2009 Golden Leaf Contest
for Published Authors

| Download Guidelines | Entry Form | Author Letter |

Guidelines
The Golden Leaf is awarded annually for excellence in romance fiction by authors who are  NJRW members or in RWA Region One.  Winners in eight categories will be announced during the NJRW Put Your Heart in a Book Conference being held on October 23-24, 2009.

Eligibility

1. All NJRW members (regardless of where they live) and RWA members living in Region One published in novel-length romance fiction who are eligible for either RWA Published Author Network (PAN) or NJRW PAN are eligible for entry.

2. Romance novels with a first copyright date or first North American printing date of August 2008 through July 2009 are eligible for entry.

3. There must be a minimum of five entries (from five different authors) per category in order for judging to take place.  If the minimum in a category is not reached, entrants will be notified by the coordinator.

4. Only one award per category. The decision of the judges is final.

5. Failure to comply with the rules will result in disqualification.  Decisions of the contest chairperson are final.

 

Categories

• Best First Book: any romance novel from a first-time author not previously published in book ­length romantic fiction.

• Historical: any romance novel, either a single title release or published in a romance line, above 40,000 words set prior to World War I.

• Long Contemporary: any romance novel of more than 70,000 words.

• Novella: short pieces of romantic fiction between 20-40,000 words. (Trade magazines do not normally fall under the proper word count; however, if your novella does, the acceptability of such work will be the decision of the contest chairperson.)

• Paranormal: any romance novel of more than 40,000 words in which either time travel, futuristic, fantasy world or paranormal happenings are a major element of the plot.
   
• Traditional Regency: romance novel of 50-75,000 words set in England during the Regency period 1795 to 1840.

• Short Contemporary: romance of less than 70,000 words.

• Single Title Release: any romance novel of more than 70,000 words that does not fit into the above categories. (Includes romantic suspense, sagas, mystery, prehistory, etc.)

 

Submission Rules

1.   You may enter more than one eligible book in a category, but the same book cannot be entered in more than one category.  (Exception: A first book may be entered in both the Best First Book category and the regular category – which counts as two separate entries/categories).

2.  Electronic books may be entered provided they are presented in print book format, complete with copyright page produced by the publisher, with perfect or case binding and print on both sides of the page.

3.   A collection of novels/novellas is not one entry; rather each work must be entered separately.  In the novella category, an RWA member need not write every story in a collection, only the work entered.

4.   The official entry form must be sent to the Contest Chairperson at the address listed on the entry form.  Entrants must register for the contest by June 10, 2009 via email or regular mail.  Entry forms and books must be post­marked by July 10, 2009 and received by July 15, 2009.  ** Authors with a July 2009 release date MUST contact the contest chairperson if an extension is required.

5.  Please be sure to mark the section on the entry form if your book is considered erotic romance (i.e. Blaze, Brava, Ellora’s Cave) OR contains explicit love scenes or explicit language, even if it is not considered erotic romance.  Failure to do so could have a negative impact at judging.

6.   Entry Fees:  FREE for NJRW members in good standing, $25.00 fee for non-NJRW RWA members who live in Region One. Please make check payable to: NJRW Golden Leaf Contest.  Submission postage is supplied by the entrant.

Notification

• Top three finalists in each category will be notified by phone as soon as the judging is complete, by early September 2009.
• The winner in each category will be announced at the Golden Leaf Awards Ceremony and Reception on Friday evening, October 23, 2009 at the Put Your Heart in a Book Conference.

For more information, please contact Lyn Wagner, Contest Chairperson, at goldenleaf@njromancewriters.org or visit our web site at www.njromancewriters.org.