Going Out, Out!!! Romantic Novel Awards 2022

Hello everyone. My name is Jenni Keer and welcome to my first post on the marvellous Novel Points of View Blog, where today I’d like to talk about the importance of real life events...

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I think everyone appreciates how solitary an author’s life can be - even if they aren't an author themselves. Writing a book largely consists of me and my laptop, and it can be a love/hate relationship at the best of times. However, in the last two years, many people have been forced to adopt the writer's somewhat solitary existence, and not through choice. Since the global pandemic, a large proportion of the population has had to embrace working and/or learning from home. Some really struggled with the isolation, but perhaps authors fared better than most as we were used to being alone in a room with only a keyboard for company. What I did miss though, was the in person events where I could chat with my author pals and my readers, so I am delighted that we are finally getting back to these. Already this year, I’ve talked at a W.I., a library, a secondary school and have started to meet up with authors for coffee again, and boy does it feel good.

A room full of happy people!

On Monday, I attended the RNA Romantic Novel Awards in London. I was at this event exactly two years ago when “The Hopes and Dreams of Lucy Baker” was shortlisted for the Katie Fforde Debut Novel award, and it was the last major event I attended prior to lockdown. Little did we realise covid would drag on for so long and it would be March 2022 until we met again. Oh, how I’d missed everyone...

Zoom calls are all very well, and I’m sure the popularity of this virtual meeting space will endure beyond the pandemic, but there are so many things you can’t do via video link. You can’t hug someone, buy them a drink, separate from the throng to have a quiet two minutes alone with a friend, share a dining experience, and you certainly can’t hand over a jar of delicious homemade marmalade – thanks John Jackson!

Fellow NPOV blogger, John Jackson

Having taken a lateral flow test before setting off (hmmm... more on this later...) the first thing I did when I arrived at the venue was seek out old friends. There were a couple of hugs (after establishing mutual permission) and it reminded me that human touch was one thing many of those who lived alone found they missed the most during the first lockdown. Obviously, we still have to assess the risks, but what a world it would be if we were never to embrace our loved ones again. Some of my author friends had been through some bumpy times since our last meeting, both professionally and personally, so re-establishing real life contact and giving an encouraging smile, was important. I loved hearing about everyone’s successes and chatting with the shortlistees, wishing every one of them could win. Then there was time for the inevitable industry gossip – we authors like to keep our fingers on the pulse and remain abreast of what’s hot and what’s not. And I’m passionate about supporting new writers, so always try to help where I can by networking with them, or answering questions.

The effervescent Jean Fullerton and the winning books

The charming Larry Lamb presented many of the awards, and the event as compèred by the lovely Jo Thomas. There was a moment to reflect the sad loss of Jane Wenham-Jones (I’m still in shock) and time to celebrate the worthy winners; Liz Fenwick, Freya Marske, Suzanne Fortin, Heidi Stephens, Sheila Norton, Louise Allen, Kathryn Freeman, Bella Osborne, Catherine Tilney, Dani Atkins and the person I'd travelled down to support, my very VERY dear friend Rosie Hendry. As is always said, and it is true, everyone shortlisted is a winner and all of those fabulous authors should be proud of themselves.

Evonne Wareham, Sue Lovett,
Ella Gyland and me

The charming Henri/Ella Gyland

Yes, I am quite tall!
With Clare Marchant, Sarah Shoesmith and Rosie Hendry.

All good things must come to an end though, and the three hours flew by, but I can’t tell you how bouncy I was when I got home. I always feel inspired when I return from an in person event. The joy of dressing up in lovely clothes after two years of pyjamas and casual clothes was immense. (Although I have been known to wear perfume for Zoom meetings.) And I have made new friends and met new contacts. Always a bonus.

However, my unconfined joy quickly became quite literally confined when I had a positive covid test on Wednesday. This, unfortunately, is the risk of re-entering the real world and a frustrating postscript to this piece. I'm fine and feel that, as a household of six, we have been lucky to avoid it this far. Life must go on, but for those friends who are still medically vulnerable, who live in remote locations, or who find these events difficult to attend for a variety of reasons, I am glad the internet has opened up a way of communication, learning and keeping in touch (including the fabulous RNA Learning courses – see their website for details) but I am truly grateful that I can, at least occasionally and taking the risks into account, be back in the real world again.

Jenni x

Jenni Keer writes commercial women's fiction and her latest dual timeline romance, The Secrets of Hawthorn Place, a continuous Amazon bestseller since October, has over 800 reviews and the paperback is currently available nationwide at The Works stores for just £2!

smarturl.it/SHPJK