Spring is here at last, and May seems to be all about celebrations!
First of all, the publication of my friend Elaine Everest’s
new novel The Butlins Girls, and the wonderful ‘launch day’ afternoon tea party
I attended with other writer friends on Thursday 4th, at The Twig
and Spoon restaurant, a hidden gem, tucked away behind the Woodlands Garden Centre,
in Ash, Kent. A great time was had by all, with food, chat, a bubbly prosecco
toast, bunting and gifts for all. I wish Elaine every success with this book,
which I am confident will do just as well as her previous bestseller, The Woolworths
Girls.
Here are two lovely pictures showing some of the fantastic goodies on offer...
Next week, SWWJ members should be receiving the Spring issue
of The Woman Writer magazine, and tucked inside it a lovely souvenir supplement
celebrating all the competition winners and runners up from the Society’s 2016
and early 2017 competitions. I have really enjoyed overseeing the
administration of these competitions, especially notifying the winners of their
success and then meeting them at the awards ceremony and hearing them read
their entries a few weeks ago. We have lots more competitions coming up over the
coming year, and I can’t wait to do it all again!
Next up will be the Romantic Novelists Association’s annual Joan Hessayon Awards, where all those aspiring novelists (including me!) who took the journey through the RNA’s New Writers Scheme and made it to publication over the last year or so are going to be celebrated, with one of us receiving the coveted award, along with the generous cheque and all the kudos that goes with it. The ceremony is in London on 18th May, when we will all be in our best dresses and new shoes, and having our photos taken for the RNA’s Romance Matters magazine. Here's my baby... sorry, I mean book.
May the best woman (yes, we are all female) win!
Enjoy the sunny weather - if it ever arrives!
Viv
