Judi’s Journey Through American Title III and Beyond

An online cohort, Nina Davis, was also at RT and has shared her photo with Adrian Paul who was at the Cover Model Reunion dinner benefitting charity.

Thanks, Nina, for sharing! You look like you had a good time!

There was a lot of traffic back here in the days following Tuesday’s calls, so I didn’t want to clutter up the blog with more posts. As you can tell from this blog, it hasn’t been utilized all that much (now THERE’S an understatement!), but I found that I had a great time on Tuesday with everyone’s comments. As of yet, I don’t have a book for readers to comment on, but I am working toward it.

Which brings me to this topic: WAIT. I’ve said that WAIT and HOPE are the ugly stepsisters of an unpubbed’s visions of a Cinderella career in writing. Who doesn’t want to send out that manuscript then get glowing reviews from editors, a possible auction then that wonderful word: SOLD?

But to get there, we have to deal with HOPE and WAIT. Sometimes they’re kind, like when you get that “I enjoyed the partial; please send the full” after a three week submission period. Sometimes they’re not so nice, “Not for me” which comes after six months or more.

And now the finalists, Golden Heart and Rita, are having their afternoon tea with WAIT and HOPE. At least for them, there’s a definitive end in sight: August 2. That’s only, what? 4 months? Piece of cake, right?

I’d love to hear from any of the finalists what it IS like over the next few months. Are you querying agents? Are you getting offers? Have any of the judges requested the full? Is a book deal coming your way? Was this a new series for Rita finalists and has it morphed into any other opportunity with your publisher or maybe even another?

Thanks for taking part in my Tuesday; it made the waiting go by quicker. Maybe chatting up your WAITING process until National can go by quicker with sharing comments.

Best of luck to everyone!

The biggest contest in RWA for unpublished hopefuls, the Golden Hearts will be awarded at the National Conference in San Francisco on Saturday, August 2, 2008. I’m hoping to get emails from those who final and list them here. So, spread the word and Best of Luck to everyone who entered!

The categories are taken from www.rwanational.org.

GOLDEN HEART FINALISTS                 

CONT. SRSS            Melissa James, REDEFINING MR PERFECT

                                Becky Clark, BORROWED STILETTOS

                                Diane Stoddard, SHE’S JUST RIGHT

CONT.SRS: S/A        Kelly Ann Riley, KITTY’S FIRE

                                Lynn Raye Harris, HOT PURSUIT

CONT. ST                 Amy Atwell, PUBLIC RELATIONS

                               Sarah Castleberry, BEAUTY AND THE GEEK

                               Theresa Ragan, BETTER LATE THAN NEVER

                               Susan Seyfarth, THE PRINCESS PROJECT

                               Susan Seyfarth, MONEY, HONEY

                               Shelley Coriell, THE LOST

HISTORICAL            Kathryn Parker, MOSS SQUARE

                               Kris Kennedy, THE KINDS OF WANTING

                               Kris Kennedy, WANTING FINIAN

                               Beth Trissel, THROUGH THE FIRE

                               Courtney Milan, BREATH OF HONOR

                               Cindy Nord, NO GREATER GLORY

                                CJ Chase, EARTHBOUND PARADISE

INSPIR.                    Susan MAson, WYNDERMERE HOUSE

                                Denise Meinstad, THIS TIME FOREVER

NOVEL W/SRE        Liese Sherwood-Fabre, HEADS UP, ST. ANTHONY

                               K. McMorris/L. Yoshida, FLAHERTY’S CROSSING

                               Cathy Perkins, THE PROFESSOR

PARANORMAL        Tracey O’Hara, NIGHT’S COLD KISS

                               Kelly Gay, BEDKNOBS & BROOMSTICKS

                               Jennifer North, THE SEXTANT

                               Helen Scott Taylor, THE MAGIC KNOT

                               Kerry Allen, WISH LIST

REGENCY HIST.      Susan Gee Heino, MISTAKEN BY MOONLIGHT

                               Darcy Burke, GLORIOUS

                               Anne Barton, MIDNIGHT PROMISES

                               Pam Bolton-Holifield, LOST IN LOVE

R/S                         Kim Howe, ONE SHOT, TWO KILLS

                              Theresa Ragan, FINDING KATE HUNTLEY

                               Robin Perini, TRUTH AND CONSEQUENCES

                               Joan Swan, SAFE IN ENEMY ARMS

                               Rachel Grant, MURDER IN SITU

YOUNG ADULT       Amanda Brice, PARTY LIKE IT’S 1899                            

                              Catherine Chant, WISHING YOU WERE HERE

                              Kelly Gay, BLIGHTED

                              Kay Cassidy, THE CINDERELLA SOCIETY

RITA FINALISTS

ROMANCE NOVELLA  Cheryl St. John, CHRISTMAS DAY FAMILY

                                   Vickie Taylor, ANGEL AND THE HELLRAISER

                                   Sylvia Day, MISCHIEF AND THE MARQUESS

                                   Maureen Child, CHRISTMAS CRAVINGS

                                   Jennifer Greene, BORN OF MY HEART

BEST FIRST BOOK    Terri Garey, DEAD GIRLS ARE EASY

                                 Rosemary Clement-Moore, PROM DATES FROM HELL

                                 Kelly Parra, GRAFFITI GIRL

                                 Helen Brenna, TREASURE

                                 Emily Gee,

CONT. SRS                Kristi Gold, FALL FROM GRACE

                                  Nina Bruhns, NIGHT MISCHIEF

                                  Elaine Grant, MAKE-BELIEVE MOM

                                  Natasha Oakley, THE TYCOON’S PRINCESS BRIDE

                                  Kelly Hunter, SLEEPING PARTNER

                                  Heidi Rice, MILLIONAIRE’S BLACKMAIL BARGAIN

CONT.SRS: S/A         Cindy Dees, THE MEDUSA AFFAIR

                                 Cindy Dees, THE MEDUSA SEDUCTION

                                 Samantha Hunter, UNTOUCHED

                                 Raeanne Thayne, HIGH RISK AFFAIR

                                 Merline Lovelace, STRANDED WITH A SPY

                                 Helen Brenna, TREASURE

CONT. SIN TTL           Toni Blake, TEMPT ME TONIGHT

                                 Leslie Kelly, SHE’S NO ANGEL

                                 Kristan Higgins, CATCH OF THE DAY

                                 Diana Holquist, SEXIEST MAN ALIVE

                                 Jennifer Greene - BLAME IT ON CUPID

HISTORICAL              Julianne MacLean, SURRENDER TO A SCOUNDREL

                                Jade Lee, TEMPTED TIGRESS

                                 Madeline Hunter, LESSONS OF DESIRE

                                 Laura Lee Guhrke, AND THEN HE KISSED HER

                                 Elizabeth Hoyt, THE LEOPARD PRINCE

INSPIR.                      Linda Goodnight, A TOUCH OF GRACE

                                 Susan Mae Warren, TAMING RAFE

NOVEL W/RE            Allison Brennan, SEE NO EVIL

                                 Emily Gee,

PARANORMAL          Terri Garey, DEAD GIRLS ARE EASY

                                 Linnea Sinclair, GAMES OF COMMAND

                                 Linda Winstead Jones, PRINCE OF DARKNESS

                                 Linda Winstead Jones, RAINTREE: HAUNTED

                                 J.R. Ward, LOVER REVEALED

                                 Christina Dodd, TOUCH OF DARKNESS

                                 Stephanie Rowe, HE LOVES ME, HE LOVES ME HOT

REGENCY HIST.       Anna Campbell, UNTOUCHED

                                Anna Campbell, CLAIMING THE COURTESAN

                                Julia Quinn, SECRET DIARIES OF MISS M. CHEEVER

R/S                          Karen Rose, DIE FOR ME

                               Allison Brennan, SPEAK NO EVIL

YOUNG ADULT        Simone Elkeles, LEAVING PARADISE

                               Kelly Parra, GRAFFITI GIRL

                                Melissa Marr, WICKEY LOVELY

Yes, it’s been over a year since my last post. From the title of this post, I think it’s pretty self-explanatory why.

Sad, I know.

On the upside, it’s also been a productive year. I entered the original Gather.com/Simon&Schuster First Chapters contest with Beauty and The Best. It finished in the Top 20 out of over 2,700 entries and was the only Romance in the bunch. Then, Gather did another First Chapters contest, this time strictly for Romance. My latest story, In Over Her Head, finished in the Top 5, but more importantly, garnered me multiple agent offers and I signed with my agent - all in approximately two weeks. What a great two weeks that was!

So now I’m in wait mode as the manuscript makes the rounds in NY and I’m working on edits to other manuscripts and the muse is chatting away with new ideas.

I’m so thankful for all the support from those who emailed me to enter the First Chapters Romance contest - people who had only known of me through the original First Chapters contest and who embraced In Over Her Head every bit as much as they did Beauty and The Best. I write because I have to, but it’s so gratifying to have people enjoy my stories.

Here’s hoping by next year this time I’ll have book news to share. If not, I’ll still be writing.

Wow, it’s been a while. I’m amazed at the folks who can blog every day. I can barely get myself organized every day. This working thing stinks. Though I love my job - the guys are fun to work with. But writing, promo, blogging, physical therapy for the knee, house stuff, kids stuff, wife stuff, my stuff…I need more hours in the day. I just finished revisions on my time travel, Through The Leaded Glass, and man, what I wouldn’t give for my own time travel device. I used to do the train into the city thing BC (before children). Up early, shower, pack 1 lunch (that’s one, not 3), drive myself to the train, spend 45 mins on the train, another five to ten getting to the office and I’d be majorly productive by 8 am. Now, I’m lucky to have most of the kids off to school, myself dressed, the hours I need to work in and 3 lunches done. Thank goodness the DH is self-sufficient in the lunch department.

 How do you people who work full time and run a house and have kids find time to write? Heck, how do you people who work full time find time to do anything for yourself? My hat’s off to you.

 I have a friend who’s a single mom, works two jobs and is going to school. I don’t know how she does it. And her kid is well-adjusted. There’s a lot of love between the two of them, but honestly, I don’t know how she doesn’t collapse and call in sick for like a month. (Not that I advocate doing that, mind you, but talk about burning the candle at both ends!)

I guess the old adage is true - you do what you have to. But she, and others like her, have my full admiration. I “single parent” it every few weeks when the DH is travelling. It’s not bad with all the activities, but I have help. Grandparents are a good thing! Plus, there’s an end in sight. It can be done for a finite number of nights. With help. These folks who do it all alone, day in and day out, deserve medals of honor. Big, fat paychecks. The limelight. (Unlike some party-hopping heiresses who worry about which sparkly collar to put on their pet, but that’s another rant.)

Sometimes all the “to-do stuff” stresses me out about not having time to write is petty. And I probably shouldn’t even consider it stressful b/c, really, just don’t do it. Right? Well, yes, in a way, I guess. But then I think about it being my dream. My passion. What I want to be when I grow up. Then I say, “I’m allowed to stress out.” I want to do this for myself. I want to do it to show my kids that you can make your dreams come true, and, yes, most of the time, it’s through hard work and perserverance. It’s about making time for your dreams, but not taking time away from what’s important.

It’s funny, but reading what I just wrote, I realize that I do “time-travel.” I expand my limited hours to include what’s important to me, our family, our lives, work - and me. Kind of like each time you have a new baby. Your heart expands to include it without taking away from the others.

And on that thought, I’ll call it a night. It’s time for the “sleep” stuff.

Have a good Wednesday!

Well, it’s all set to begin on Monday, October 16. We, the finalists, have been told the “go live” date for announcing us online is that day, the day the voting begins. I have to admit to excited jittery butterflies in my stomach. It’s one thing to show your story to your critique partners. It’s another to submit it to contests, then editors and agents.

But now, before we’ve gotten a contract (if even), we’re putting it out there for the general public. Talk about scary. Talk about exciting. Talk about nerve-wracking. I mean, this is my baby. It’s the story that wouldn’t stop. The characters who wouldn’t stop talking [vote me through to the dialogue scene and you'll understand what I mean ] It’s the story I love, that I had to write, that spoke to me at 5 am on SuperBowl Sunday, 2005 (Jolie spit out the first 20 pages in under 2 minutes and I ended up with writer’s cramp trying to get it all in my flip notebook I keep by my bed for these types of emergencies. Oh, big shout out “Thank You!” to Anna DeStefano for giving those notebooks away one year. It’s got at least 5 of my stories’ beginnings in it.)

Anyway, where was I? Oh, yes, the nerves. The uncertainty. Will anyone admit to sheer panic? I mean, we’ve got a “Simon, Randy and Paula” looking at these entries and commenting on them. And then the public…  I voted in the first two American Titles. I loved reading the entries. I commiserated with the authors as they said their goodbyes, then celebrated when some of them then sold. I was thrilled for the winners when they were announced. I mean, how cool was that? Their manuscript became a book.

And now it’s my turn. Wow.

That about sums it up. Wow.

I now understand the Academy Award nominees who say, “It’s an honor just to be nominated.” It is. An honor and amazing and Wow. These folks I’m grouped with are one talented bunch and the public is going to get one terrific book when it’s all over and done with. Maybe more than one, who knows?

To my fellow finalists, I say, “best of luck and enjoy the ride.” To the voting public I say, “Enjoy the entries.” 

Oh, well that and “Vote for Beauty and The Best.”

Have a nice Thursday. 

I just got back from the NJ conference and boy, are my arms tired. Sorry, couldn’t resist :)  Seriously, a great time was had by all. Lots of networking, meeting up with old friends (that’s friends as in “long term” not “over the hill”), learning all sorts of new stuff (hence my very own blog from a great course by Penny Sansevieri at AMarketingExpert.com) and fun speakers. Agents and editors from NY and other locales were there for us “hopefuls” and I got to meet one of my fellow ATIII finalists, Sally Stotter. Plus Janice Lynn, the first AT winner, was there.

 For those of you interested in a career in publishing, there’s nothing like a conference in or near NY - you get a great chance to put names and faces together with those people who send you rejection letters–er, suggestions on how to better your story.

 So, I’m off to update my website with pictures from the conference. Stop by and check ‘em out and if you’d like to know how to vote for Beauty and The Best in the American Title III contest, beginning next Monday, the 16th, register for my newsletter.  Have a great day! -Judi