The Romantic Novelists’ Association are delighted to announce that Dawn Knox is the winner of this year’s Elizabeth Goudge Trophy.

Elizabeth Goudge was one of the founders of the Romantic Novelists’ Association (RNA) in 1960 and every year, at the RNA conference, a short writing competition for attendees is held in her memory. Entries are always anonymised for the judges, who choose the winning entry based on the strength of the story alone, and many former winners have gone on to further develop their Elizabeth Goudge submission for publication. This year, the award was sponsored by Kindle Direct Publishing, who also judged the shortlist.

Award Organiser, Jan Preston said, ‘The Elizabeth Goudge trophy is a beloved conference tradition enjoyed by all attendees. As a former winner, I well remember the thrill of hearing my name announced, and I’ve taken great pleasure in playing my part by organising the competition for the past two years.’

The winner was Beneath the Surface by Dawn Knox. Guest judge Jen Barrett, UK Lead – Author and Agent Relations, Kindle Direct Publishing said, ‘Beneath the Surface holds so much promise in the initial attraction and connection of the two main characters – the dual narrative shows us tantalising hints of the layers each character holds, waiting to be peeled away. Add to that a clearly well-researched setting and a tense sibling relationship that you just know will have a part to play later in the narrative, and you have an opening that makes you wish there was more to devour.’

Room for Two at Rose Cottage by Georgia Hill placed second. Christmas (Time After Time) by Nikki Moore came third.

The RNA would like to thank Kindle Direct Publishing for their generous sponsorship of the award and Boldwood Books for sponsoring the celebratory drinks.

About the RNA

The Romantic Novelists’ Association (RNA) is a professional body primarily for writers of romantic fiction. Founded in 1960 to provide a voice for romance authors and to be a network for writers, it continues to raise the prestige of romantic fiction and encourage romantic authorship. Their 1000+ membership includes writers across the spectrum of commercial and women’s fiction, along with publishing industry professionals, booksellers, and book reviewers. In addition to organising annual publishing awards, they also host a range of workshops, talks, networking events, a three-day annual conference, and provide support to unpublished authors through their New Writers’ Scheme.

About Kindle Direct Publishing – Sponsors of the RNA Elizabeth Goudge Trophy

KDP provides authors with free and simple tools to self-publish your book in more than 10 countries in over 45 languages.

MEDIA ENQUIRIES:

AnnetteHannah@romanticwriters.co.uk