Pam's Interview in THE VOICE

BOOKS GALORE

Novelist Pamela Fudge tells us about the work behind the scenes when the Romantic Novelist Of The Year
is being selected

I didn’t exactly volunteer for the role of RoNA (Romantic Novel of the Year) Organiser in my first year on the committee of the Romantic Novelists’ Association. Let’s say I was ‘encouraged.’ Asking what it entailed I received the airy reply that I would need plenty of room for books. Well, I do live in a small house but, as there is only me, that didn’t seem to present a problem.

As it turned out, the many books received was the least of my problems, though when the parcels of books started to arrive I thought they were never going to stop. I was quickly on first name terms with the postmen and delivery drivers.

It would have been a doddle if only that were all there was to it. I soon felt as though I was back at the stressful administrator’s job I had only recently retired from, as it became apparent that spreadsheets would have to be created to keep track of every detail of every book.

Then there were the 100 readers waiting to receive books and all their details and keeping track of which books went to which readers, the resulting scores, not to mention chasing up scores that weren’t returned within the deadline.

I was lucky to have assistance from another committee member when it came to posting the parcels of 5 books to each reader. It wasn’t unusual to turn up at the post office with 18 bulky parcels – the post mistress blanched every time we appeared. She still does every time she catches sight of me!

The good points – and, yes, there were some! – were the lovely people I came into contact with, plus the pleasure of seeing that so many books are actually being published, when we are constantly told this isn’t the case.

Would I do the job again? Do you even need to ask?

The winner of Romantic Novel Of The Year for 2014 was A Night On The Orient Express by Veronica Henry.

Pamela Fudge is available as a speaker. Find out more about her at www.pamfudge.co.uk or contact her