2023 Golden Leaf Contest for Published Authors
Finalists
New Jersey Romance Writers is thrilled to announce the finalists in our 2023 Golden Leaf contest! The winners will be announced at our Awards Ceremony on December 9. Contact us for the Zoom link so you can celebrate along with us! Many congratulations to all our finalists!
***Permission to forward granted and encouraged **** Long Contemporary Hungry For Love by Liz Zerkel Breathless by Roz Lee* Can’t Let You Go by Elena Markem Mid-Length Contemporary Kiss Me Under the Irish Sky by Karen Foley Love Me Beneath the Irish Moon by Karen Foley Serendipity By the Sea by Jennifer Vido Short Contemporary Perfect Morning by Grace Augustine Journey Home by Gracie Guy* North Shore Nuptials by Piper Malone Historical Highland Beast by Heather McCollum Glory and the Master of Shadows by Grace Calloway How Not to Marry A Duke by Tina Gabrielle* |
Novella
The Governess Gamble by Tracy Summer Return to Wylder by Maria Imbalzano* Star of Wonder by K. Lyn Smith Paranormal When Life Gives You Vampires by Gloria Duke* A Flock of Vampires by Everlyn Thompson A Kiss of Embers by Sydney Winward Romantic Suspense Where Dreams Come True by Judy Kentrus* A Lethal Betrayal by Lori Matthews* Catch and Release by Lori Matthews* Best Book by a NJ Author A Lethal Betrayal by Lori Matthews* How Not to Marry a Duke by Tina Gabrielle* Breathless by Roz Lee* Best First Book A Flock of Vampires by Everlyn Thompson Serendipity By the Sea by Jennifer Vido The Firstborn Son by Kaia Misk |
* 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.).