‘A Summer to Remember’ shortlisted for a Romantic Novel of the Year award

Thrilled to be able to announce that A Summer to Remember has been shortlisted for a Romantic Novel of the Year award in the Contemporary category. As you can see from the Romantic Novelists’ Association‘s graphic above, it’s a mega-strong list so I feel absolutely privileged to be on it.

The RNA’s full announcement containing all the shortlists in the various categories can be found here. You’ll see there are some awesome authors listed – and, I’m pleased to say, some of my particular friends – and I congratulate them all.

The winners will be announced on the evening of the 2nd of March 2020 at the Leonardo Royal London City Hotel with Jenny Eclair presenting the awards. It’s the third time a book of mine has been nominated (Dream a Little Dream and Just for the Holidays came before) so I know to expect a lovely, glitzy experience, a reward for the work put in throughout the year. There can be only one winner in each category but to be shortlisted feels like a prize itself!

A Summer to Remember ebook

A Summer to Remember paperback

A Summer to Remember in audio

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Announcing a new role and library link #LoveLibrariesWeek #RomanceReadingMonth #RNA60

From today I’ll be a patron of Desborough Library and Community Hub. When better to announce this than the first day of #LoveLibrariesWeek and #RomanceReadingMonth, both part of the celebrations for the sixtieth anniversary year of the Romantic Novelists’ Association?

DLCH will invite me to their events. I’ll share news of their events and they’ll share news of mine.  I’ve indicated my willingness to talk to a reading group and any schools to which they have links.

Desborough is a small town in Northamptonshire a few miles from where I live. Like many others, its library has been taken over by the community and staffed by volunteers to avoid closure.

While I’m horrified that there’s insufficient public funds available to keep such vital community services as libraries open, I respect and acknowledge the stalwarts who are giving their time so generously and I feel the urge to do my bit.

Here’s a mission statement from Desborough Library and Community Hub:

1. To promote for the benefit of the residents of Desborough and surrounding area and communities the provision of a public library which otherwise would have diminished.

2. To provide the community with a hub providing an array of events and groups which might otherwise not be accessible in the immediate vicinity.

3. To provide a place for people from babies to retirees to meet up and participate in activities or even just a cup of tea and a chat.

And one of the first events put on by DLCH is an evening with myself and Louise Jensen from which we’re donating our appearance fees to DLCH fundraising efforts.

Do go along to this or any library event. We’ve lost many of our libraries and come dangerously close to losing others.