RITA Award
Encyclopedia
The RITA Award is the most prominent award given throughout the genre of romance novel
and some other romantic fiction. It is presented by Romance Writers of America
(RWA). It is named for the RWA's first president, Rita Clay Estrada
. It signifies excellence in one of 13 categories of romantic fiction.
tte in a ceremony held on the last day of the RWA National Conference each July.
The novels are picked from among the novels published the previous year.
Past winners are:
This award may correlate to:
Past winners:
Romance novel
The romance novel is a literary genre developed in Western culture, mainly in English-speaking countries. Novels in this genre place their primary focus on the relationship and romantic love between two people, and must have an "emotionally satisfying and optimistic ending." Through the late...
and some other romantic fiction. It is presented by Romance Writers of America
Romance Writers of America
Romance Writers of America is a national non-profit genre writers association. It provides networking and support to individuals seriously pursuing a career in romance fiction and supports top authors such as Nora Roberts and Judith McNaught.-History:...
(RWA). It is named for the RWA's first president, Rita Clay Estrada
Rita Clay Estrada
Rita Clay Estrada is an U.S. writer of romance novels as Rita Clay, Tira Lacy and Rita Clay Estrada, she also wrote non-fiction books about writing romance novels...
. It signifies excellence in one of 13 categories of romantic fiction.
Procedure
Authors and editors submit manuscripts for consideration in the fall. In mid-spring, 100 finalists are announced. The winners are presented with a statueStatue
A statue is a sculpture in the round representing a person or persons, an animal, an idea or an event, normally full-length, as opposed to a bust, and at least close to life-size, or larger...
tte in a ceremony held on the last day of the RWA National Conference each July.
Categories
The categories are:- Best First Book
- Best Contemporary Series Romance
- Best Contemporary Series Romance: Suspense/Adventure
- Best Contemporary Single Title Romance
- Best Historical Romance
- Best Inspirational Romance
- Best Novel with Strong Romantic Elements
- Best Paranormal Romance
- Best Regency Historical Romance
- Best Romance Novella
- Best Romantic Suspense
- Best Young Adult Romance
The novels are picked from among the novels published the previous year.
Best novel
This award may correlate to:- Best Romance from 1990 to 1996
- RWA's Favorite Book in 1998
- Best Novel With Strong Romantic Elements from 2004 to 2008
Past winners are:
- 1990 Morning Glory by LaVyrle SpencerLaVyrle SpencerLaVyrle Spencer is an American best-selling author of contemporary and historical romance novels. She has successfully published a number of books, with several of them made into movies. Twelve of her books have been New York Times bestsellers, and Spencer was inducted into the Romance Writers...
- 1991 The Prince of Midnight by Laura KinsaleLaura KinsaleLaura Kinsale is an award-winning and New York Times bestselling American writer of historical romance novels since 1985.-Biography:Laura Kinsale has a Master of Science in Geology from the University of Texas at Austin. She worked in the petroleum industry before beginning to write...
- 1992 OutlanderOutlander (novel)Outlander is the first novel in a series of seven by Diana Gabaldon. The book focuses on two main characters, Claire Randall and James Alexander Malcolm MacKenzie Fraser, and takes place in 18th- and 20th-century Scotland...
by Diana GabaldonDiana GabaldonDiana J. Gabaldon is an American author of Mexican-American and English ancestry. Gabaldon is the author of the Outlander Series. Her books they contain elements of romantic fiction, historical fiction, mystery, adventure, and science fiction.-Early life and science career:Diana J. Gabaldon was... - 1993 Come Spring by Jill Marie LandisJill Marie LandisNot to be confused with Marie Landis, an American writer who has written two novels in collaboration with Brian HerbertJill Marie Landis Not to be confused with Marie Landis, an American writer who has written two novels in collaboration with Brian HerbertJill Marie Landis Not to be confused with...
- 1994 Lord of the Night by Susan WiggsSusan WiggsSusan Wiggs is an American author of historical and contemporary romance novels.-Early years:Wiggs began writing as a child, finishing her first novel, A Book About Some Bad Kids, when she was eight. She temporarily abandoned her dream of being a novelist after graduating from Harvard University,...
- 1995 It Had To Be YouIt Had to Be You (Susan)It Had to Be You is a contemporary romance novel by Susan Elizabeth Phillips.It was awarded the RITA award for "Best romance novel" of 1994....
by Susan Elizabeth PhillipsSusan Elizabeth PhillipsSusan Elizabeth Phillips is an award-winning and best-selling American writer of romance novels.-Biography:... - 1996 Born in Ice by Nora RobertsNora RobertsNora Roberts is a bestselling American author of more than 209 romance novels. She writes as J.D. Robb for the "In Death" series, and has also written under the pseudonym Jill March...
- 1998 Nobody's Baby But MineNobody's Baby But MineNobody's Baby But Mine is a romance novel written by Susan Elizabeth Phillips and published in 1997. It may be categorized as baby love romance. It's a book in the Chicago Stars / Bonner Brothers series.-Plot introduction:...
by Susan Elizabeth PhillipsSusan Elizabeth PhillipsSusan Elizabeth Phillips is an award-winning and best-selling American writer of romance novels.-Biography:... - 2004 Between Sisters by Kristin HannahKristin HannahKristin Hannah is an award-winning and bestselling American writer, who has won numerous awards, including the Golden Heart, the Maggie, and the 1996 National Reader's Choice award.-Biography:...
- 2005 A.K.A. Goddess by Evelyn Vaughn
- 2006 Lady Luck's Map of Vegas by Barbara Samuel
- 2007 A Lady Raised High by Jennifer Ashley w/a Laurien GardnerLaurien GardnerLaurien Gardner is the collective pseudonym of a group of female authors writing a series of Tudor era novels about the wives of Henry VIII. All books published by Jove Books, part of Penguin Books.-Published works:...
- 2008 Silent in the Grave by Deanna RaybournDeanna RaybournDeanna Raybourn is an American author of mystery novels set in Victorian era England.Raybourn was born in Fort Worth, Texas, but now lives in Williamsburg, Virginia...
- 2009 Tribute by Nora RobertsNora RobertsNora Roberts is a bestselling American author of more than 209 romance novels. She writes as J.D. Robb for the "In Death" series, and has also written under the pseudonym Jill March...
Best contemporary single title
This award refers to novels that are not part of a series.This award may correlate to:
- Best Category Contemporary Romance in 1982
- Various awards in 1983
- Best Contemporary 65-80,000 words in 1984
- Best Single Title Contemporary 1990 and from 1992 to 1993
- Best Contemporary Single Title (Romance) from 1994 to 2008
Past winners:
- 1982 Winner Take All by Brooke Hastings
- 1983
- Best Contemporary Mainstream Romance: Opal Fires by Lynda Trent
- Best Contemporary Sensual Romance: The Heart’s Victory by Nora RobertsNora RobertsNora Roberts is a bestselling American author of more than 209 romance novels. She writes as J.D. Robb for the "In Death" series, and has also written under the pseudonym Jill March...
- Best Contemporary Sweet Romance: Renegade Player by Dixie BrowningDixie BrowningDixie Browning, née Burrus is an American artist and writer of over 100 romance novels. She also has published under the pen name Zoe Dozier, and with her sister Mary Burrus Williams, she writes historical romance under the name Bronwyn Williams.-Biography:Dixie Burrus was born in 1930 on North...
- 1984 This Magic Moment by Nora RobertsNora RobertsNora Roberts is a bestselling American author of more than 209 romance novels. She writes as J.D. Robb for the "In Death" series, and has also written under the pseudonym Jill March...
& Destiny's Sweet Errand by Deirdre Mardon - 1990 Private Relations by Diane ChamberlainDiane ChamberlainDiane Chamberlain is an American author of adult fiction.Her first novel , Private Relations, was started while she was waiting in a doctor’s office...
- 1992 A Man to Die For by Eileen Dreyer
- 1993 This Time Forever by Kathleen EagleKathleen EagleKathleen Eagle is an American author of over 40 romance novels.-Biography:...
- 1994 Private Scandals by Nora RobertsNora RobertsNora Roberts is a bestselling American author of more than 209 romance novels. She writes as J.D. Robb for the "In Death" series, and has also written under the pseudonym Jill March...
- 1995 Again by Kathleen Gilles Seidel
- 1996 Born in Ice by Nora RobertsNora RobertsNora Roberts is a bestselling American author of more than 209 romance novels. She writes as J.D. Robb for the "In Death" series, and has also written under the pseudonym Jill March...
- 1997 Daniel’s Gift by Barbara Freethy
- 1998 Nobody's Baby But MineNobody's Baby But MineNobody's Baby But Mine is a romance novel written by Susan Elizabeth Phillips and published in 1997. It may be categorized as baby love romance. It's a book in the Chicago Stars / Bonner Brothers series.-Plot introduction:...
by Susan Elizabeth PhillipsSusan Elizabeth PhillipsSusan Elizabeth Phillips is an award-winning and best-selling American writer of romance novels.-Biography:... - 1999 Dream A Little DreamDream a Little DreamDream a Little Dream is a 1989 teen film directed by Marc Rocco and stars Jason Robards, Corey Feldman, Piper Laurie, Meredith Salenger, Harry Dean Stanton and Corey Haim. It was filmed in Wilmington, North Carolina. Released in 1,019 theaters, it accumulated $5,552,441. This was the third film...
by Susan Elizabeth PhillipsSusan Elizabeth PhillipsSusan Elizabeth Phillips is an award-winning and best-selling American writer of romance novels.-Biography:... - 2000 Body Guard by Suzanne BrockmannSuzanne BrockmannSuzanne Brockmann is an award-winning American romantic fiction writer. She lives outside of Boston, Massachusetts with her husband, Ed Gaffney, and their two children, Melanie and Jason...
- 2001 First Lady by Susan Elizabeth PhillipsSusan Elizabeth PhillipsSusan Elizabeth Phillips is an award-winning and best-selling American writer of romance novels.-Biography:...
- 2002 True Confessions by Rachel GibsonRachel Gibson (writer)Rachel Gibson is an American author of contemporary romance novels.-Biography:With the publication of her first novel in 1998, Simply Irresistible, Gibson became and New York Times and USA Today bestselling author...
- 2003 No Place Like Home by Barbara Samuel
- 2004 Birthright by Nora RobertsNora RobertsNora Roberts is a bestselling American author of more than 209 romance novels. She writes as J.D. Robb for the "In Death" series, and has also written under the pseudonym Jill March...
- 2005 Bet Me by Jennifer CrusieJennifer CrusieJennifer Crusie is a pseudonym for Jennifer Smith, a bestselling and award winning author of contemporary romance novels. She has written over 15 novels, which have been published in 20 countries.-Biography:...
- 2006 Lakeside Cottage by Susan WiggsSusan WiggsSusan Wiggs is an American author of historical and contemporary romance novels.-Early years:Wiggs began writing as a child, finishing her first novel, A Book About Some Bad Kids, when she was eight. She temporarily abandoned her dream of being a novelist after graduating from Harvard University,...
- 2007 Adios To My Old Life by Caridad Ferrer
- 2008 Catch of the Day by Kristan Higgins
- 2009 Not Another Bad Date by Rachel GibsonRachel Gibson (writer)Rachel Gibson is an American author of contemporary romance novels.-Biography:With the publication of her first novel in 1998, Simply Irresistible, Gibson became and New York Times and USA Today bestselling author...
- 2010 Too Good To Be True by Kristan Higgins