Kent County Council librarian, Daren Kearl, is a finalist in the Library or Librarian of the Year category for the Romantic Novelists’ Association’s (RNA) annual Industry Awards for 2022. The awards celebrate the hard work and talent of any person, group or organisation who has championed the broad genre of romantic fiction in a positive way.

Daren has been a librarian at Kent County Council for 34 years. He is currently the Stock Librarian responsible for purchasing fiction across Kent’s 99 libraries. He regularly promotes new romance fiction and authors on the Kent Libraries’ social media channels.

He commented, ‘I feel honoured and blindsided to have been shortlisted for the Romantic Novelists’ Association’s Library or Librarian of the Year Award 2022. I have the perfect job as I love sharing the joy of reading and encouraging readers to try something new. To be recognised for playing a part in promoting romance fiction and supporting romance authors is amazing.’

Laura James, the RNA Industry Awards organiser, added, ‘I congratulate each and every finalist and thank them and the industry for the unwavering love they show writers and readers of romantic fiction.’

The awards have been held for the past eight years and are highly respected in the UK publishing industry. The finalists are nominated by the full and probationary membership of the Romantic Novelists’ Association, with a panel of independent judges selecting the shortlists.

The award categories are: The Romantic Bookseller of the Year, Inclusion Award, Indie Champion of the Year, Library or Librarian of the Year, Indie Editor of the Year, Cover Designer of the Year, Narrator of the Year, Media Star of the Year, Agent of the Year, and Publisher and / or Editor of the Year.

The winners of the ten awards will be announced during the Romantic Novelists’ Association’s Winter Party and Industry Awards ceremony, which is being held at the Leonardo Royal Hotel London City, 8-14 Cooper’s Row, London EC3N 2BQ, on Friday 11th November 2022 at 6.30pm.

Twitter: @DarenKearl

This year’s awards are sponsored by ProWritingAid, a manuscript editing software programme with in-app video learning for writers.