OMG, I just got the call that my military romantic suspense manuscript, HOT PURSUIT, is a finalist in the Contemporary Series Romance: Suspense/Adventure category!!!!!
I've never finaled before, though I think this was my 4th time entering. Y'all, it CAN happen!
UPDATE: The finalist list can be found at Romance Writers of America.
Okay, so I worked today. Wrote about 1500 words. I had a panicky moment where I thought I'd never get into the groove, but then it came. Sometimes, it's like pulling teeth. Other times, you're rolling along so good you don't even want to stop and eat. I had both sensations today. 🙂
Some of it, I'm sure, was performance anxiety. I've never had to actually sit down and produce pages for anyone but me (if you don't count college work, lol). This is a new feeling. One I can totally get used to. 🙂 I told the hubby that it felt like the first day at a new job (in a strange kind of way). It's exciting and thrilling and odd all at once.
Tuesday's goal: 1500 words.
Thanks again to everyone who came to congratulate me. 🙂 I appreciate it so much. You kept me smiling and feeling great for days. 🙂
Y'all, I'm so excited I can hardly stand it! I found out yesterday that I won the Harlequin Presents Instant Seduction contest!!! I have won an editor for a year. I'm still in shock. And I've already talked to her on the phone, and she's fabulous. I'm looking forward to working with her on making THE SPANISH MAGNATE'S REVENGE into the best book I can.
I know it's not my usual military romantic suspense, but Presents novels have always been special to me. They were the first romances I ever read, and I've always wanted to write for them. I got up the courage to try when the contest was announced. I never thought I'd win, and certainly not over 599 other entries. I'm so happy and humbled by the experience.
What next? Get to work on the book, of course. 🙂 Now I feel like I have a real deadline and people not to disappoint. It's no longer about me writing for me. I have an editor and a goal. I have a great critique partner, an awesome RWA chapter, and a supportive family. Somebody pinch me. 🙂
I dug into the photos to pull out this one of a (I think) torch ginger from Kauai. Love the vibrant colors of the flowers in Hawaii!
Anyway, it's Spring Break this week. Which means next to nothing for me. I don't have kiddies out of school. I'm not a coed anymore.
But, strangely, I have Spring-Break-itis of the mind. My head is not in the game this week. I've stared at my WIP(s), typed a few words here and there, but had no major break throughs. For one, I had a stupid moment where I misread the KOD Daphne requirements. I wanted to get two entries in, and I thought I had until March 15 to enter electronically. Nope, no electronic entry. You could pay with PayPal, which is what threw me, and then you had to send in your hard copy to reach the coordinators by March 15. I realized this on March 13. Not good.
Stupid brain. :/
Whenever it gets a little warm out right after cold winter days, my mind turns to spring cleaning. I get these urges to vacuum and wash things. House projects start to crowd my head. Landscaping here, curtains there, paint that room, reorganize that closet, etc. I recognize that these are creative endeavors of a sort, and that it takes energy away from writing, but sometimes you gotta let the mind wander.
So, this week, I'm wandering. I bought some house plants. Hubby and I did a couple of small projects in the house. We're talking landscape, looking at plans, thinking about what we want.
There's always more to do, and I can't spend all my time away from the computer. But this week, I'm letting myself relax. No WIP pressure, no sit-at-the-desk-all-day-or-be-a-failure recriminations. I'm having a Spring Break of the mind. Don't you agree it's a good idea from time to time? 🙂
OMG, this had me in tears! Want to know how to deal with telemarketers? This is your guy right here. Make sure you're seated, and make sure you aren't drinking a beverage. 🙂
