​
2021 Golden Leaf Contest for Published Authors
​Winners

Surprise!

After our winners were announced, a double-check of our scoring showed that we in fact have 2 winners for our Novella category! Please congratulate Deborah Garland and her novella, The Cowboy's Forbidden Crush.
At our Virtual End-of-Year Party on December 11, New Jersey Romance Writers was thrilled to announce the winners of our 2021 Golden Leaf Awards for published books. Please join us in congratulating our winners and finalists!

***Permission to forward granted and encouraged ****

​* Denotes NJRW members
Long Contemporary
WINNER:
Jennie Marts  When a Cowboy Loves a Woman

FINALISTS:
Casey Dembowski When We’re Thirty
Deborah Garland  Bossy Billionaire 
Mid-Length Contemporary
WINNER:
Nancy Herkness  The Hacker

FINALISTS:
Jessica Calla* and Heather Van Fleet  Love in the Aisles
Ada Austen  Better Late Than Never 
Short Contemporary
WINNER:
Laurel Greer Snowbound with the Sheriff

FINALISTS:
Tracey J. Lyons*  The Amish Teacher’s Wish 
J.B. Schroeder  Xanadu XOXO
Erotica
WINNER:
Barbara Nolan   Beyond Regret

FINALISTS:
Opal Carew  Stroke of Luck
Ann Jensen  Caught in the Dark
Historical
WINNER:
Terri Brisbin  Tempted by Her Viking Enemy

FINALISTS:
Cecelia Rene  The Bachelor Duke
Terri Brisbin*  An Outlaw’s Honor
Novella
WINNERS:
Caro Carson  Gingerbread and Jingle Bells
Deborah Garland  The Cowboy’s Forbidden Crush 

​FINALIST:
Maria Imbalzano*  The Blueberry Swirl Waltz 
Paranormal
WINNER: 
Roni Denholtz*  Lightning Strikes Again

​FINALISTS:
Roni Denholtz*  Lightning Strikes
Roni Denholtz*  Lightning Strikes Twice 
Romantic Suspense
WINNER:
Judy Kentrus  Frozen Hearts

FINALISTS:
Elizabeth John*  Forever Keep Your Secret
Nonna Henry  The Rough Ride
Best Book by an NJ Author
WINNER:
Ada Austen  Better Late Than Never

FINALISTS:
Jessica Calla*  Snowed In
Nancy Herkness*  The Hacker
Best First Book
WINNER:
Nonna Henry  The Rough Ride

FINALISTS:
Ann Jensen  Saved by the Dark
Casey Dembowski  When We’re Thirty

Categories

  • Best First Book: any romance novel from a first-time author not previously published in book ­length romantic fiction, regardless of publishing medium.
  • Contemporary Romance: Short: Novels that are set from 1950 to the present that focus primarily on the romantic relationship and that are between 40,000 and 56,000 words in length.
  • Contemporary Romance: Mid-Length: Novels that are set from 1950 to the present that focus primarily on the romantic relationship and that are between 56,000 and 84,000 words in length.
  • Contemporary Romance: Long: Novels that are set from 1950 to the present that focus primarily on the romantic relationship and that are 84,000 or more words.
  • Historical Romance: Novels set prior to 1950. Includes Regency romances. 40,000 word minimum.
  • 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 Romance: Any romance novel in which either time travel, futuristic, fantasy world or paranormal happenings are a major element of the plot. 40,000 word minimum.
  • Romantic Suspense: Any romance novel in which suspense, mystery, or thriller elements constitute a major part of the plot. 40,000 word minimum.
  • Erotic Romance: Novels in which strong, often explicit, sexual interaction is an inherent part of the love story, character growth and relationship development and could not be removed without damaging the storyline. These novels may contain elements of other romance subgenres (such as paranormal, historical, etc.).