I’m proud to have been a member for approaching a quarter of a century.
I love the RNA’s awards and not just because I won one and have been nominated several times. I just enjoy the way they represent excellence in our best-selling genre and bring so many people together to enjoy it too. I didn’t have to be a member to enter, but if I’d never found the RNA I don’t believe I would have progressed far enough in my career to be considered.
Earlier this year, I was honoured and amazed to be asked to be the President of the Romantic Novelists’ Association. I honestly thought that chair Jean Fullerton was sounding me out about one of my friends and had a ‘Who? Me?‘ moment when the penny dropped. I asked questions about the role – such as whether I’d still be able to enter the awards! – but I wasn’t long in accepting. I admire the current board for the way they provide more and more for the membership, such as the stream for published authors in the latest conference and the online events for all, but yet maintain what’s always been great about us, such as the New Writers’ Scheme.
Happily for me, the president doesn’t do much hard work. Wafting around at parties and conferences and taking on the occasional enjoyable task such as handing out an award or looking after an honoured guest is what I’ve done all along anyway. I don’t represent the membership or the board, because I represent the Association.
When writers of romantic novels ask if they should be a member of the Romantic Novelists’ Association, I always say yes. The RNA promotes romantic fiction and we are stronger as a body than each of us is alone, and the RNA speaks out for us all.
Filed under Sue Moorcroft
FREE ONLINE EVENT! ‘A Christmas Celebration’ with RNA Learning
The wonderful Romantic Novelists’ Association is kindly hosting this event – though everyone is welcome: members and non-members alike.
I’ll be chatting with the lovely Andrea Davies about The Christmas Love Letters and my other Christmas books, plus writing and anything else that crops up. Come along! It’s free. Just register here.
Note: I’m currently president of the RNA and hope to soon be posting about what it does, and everything it has done for me.
Filed under Sue Moorcroft
Come to Kibworth Library – author talk, Q&A, Christmassy nibbles, celebrate publication of #TheChristmasLoveLetters
Join me at Kibworth Community Library on Thursday 30th November at 2pm! Contact the library by email info@kibworthcommunitylibrary.org or by phone 0116 305 3612 for tickets.
Author talk, Q&A, signed books for sale. Christmassy refreshments and lovely book chat.
Come along! I’d love to meet you.
Filed under Sue Moorcroft
Thank you for making #TheChristmasLoveLetters a Kindle Top 10 bestseller!
The Christmas Love Letters is a UK Kindle Top 10 bestseller!
If you’re one of the readers who has bought, reviewed or otherwise supported my latest book – THANK you! You enable me to pursue the writing I adore as a career, rather than as a hobby.
The spark for the book was literally put in my hands when a woman named Anne asked me if I could make a story out of them. They had been written to her sister-in-law. Anne didn’t want them, but wasn’t sure binning them was the right thing to do. They covered nearly thirty years and absolutely sucked me into the world of an illicit affair.
Those love letters only form the backstory to The Christmas Love Letters, but like the best backstories, it entwines itself with the present story, that of Maddy and Raff, who have obstacles to their own burgeoning love – not least Maddy’s husband going missing more than six years ago and her never hearing of him since.
Thanks also if you’re one of the book bloggers who kindly took part in the blog tour.
If you haven’t yet read or listened to The Christmas Love Letters yet, and want to know what everyone else is enjoying:
Download The Christmas Love Letters in the UK for 99p here
Download The Christmas Love Letters in the US here
It’s also available in audio at your favourite retailers and in paperback in supermarkets and bookshops.
Happy reading!
Filed under Sue Moorcroft
It’s publication day for #TheChristmasLoveLetters! #paperback #ebook #audio
It’s publication day!
The Christmas Love Letters is published in the UK today in paperback, ebook and audio. Isn’t that a gorgeous cover? I love it to bits, and the paperback is aglow with gold foil.
Here’s the blurb:
A secret romance was just the start of the story…
Tucked into a crook of the Norfolk coast lies Nelson’s Bar – an idyllic village where time seems to stand still. Maddy Cracey has called this beautiful spot home all her life, as had her husband Adey – until an epic row sent him storming out into a blizzard, with no sign of him since that fateful night.
Six years on, and Maddy’s life in the village has settled into a gentle pattern with her young daughter and Great Aunt Ruthie. However, when handsome stranger Raff turns up with a handful of long-forgotten love letters, their quiet life is upended as family secrets from the past are unearthed.
As Raff and Maddy get to know each other, they grow closer and a love story of their own seems inevitable. But when Maddy receives a mysterious message, she can’t help but wonder whether her own past is as distant as she’d thought it was…
The spark to this book was unusual. A lady gave me a packet of love letters between her sister-in-law and a man, documenting an affair. The letters cover about thirty years, and the affair is known to have gone on longer. As those concerned are no longer with us, she asked whether I could use them to create a story.
And it turns out that I could!
From today, you can:
Buy The Christmas Love Letters in paperback
Buy The Christmas Love Letters as an ebook
Buy The Christmas Love Letters as an audiobook
Happy reading!
Filed under Sue Moorcroft
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