Bea and Leah Koch, owners of a romantic fiction store in Los Angeles called The Ripped Bodice have announced that they’ll be presenting their first-ever awards next year on Valentines Day.
12 Romance Novels Will Be Selected
Bookweb.com has the rundown on the award details and requirements:
For the annual award, 12 honorees will be selected each year; the only requirement is that the book must be published in the previous year and be a romance novel, meaning it has a central love story and a happy ending. Up to 12 honorees in a given year will receive a cash prize of $1,000, as well as a $100 donation in their name to the charity of their choice. The monetary prizes will be furnished by sponsors, including Sony Pictures Television.
With $1,000 on the line, writers and fans across the industry are sure to take note. Leah Koch offered a statement on the significance of the prize money:
“For better or for worse, money is a signifier of clout and importance,” she added. “We wanted to send a message right away that these awards are about honoring books that we think are so good, they are worth $1,000.”
The Award Has No Categories
Citing the tendency of categories to get in the way of a judge’s ability to compare one book to another, Leah said that the lack of categories would allow judges the freedom to highlight the best in romance writing regardless of the time period or any other sub-categorizations. The awards will focus on recognizing quality above all else.
Keep an eye out for the winners to be announced Valentines Day of 2020! We imagine the honorees will make great additions to your reading list.