RWA Emma Merritt Service Award

The RWA Emma Merritt Service Award is presented for the accumulated body of work a member has contributed as a volunteer to RWA. The award is not only for service to individual chapters, but is intended to honor major commitments of service to RWA. A member may receive the RWA Emma Merritt Service Award only once in a lifetime. In the past, the RWA Emma Merritt Service Award has also been known as the Golden Rose and the National Service Award.

2011 RWA Emma Merritt Service Award Recipient
Michelle Monkou

Michelle Monkou was nominated for the 2003 Emma Award for Favorite New Author for her debut novel, Open Your Heart. She followed with several notable series, such as, the Glen Knolls, Mastersons and, most recently, the Ladies of Distinction (about five sorority sisters). Since September 2006, Michelle has been a part of Harlequin's African American romance line, Kimani Romance.

RWA presented Michelle Monkou with the RWA Emma Merritt Service Award at the 31st Annual Conference in New York City.