Catch Up

Although it's been a long time since my last post (way too long), that doesn't mean I haven't been writing. In fact, in the past year I've been quite productive! Yay! After submitting to the Harlequin Heartwarming's Write From The Heart contest in the summer, I was chosen as one of the winners and was asked to submit my full ms. About the same time, I won second place in The Write Stuff contest with the same ms. It was a good summer :-) After several months of frantic writing, I submitted my full ms in December and received very helpful feedback in January. I'm now busily revising to make the story even stronger, and I'm very happy with the progress. I feel like I'm finally getting somewhere...and it only took 12 years, lol. Better late than never. What about you? Have any writing news you want to share?

The Agony of Defeat

Okay, maybe I'm being dramatic (that's not really a stretch for me). Although I'm sad I didn't final in the Golden Heart, I know the competition was pretty darn stiff, so I can't be too upset. It was my first time entering, and I'm hoping to get some useful feedback on my manuscript, so its not a loss.

And on the plus side, I am very excited about an older ms I've dusted off and taken in a new direction. It's one I've always felt passionate about, so I made some revisions (okay, a LOT of revisions) and sent a partial in to Harlequin's new Heartwarming line. I think it would be a perfect fit for that line. And while I'm waitng on that submission, I have a few contests I plan to enter with this story. So all is not lost. In fact, I kind of feel like the best is yet to come.

2013...Making it Count

I've decided. This is the year. 2013 is the year I'm going to stop fiddling around and get serious about this writing business. So at the end of 2012, I sent off a requested partial. Not bad, right. It gets better.

On the day before I left on my New Year's day trip to sunny Florida, I submitted my entry for the Golden Heart! This is a first for me. I'm so excited, nervous, anxious, terrified...

You get the idea.

Did anyone else enter? Wanna hold hands and stop each other from biting our nails into ugly little nubs?

Yippee Again!

I just found out that I won first place in the Show Me The Spark contest! And to top it off, Wanda Ottewell requested a partial as a result! To say I'm excited is a BIT of an understatement. I'm thrilled!

I plan to make some tweaks before sending off my partial, so it's going to be a busy writing weekend. And I also want to use NANO to get this manuscript finished in case she wants to see more.

I really hope she wants to see more.

Fingers crossed.

Yippee!

Finally, I have some good writing related news to share!

I've finaled in the Heartland Romance Authors Show Me The Spark contest! *Cue much whooping on my end*.

The finalists were just announced on their website. The finalists for the contemporary category will be sent to Wanda Ottewell at Harlequin to select the winner. Yippee! Keep your fingers crossed for me, will ya? A win, or a request...either will do. I'm not picky, lol.

All kidding aside, even if nothing comes from it, I'm happy to just be recognized. Sometimes that's exactly what you need to give you the motivation to keep trying.

A Glutton for Punishment

Boy, I must really love this manuscript because I am dusting it off, fixing it up and throwing it out there for another test of the waters. Harlequin American Romance is having an editor pitch contest, so I'm diving in. I think I've really improved the ms, honed in on the conflicts and focused on the characters that are most important...H and h, of course. I think it stands a chance, but then again, what do I know? lol

Yup, I'm a glutton for punishment. Then again, aren't all writers?

The deadline for entry into the pitch is July 20th. Wish me luck. Anyone else out there thinking about entering?

An Award...for me?

I've been nominated for the Liebster Award by the lovely Rox Delaney. What a great surprise this was--and it couldn't have come at a better time. So a big thank you to Rox!



The Liebster is a pay-it-forward kind of award. There's no committee that chooses the recipients and is a simple recognition from one blogger to another of how great and appreciated your blog is.