Monday evening, 5th March, was The Romantic Novelists' Awards night at the wonderful Gladstone Library in London - and what a ball I had! I just wanted to share some of my magic moments from that evening.
'My Summer of Magic Moments' was shortlisted for The Contemporary Romantic Novel of the Year, which was a huge honour. Here I am with the other fabulous shortlistees: Milly Johnson, Julie Cohen, Sue Moorcroft, Holly Hepburn, Me!, Ruth Hogan, Debby Holt and Heidi Swain.
It was lovely to meet and chat with my fellow authors especially on such an exciting night. Huge congratulations to Julie Cohen - the winner of our category - with her book 'Together'! And to Dani Atkins the overall winner of The Romantic Novel of the Year with 'This Love'.
The support of my editors Charlotte Brabbin, Charlotte Ledger and the team at HarperImpulse, also my agent Hannah Ferguson has been brilliant. So it was special to be sharing the night with them! Thank you.
And, it was so lovely to have my daughter Amie there with me - celebrating my nomination and her birthday! I even got to meet Jilly Cooper!
Thanks to all my readers, the fabulous book-blogging community and anyone who has reviewed and enjoyed this book!
It was a very special evening and a magic moment indeed!
Caroline x
Three years ago, on the 5th March, my first novel 'The Torn Up Marriage' was published with Harper Collins after ten years of trying to get a publishing deal!
Tomorrow, yes the 5th March, I am going to The Romantic Novel Awards event down in London where my fourth book 'My Summer of Magic Moments' is shortlisted for The Contemporary Romantic Novel of the Year - how wonderful is that. Being shortlisted along with such talented authors is an honour in itself, and I feel so proud of my writing and the fact I stuck at it when it looked like I might never get published. It's also fabulous that the book is set in one of my favourite places, Bamburgh.
Oh, and 25 years ago tomorrow my first child, my lovely daughter Amie, was born (that was after a miscarriage and two years of trying). So guess who's coming along to the award ceremony with me?! The 5th March is such a significant date in my life.
It will be lovely to celebrate my shortlisting with my brilliant team from HarperImpulse and my fabulous agent Hannah Ferguson and to meet the other authors. So, despite the effects of the 'Beast from the East' blizzards here in Northumberland, I'll be braving snowdrifts to get out of our village, and with a limited train service currently running from my local station due to the snow, getting to London (300 miles away) could be challenging. But, I'm determined to get there to the awards!
Life throws us all curveballs at times. Hard work, patience, perseverance, learning as you go, finding another way, and the support of family and friends helps you through, and despite all the ups and downs somehow hanging on to the belief that it's still worth trying.
Keep striving for your dreams folks - you never know where it might lead you!
All best wishes, oh and wish me luck!!
Caroline x
