WOW! Can you hear me screaming yet? I’ve had to keep quiet about some amazing news until it was publicly announced…so here it finally is: 

RT BOOK REVIEWS announced on its blog today that my manuscript, “Seducing Charlotte,”  is one of 10 finalists in the Writing With the Stars contest sponsored by RT and Kensington’s Brava imprint.

I received an email last night with a list of the 2010 Heart to Heart finalists and my name is on it!

My manuscript, “Seducing Charlotte,” is nominated in the Historical category.

The contest is sponsored by the San Francisco chapter of the Romance Writers of America. I had to submit, “that magical scene in which your hero and heroine meet for the first time.” Submissions could run a maximum of 15 pages.

It’s very exciting because the final round has an excellent set of judges for the Historical category. They include both a print editor and an ePub editor as well as an agent.

Agent: Barbara Poelle, Irene Goodman Literary Agency
Print Editor: Amanda Bergeron, Avon
ePub Editor: Jessica Schulte, Carina Press

Final round winners will be announced on September 30.

There is nothing like the “Call.”

OK, not “THE CALL” – the one where an agent tells you your manuscript has sold. I haven’t gotten that call. Yet. But I hope to some day!  

In this case, the “call”  was from Jessica Dickstein of the New Jersey Romance Writers of America. She told me that I had finaled twice  in the 2010 Put Your Heart in a Book Contest.

Both of my completed manuscripts, “Seducing Charlotte,” and “Compromising Willa” are up for the top award in the Historical category.

I am so thrilled and excited. The finalist judges include author Madeline Hunter, Kensington Editor Alicia Condon and agent Laura Bradford of the Bradford Literary Agency. What an amazing lineup. It does not get much better than that!

Madeline Hunter is one of my all-time favorite authors. It’s unbelievable to think she’ll be reading my work.

The winners will be announced at the chapter’s conference in October.