Romance Media Award
Romance Writers of Australia, Inc. announced the inaugural ROMA (Romance Media Award) in 2006, an award for the best media coverage of romance writing in Australia.
We see this as a positive step towards the encouragement of improved media relations between romance writers and the media. The original idea came from RWA member, journalist, Elliot Hannay, and the name of the award was suggested by author, Valerie Parv.
Both Australian print and electronic media are eligible. Qualifying articles or programs must focus on some aspect of romance novels, romance writing, or romance publishing and must be published some time during the financial year prior to the RWA annual conference. Thus, articles considered for the 2010 ROMA must be published between 1/7/09 and 30/6/10.
Nominations for the ROMA can come from any member of RWA, or outside person. All entries are examined and a short list is prepared by the ROMA Committee, which includes at least one published romance author, a member of the RWA Committee, and a professional journalist. Send a letter and a copy of the article to:
Romance Writers of Australia
ROMA AWARD
PO Box 1236
Neutral Bay
NSW 2089
Australia
or contact the Published Author Liaison at pal@romanceaustralia.com
ROMA Finalists 2012
Shortlisted are (in random order):
Feel the Love --Neil McMahon The Age
The Romance Queens--Susan Horsburgh--The Australian Women's Weekly
Lust For Words--Marie Christine Sourris--The Courier Mail
Raging Romance-- Emily McDonald --Townsville Eye
The winner will be announced at the 2012 Conference Awards Dinner in August.
ROMA Finalists 2011 
(in order of publication/air date)
1. ABC South Australia - Simon Royal reporter
The Changing Face of Romance - August 28th 2010
2. The West Australian - feature spread
Love woos the mighty dollar - September 27th 2010
3. Cairns Post - Denise Carter journalist
Respecting the Love - September 27th 2010
4. ABC Townsville - Michael Clarke journalist
So you want to be a Romance Writer - October 20th 2010
5. Style Magazine - Jennifer Burchall journalist
- October 28th 2010
6. Cairns Community Radio - Beverly Blaauw host
- Feb 12th 2011
7. NY Journal of Books - Kate Cuthbert
Why I read Romance - Feb 17th 2011
8. ABC Queensland - Mary Lou Stephens
Happy Valentines Day - May 22nd 2011
9. The Courier Mail - David Gilchrist
Passion by the Pageful – May 2011
And the winner is..
ROMA Award Winner – Simon Royal – ‘The Changing
Face of Romance’ 28/08/2010
ROMA Finalists 2010
Romance Writers of Australia, Inc. (RWA) is pleased to announce the finalists for the 2010 ROMA (Romance Media Award). The award is for the best media coverage of romance writing in Australia.
Both print and electronic media are eligible. Qualifying articles or programs must focus on some aspect of romance novels, romance writing, or romance publishing and must be published some time during the financial year prior to the RWA annual conference. Thus, articles considered for the 2010 ROMA must be published between 1/7/09 and 30/6/10.
The finalists (in no particular order) are:
Thrills and boom in writing racy reads, Deborah Bogle, The Daily Telegraph
Romance a career for local author, Adelaide hills Weekender
My Secret Art Life: Romance Writer, Robert Hayward, Art Nation, ABC Arts & Entertainment
Feminists read between loins, Kate Emery, The West Australian
Rewriting Mills & boom, Sarina Talip, The Canberra Times
ROMA Winner 2010
My Secret Art Life: Romance Writer,
Robert Hayward, Art Nation, ABC Arts & Entertainment
"I really enjoyed making this piece, and am happy that
both Alison and the RWA understood the spirit in which it was made.
We tried to have a bit of fun, but simultaneously show the
dedication and craft that go into writing romance. Of course, Alison
was the ideal character to help us achieve these aims."
Robert Hayward.
ROMA Finalists 2009
Four articles were shortlisted for the 2009 ROMA and were displayed at the 2009 annual RWAconference.
The winners were announced at the Annual RWA Awards Dinner on Saturday 15th August, 2009 at the Citigate Sebel Hotel in Brisbane, and a press release sent out.
The winners were Lisa Chant & Michelle McLochlan of The Weekender, Sunshine Coast Publishing Pty. Ltd. ( 22/1/ 2009) "True Romantic"
The ROMA 2009 Finalists: (in no particular order) were:
1) (TV):
Evelyn Ek ( Segment Producer)
Kim Watkins, Steven Quartermain (presenters)
9am with David and Kim, Channel 10 Friday 8th May 2009 "Interview with Anne Gracie"
2) (Print)
Lisa Chant & Michelle McLochlan of
The Weekender Sunshine Coast Publishing Pty. Ltd. ( 22/1/ 2009) "True Romantic"
3) (Print)
Margaret Burin ,
Williamstown Advertiser , 21/1/09 "Novel Way to Woo Readers."
4) (Print)
Fiona Purdon The Courier Mail, Brisbane 19/07/09 "Fans Thirsty for Blood."
ROMA Finalists 2008
Eight articles were shortlisted for the 2008 ROMA and were displayed at the 2008 annual RWAconference.
The winner was announced at the Annual RWA Awards Dinner on Saturday 23rd August, 2008 in Melbourne, and a press release sent out.
The winner was:
Martin King, (A Current Affair ) for the interview he did with Ally Blake, aired on Thurs 27th December 2007
ROMA 2008 Finalists: (in no particular order) are:
1) Belle Taylor, The West Weekend Magazine
(the West Australian Newspapers) "The Language of Love" article
17 May 2008
2) Sarah-Jane Burton That's Life! Special.
"Recipe For Fiction" Summer 2008
3) Lou Robson The Sunday Mail. "Renouf
My Pulp Fiction Pinup" Dec 16th 2007
4) Kate Cuthbert, The Courier-Mail, Brisbane.
"Recognition for the Romantics in Us All" August 25-26, 2007
5) Martin King, Interview with Ally Blake for A
Current Affair Thurs 27th December 2007
6) Claire Low Canberra Times. "Reaffirming
Romance Joins Final Fantasies"
7) Jane Sullivan - The Age. "Remember
to Pack Writing Paper" November 24 2007
8) Nicholas Price, Series Producer, Jennifer Byrne
Presents ABC TV. Tuesday June 24th 2008
ROMA - The 2007 Results:
Winner ~
Kate Cuthbert, The Courier-Mail,
Runner-up ~ Nerida Blok, The Northern Star (Weekender)
An honorable mention to:
Judith Johnson, RWA member who decided to go all out to promote better understanding of romance writing in her local community, resulting in a major full-page spread.
Judges' comments:
The winner was chosen because the journalist has brought her in-depth knowledge of romance publishing and the romance writing community to a wide general audience, demonstrating over time the huge variety and range of fiction that is romance, and thereby challenging assumptions about the genre.
The eight articles shortlisted for the 2007 ROMA were:
1) Sian Briggs , Sunday Times magazine, March 2007, Two of Us
2) Linda Smith, The Mercury, Hobart, "Love in the Royal a bestseller." Feb 15th 2007.
3) Kate Cuthbert, The Courier-Mail, Brisbane. The fortnightly "Romance" series of articles
4) Jane Sullivan, The Age , Melbourne. "A vampire ripped my bodice" Feb 10th 2007.
5) Harriet Spooner, Mandurah Mail , "Award for romance writer" August 24th 2006,
6) Nerida Blok, The Northern Star (Weekender), "Romancing the Pen" Nov. 25th 2006
7) Nelina Choahan - the Tweed Daily News, "Love, Sex and passion...tools of a romance writer" August 19th 2006
8) Lisa Symonds, The Courier, Sth Australia, August 30th 2006 "Hills writer has hot topics"
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