No, this post isn’t about Nicole Kidman, or designer gowns, or the Oscars (though I kinda wish it was! I can always talk fashion…) But it is about awards. Contests. Shiny trophies. Pretty medals. We here at Risky Regencies are on a mission to Save the Regency RITA category! With the loss of Signet and Zebra’s traditional lines, we may have to dig a little further, think outside the box, to find enough titles for the category to help it qualify. But we’re confident we can do it! The Regency is a more popular setting than ever before–the vast majority of historical romances feature the period, and readers love it. I know that the genre has a vital (if re-defined) future, and a great way to show that is to maintain the vitality of the Regency category.
Last year, our own Risky Diane won the Regency RITA with The Reputable Rake, a book that could easily have been slotted into the Short Historical category, yet fit well within the Regency niche thanks to its vivid, well-drawn setting (Diane will talk more about this on Monday!). I know that I’ve read several titles this year that would be great in the Regency category, and have also heard that some smaller publishers are starting their own Regency lines. So, if you have a 2006 Regency-set book of your own, or know someone who has, then please encourage them to enter. The deadline is November 30, and you can find all the info at RWA National.
One good point to make about a possible benefit to entering this category is that there may not be quite as much competition in a smaller category, therefore upping chances of being a finalist. There are so many great books out there, and we want them to be noticed! And, let me tell you, being a finalist is just plain fun. 🙂 I’ve been a Regency RITA finalist twice, and both times floated through conference pretending to be Gwyneth Paltrow on the red carpet! It gets your books a little extra attention, gives a small ego boost, and looks great on a resume or author bio. Of course, the day inevitably comes when conference is over, the ego deflates, and the next book has to be written, but that’s another post…
So, tell us about your contest experiences! Good, bad, ugly, we want to know. Any books or new authors you’ve discovered through contests? Let us know!
And join us to Save the Regency Category!
Yipes. I have so much to say about contests I’ll have to limit myself!
Since I haven’t written anything, I’ll go with author contests for this one. 😉 I love them! I’m addicted to them! And I certainly have been introduced to plenty of new authors from them.
As for the category, I don’t see why they would want to get rid of it, because even though traditionals may have ended (for the time being, I will add LOL), it certainly isn’t like Regencies have disappeared.
Lois
I’m with you, Lois. I’m hoping that they will separate Historicals into three categories, like the Hearts Through History contest for unpublished writers do it. Regency/Georgian/Victorian; Ancient/Medevial/Renaissance; Hearts thru History adds Western/Colonial/Civil War and Paranormal/Timetravel and Post Victorian/ WWII, but I would lump these in “Other” and leave the Paranormal to the paranormal categories already in the RITA.
I’m sure I’d go for some tweaking of this basic idea, but I think just having Long Historical and Short Historical and eliminating the Regency will limit the chances Historical Authors have in the RITAs.
I’m sure there are statistics that would best figure out the way to do it, but I definitely think that we need a chance to honor our special time period!