Local author Rhoda Baxter short-listed for major award

 Novelist Rhoda Baxter, from Beverley, in the East Riding of Yorkshire, who was exclusively interviewed by Just Beverley in 2016, has been shortlisted for the 2017 RoNAs (Romantic Novel Awards) in the Romantic Comedy Novel category and could go forward to contest the overall, most prestigious, award - The Goldsboro Books' Romantic Novel of the Year 2017, sponsored by independent specialist bookshop Goldsboro Books. Prue Leith, restaurateur, caterer, journalist, broadcaster, cookery writer and author, will announce the winners of the Romantic Novelists' Association (RNA) Awards for 2017 during a glittering ceremony in London on 13th March.

The awards comprise seven categories - Contemporary Romantic Novel, Epic Romantic Novel, Historical Romantic Novel, Paranormal or Speculative Romantic Novel, Romantic Comedy Novel, the RoNA Rose Award (for shorter and category romance) and Young Adult Romantic Novel - with a range of authors shortlisted for each one. For the first time in the awards' history, the shortlist includes both traditionally and independently published authors.

Rhoda Baxter is one of five finalists in the Romantic Comedy Novel category, which is for consistently humorous or amusing novels.

In Girl Having A Ball, published by Choc Lit, Stevie is determined to prove her independence, so takes an assignment organising a charity ball in Oxford. As if organising canapés with no budget isn't hard enough, Stevie's teenage crush, Tom, resurfaces to confuse things even further. Will Stevie let a man get in the way of her dreams?

The inspiration for Rhoda's novel came from her student days, when she lived in a house in Norham Gardens, and organised a party there. The scene in the book where old wartime blackout blinds were put up to turn a room into a disco was based on actual events, and she very much enjoyed revisiting her student days whilst writing the book. Commenting about her novel being shortlisted for the RoNAs, Rhoda said; "It's a huge honour to be shortlisted alongside so many writers whose books I love. It's a long-held (secret) dream come true."

The winners of the seven categories will be announced during the evening and those seven authors will then go forward to compete for the overall prize of The Goldsboro Books' Romantic Novel of the Year Award which will be revealed later in the evening by Prue Leith.

Since its inception in 1960 the RNA has promoted excellence in romantic fiction and its Chairman, Eileen Ramsay, commented, "Romantic fiction appears in many guises and continues to dominate the best-seller lists. Our awards celebrate the many shades of romantic fiction, highlighting the wide appeal of the genre and some of the best examples from the last year."

The contenders for the Romantic Comedy Novel are:

Girl Having a Ball, Rhoda Baxter, Choc Lit

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year, Joanna Bolouri, Quercus

The Plumberry School of Comfort Food, Cathy Bramley, Corgi

Letters From Lighthouse Cottage, Ali McNamara, Sphere

Out of Practice, Penny Parkes, Simon & Schuster

Just Beverley wishes Rhoda 'Good Luck'!