The Saskatchewan Writers’ Guild has named Ryshia Kennie winner of the 2011 City of Regina Writing Award. Kennie has written two romance novels, From the Dust (2007) and Ring of Desire (2009), both published by Oregon’s Black Lyon Publishing. Runners up for the prize are poet Bruce Rice and playwright/short fiction writer B.D. Miller.

The $4,000 prize is sponsored by the City of Regina, judged by professional writers outside of Saskatchewan, and presented to Regina-based writers “based on literary merit,” with the aim of enabling the recipient to “work on a specific solo writing project for a three-month period.”

Although the award is open to writers working in any genre, this is the first time in its 31-year history that a romance writer has won. Previous winners include Dianne Warren, Dave Margoshes, and Kelley Jo Burke.