We are thrilled to announce that the winner of the inaugural Elaine Everest Memorial Competition, for the opening chapter of an unpublished saga novel, is ANDREA DAVIES, who writes romantic fiction as Lily Watson.
Andrea’s entry, entitled ‘The Liverpool Library Girls’, opens in 1940 and introduces us to Grace as she reports for duty on her first day at a new job and finds there is much more involved than she expected! With hints of conflict, secret war work, family problems and romance, this extract has all the elements that draw readers in and make them want more.
Andrea says that she only entered to pay her respects to Elaine and never dreamt she would win. This is her first attempt at writing a saga, written especially for the competition, and the novel remains unfinished… for now!
Andrea is a member of the Romantic Novelists’ Association and its New Writers Scheme, and lives in Southport. Her opening chapter rose above 56 other entries to claim the £200 cash prize, kindly provided by Elaine’s agent, Caroline Sheldon. Andrea also wins a year’s free membership of the RNA, and will see her name engraved on our beautiful new ‘silver swans’ trophy, sponsored by Elaine’s widower Michael, which will be presented to her at our summer event on 12 June. Bookings are now open if you would like to attend.
In second place is SWWJ member KATIE CARR with ‘Harvest Home’, set in Warwickshire in 1943. Katie wins £100, sponsored by Elaine’s publishers, Pan Macmillan.
Third place goes to LISA FIRTH, writing as Betty Firth, with the first in a new Second World War series, provisionally entitled ‘Sweethearts of the Forces’. Lisa wins £50, also sponsored by Pan Macmillan.
The judges awarded Highly Commended status to a fourth entry, set in Hertfordshire in 1951: ‘A New Start at Paradise Fields’ by JILL STEEPLES.
Huge congratulations to all four writers, and our grateful thanks to our three judges, award-winning saga authors Jean Fullerton, Lizzie Lane and Francesca Capaldi, who all donated their time and expertise to read many thousands of words and choose our winners. It cannot have been an easy task.
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