On September 4, 2012, the Rona Jaffe Foundation announced the winners of their 18th Annual Writers' Awards. The Awards, which were increased this year to $30,000 each, will be presented to the six recipients on September 20 at a private reception in New York City.

The 2012 winners are Julia Elliott (fiction), Christina Nichol (fiction), Lauren Goodwin Slaughter (poetry), Rachel Swearingen (fiction), Kim Tingley (nonfiction),and Inara Verzemnieks (nonfiction).

The Rona Jaffe Foundation Writers' Awards are presented annually to six female writers who demonstrate excellence and promise in the early stages of their careers. Celebrated novelist Rona Jaffe (1931-2005) established the program in 1995. These Awards have helped many women build successful writing careers by offering encouragement and financial support at a critical time.

For more information on Rona Jaffe and the Foundation, please visit ronajaffefoundation.org.