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2022 Golden Leaf Contest for Published Authors
​Finalists

New Jersey Romance Writers is thrilled to announce the finalists in our 2022 Golden Leaf contest! The winners will be announced at our Awards Ceremony on December 10. Stay tuned for details, and many congratulations to all our finalists!

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

Long Contemporary
Cup-Tied by Marina Reznor
The Cowboy’s Rebel Heart by Deborah Garland
The Sweetheart Deal by Miranda Liasson

Mid-Length Contemporary
Unlock My Heart by Jennifer Wilck*
Taking Root by Stacey Wilk*
Cinderella Next Door by Nancy Robards Thompson

​Short Contemporary
Not Over You by Jodi Payne*
Wilde in Love by K.M. Fawcett*
Losing Control: Mick’​s Story by Morgan Malone*

Erotic Romance
Shattered Ice by Jordyn Kross
Ask Me Nicely by Dania Voss
Shared by Her Trainers by Tori Chase
​Historical Romance
Her Forbidden Highlander Husband by Allison B. Hanson
Eloping with the Laird by Jeanine Englert
The Winter Husband by Lisa Ann Verge
Pippa and the Prince of Secrets by Grace Callaway

Novella
Eight Nights of Apricot Cookies by Roni Denholtz*
Macaroons by Midnight by Annette Miller*
The Pizza Guy from Beachside by Piper Malone

Paranormal Romance
What Lies Beneath by Marissa Doyle
The Sheriff and the Psychic by Peggy Jaeger
Chasing Time by Mia Downing

Romantic Suspense
Tough Justice by Tee O’Fallon
Incinerated by Lori Matthews
​Serve ’N’ Protect by Tee O’Fallon

Best Book by a New Jersey Author
Taking Root by Stacey Wilk*
The Winter Husband by Lisa Ann Verge
The Highlander’s Substitute Wife by Terri Brisbin*

Best First Book
Cole for Christmas by Janet Raye Stevens
Memory’​s Bride by Decca Price
Home Beyond Hell by Karen Yakey
* NJRW Member

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.).