
Carmarthenshire author Helga Jensen shortlisted for award
Helga Jensen's novel, A Christmas in Prague, is in the running for the Popular Romantic Fiction Award at the Romantic Novelists' Association's (RNA) Romantic Novel Awards 2025.
The awards celebrate excellence in romantic fiction.
Ms Jensen is a British-Danish best-selling author and journalist.
Her debut novel won the 2017 Montegrappa First Fiction competition at Dubai's Emirates Literary Festival.
She was also a contender for the 2021 Joan Hessayon Award for new writers.
Her best-selling novel, Fly Me to Paris, was a finalist for the 2024 Popular Romantic Fiction Award.
Ms Jensen said: "To be shortlisted for the award last year was a dream come true.
"To be shortlisted again this year is unbelievable.
"I am absolutely over the moon and want to thank all those who nominated A Christmas in Prague for such a coveted award.
"I am very much looking forward to the award ceremony in London."
The chair of the RNA, Seána Talbot, said: "This year's shortlist is a tremendous testament to romantic fiction's diversity and strength.
"We are proud to celebrate these outstanding books and this exciting mix of new and established writers.
"They make a vital contribution to this popular, much-loved genre."
The awards, which began in 1960, celebrate the very best of romantic fiction and are highly respected within the UK publishing industry.
Over the past 64 years, winners have included bestselling authors Santa Montefiore, Joe Heap, Julie Cohen and Milly Johnson.
The winners will be announced during the RNA's Romantic Novel of the Year Awards ceremony, which is held this year at the Leonardo Royal London City Hotel, 8-14 Cooper's Row, London EC3N 2BQ on May 19 at 6.30pm.
Tickets for the event can be purchased on the Romantic Novelists' Association website.
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Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman have been made MBEs, which Daly said was the 'greatest surprise of my life' (Ian West/PA) Daly, 56, who has co-presented Strictly since 2004, and Winkleman, 53, who fronts the hit reality TV show The Traitors, have been honoured for their services to broadcasting. 'This genuinely came as the greatest surprise of my life,' Daly told PA. 'I don't think I've come back down to earth yet. I didn't see it coming, and it almost didn't happen because the letter went to the wrong address. 'And thank goodness someone very kind found me. And so by the time I got it, I only had, I think it was two or three days left to accept it.' Winkleman said she was 'incredibly grateful' to receive the honour, adding: 'I will buy a hat and am taking my mum. I am ridiculously lucky and will celebrate with Tess by doing a paso doble.' Dame Elaine, 77, was also honoured for her services to charity and music. She told PA of her 'shock' at being made a dame. 'It's all very exciting,' the West End legend said. 'I've got all these different emotions coming at me all at once. I'm proud and I feel grateful and I'm thrilled and surprised, and so it's been quite a lot to take in.' Elaine Paige said receiving a damehood was 'very exciting' (Ian West/PA) Dame Elaine has presented her BBC Radio 2 show for more than 20 years and has senior roles at two charities – The Children's Trust, a charity for youngsters with acquired brain injury and The Dan Maskell Tennis Trust, which supports disabled tennis players. Meanwhile, Sir Gary, 67, who played Harry Potter's godfather Sirius Black in several of the movies in the fantasy franchise, was recognised for his services to drama. The Hollywood star won an Oscar for his portrayal of Winston Churchill in the 2017 film Darkest Hour. The top gong goes to Sir Antony Gormley, the sculptor behind the Angel of the North, who is made Companion of Honour for services to art. 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Pooja Kanda, whose 16-year-old son was murdered with a ninja sword yards away from his Wolverhampton home has become an OBE, while Alison Madgin, the mother of 18-year-old Samantha Madgin, who was knifed to death in Wallsend, is made an MBE alongside her daughter Carly Barrett. Women make up 48% of those honoured, with 11% of recipients are from ethnic minority backgrounds.