Jasmine Awards

The organization began in 1983 as a chapter of Romance Writers of America. Among the members who joined during that first year are Kay Bergstrom, Carol Caverly, and Jasmine Cresswell.

Jasmine, who was the organization’s first multi-published author, became an invaluable mentor. She willingly lent her expertise to RMFW. She had publishing connections that helped the organization have a Harlequin editor in attendance at its first ever conference in 1984, a successful event that attracted subsequent long-term members.

During the six years that Jasmine lived in Denver, she tirelessly worked for the organization in almost every elected office and non-elected office the organization had, including president, secretary, newsletter editor, hospitality chair, and conference chair. She spoke enthusiastically on behalf of the organization on both the local and national stages, always with a generous can-do attitude that was meant to bring notice to others and RMFW rather than herself. In a word, she was Encourager-in-Chief. Being in critique group with her was an education, and many writers from that era credit Jasmine with providing them with the kind of education in fiction writing they could have never gotten anywhere else. At the same time, her own writing career was thriving as the romance genre was thriving. She was generous with her insider’s knowledge, often making suggestions to her fellow writers that a particular editor or a particular publisher could be interested in the story they were working on.

In 1989, Jasmine moved to Cleveland in response to her husband’s transfer. There was a moment of deep concern about the organization when the Board of Directors began to assess all of the ways in which Jasmine had been a pivotal member. In Jasmine’s classic (not to mention classy) way of being, she insisted the organization would thrive and grow. And, of course, she was right. That same year (1989), RMFW disaffiliated from Romance Writers of America to make way for all the non-romance writers who had found the organization as their home for the continuing support and education they wanted. Once more, that original vision of being welcoming to all was alive, well, and thriving.

The RMFW Board had a strong desire to ensure that Jasmine remain an integral part of the organization. Hers was the first lifetime membership to be awarded, but it seemed not quite enough. And so, a service award was created in her name. The Jasmine Award is meant to honor the long-term service of individuals to the organization in the spirit that Jasmine exemplified during her years in Denver—service, not a desire for self-aggrandizement or recognition. Without exception, that has been the case for every single recipient since the first one.

That first award recipient, Jane Anne Caldwell, was the treasurer who took RMFW’s fly-by-the-seat-of-our-pants financial reporting into a formal bookkeeping system with responsible reporting and sound fiscal policies that provided a solid foundation for the organization to thrive. She is representative of all the Jasmine Award recipients, whose many contributions have enriched the organization.

The Executive Committee (the elected officers) of RMFW are entrusted with the difficult task of choosing the annual honoree because they are in the best position to know who goes above and beyond the call; who says yes (often without knowing the full extent of a request); and who exemplifies that level of service Jasmine gave to the organization during her years in Denver. The word honoree is accurate. This isn’t a contest that can be won, but rather a means to acknowledge and honor the dedication a member has to the organization over a period of years. Traditionally, the name of the recipient for this award is kept secret until the announcement at the Awards Banquet at the conference. Choosing the member to receive the Jasmine Award is always one of the most difficult because every year there are numerous members who work tirelessly on behalf of the organization, far more than can ever be acknowledged by a single award.

This award also serves as inspiration for every single member of Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers. One person can (and did) make a positive difference whose ripples continue to expand ever outward.

2024: Angie Hodapp

As an active member of the Denver literary community, Angie Hodapp has served as a board member for Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers, and she regularly teaches highly regarded writing and publishing workshops, including at Denver’s prestigious Lighthouse Writers Workshop. She is the author of two nonfiction books for writers: Do You Need a Literary Agent? and Query Craft. She began her career at NLA in 2011, where she has worked as a reader, contracts manager, and royalties auditor. Currently, she devotes most of her time to literary development. In partnership with the agents, she edits client material, prepping and polishing manuscripts before they go out on submission. She also works one-on-one with clients to develop new story ideas and directions, and she screens manuscripts requested by the agent team. When not working, she writes a little fiction of her own (mostly of the dark variety), teaches and practices Pilates (she’s a Nationally Certified Pilates Teacher with a specialization in exercise for people with neurological conditions), knits (she can’t stop buying yarn), waits on her cat (an adorable tabby named Pluma), and travels the world with her husband.