Ruby Nominees - Romance Writers of Australia

The R*BY Award, affectionately known as The Ruby, is our premier award and the only one of its kind in Australia. Voted on by Australian readers, this contest is open each year to any Australian or New Zealand romance author who has published a long or short romance novel.

2009 R*BY Information
Congratulations to this year's finalists!

SHORT SWEET CATEGORY:
Claire Baxter - The Single Dad's Patchwork Family
Melissa James - A Mother in a Million
Marion Lennox - His Island Bride
Fiona McArthur - The Midwife's Baby

SHORT SEXY CATEGORY:
Miranda Lee - The Millionaire's Inexperienced Love Slave
Carol Marinelli - Expecting His Love Child
Trish Morey - The Italian Boss's Mistress of Revenge
Paula Roe - Boardrooms and a Billionaire Heir

LONG ROMANCE CATEGORY:
Karina Bliss - Second Chance Family
Anna Campbell - Untouched
Anne Gracie - The Stolen Princess
Elizabeth Rolls - A Compromised Lady

ROMANTIC ELEMENTS CATEGORY:
Maggie Alderson - How to Break Your Own Heart
Bronwyn Parry - As Darkness Falls
Suzanne Perazzini - Beneath The Surface
Suzanne Perazzini - Crash into Darkness

The R*BY is open to members and non-members who are residents of Australia or New Zealand, the R*BY is Australia's premier reader-based award, with finalists and winners announced in Woman's Day.

Only books which are first published either in Australia or overseas between 1st January and 31st December 2008 are eligible to enter. Books may not be entered twice. Entry is open to both print and e-published books.

Important News: In order to reflect the increasing variety of books entered, from this year we've expanded the R*BY to four categories.

Short Sweet Romance: Novels and novellas between 30,000 and 60,000 words where the love story is the main focus of the novel and the end of the book is emotionally satisfying and optimistic. Novels may be set in any place or time. Love scenes may be present or implied but details are not explicit. eg. HMB Sweet, HMB Medical, Avalon.

Short Sexy Romance: Novels and novellas between 30,000 and 60,000 words where the love story is the main focus of the novel, and the end of the book is emotionally satisfying and optimistic. Novels may be set in any place or time. Love scenes are fully realised. eg HMB Sexy, Desire, Blaze

Long Romance: Novels over 60,000 words where the love story is the main focus of the novel, and the end of the book is emotionally satisfying and optimistic. Novels may be set in any place or time. Love scenes may contain any level of sensuality. eg. Most single title romance imprints, HMB Super Romance, HMB Historical.

Romantic Elements: Novels of any length, tone, or style, set in any place or time, in which a romance plays a significant part in the story, though it is not necessarily the central plot. Other themes or elements take the plot beyond the traditional romance boundaries.