2012 Sheila Contest Winners Announced

The Valley Forge Chapter of the Romance Writers of America has announced the placements in the 2012 Sheila Contest. My manuscript The Parachutist placed second while Tempting Bella placed fifth.

Here are the final placements in all categories:

Paranormal - Final Round Judge - Leah Hultenschmidt, Sourcebooks

1st Place - Fairy Tales by Elisabeth Roadifer + Full Requested
2nd Place -  Flood and Fire by Amy Raby
3rd Place - Incandescent by Mary V. Freeman
4th Place - Blood Vine, Book One by Amber Belldene
5th Place - Dead Vampires Don't Date by Meredith Allen Conner

Young Adult - Final Round Judge - Wendy Loggia, Delacorte Press, Random House

1st Place -  Flying Objects, Falling in Love and Other Catastrophes by Caryn Caldwell
2nd Place - The Agreement by Angela N. Blount
3rd Place - Designer Genes, The Boyfriend Cut by Harley Brooks
4th Place - Dolphins, Dorks and Danger by Robin Weaver
5th Place - Midnight Siren by Ruth Knafo Setton

Historical - Final Round Judge - Elizabeth Poteet, St. Martin's Press

1st Place - Embracing an Unloved Earl by Eileen Emerson**
2nd Place - The Parachutist by Diana Quincy + Full Requested
3rd Place - Her Every Desire by Jennifer McQuiston
4th Place - Taming Huck Finn by Elisabeth Burke
5th Place - Tempting Bella by Diana Quincy
6th Place - The Winds of Fate by Elizabeth Bysiek

Women's Fiction with Strong Romantic Elements - Final Round Judge - Alex Logan, Grand Central Publishing

1st Place - Murder Curlers and Cruises by Arlene McFarlane
2nd Place - Unredeemed by Joni M. Fisher
3rd Place - Preservation by Carrie Christie
4th Place - Untamed Valor by Virginia E. Boylan
5th Place - Taylor Made Life by Kary Rader

Single Title - Final Round Judge - Emilia Pisani, Gallery Books

1st Place - Cat on a Hot Steel Flight Deck by Heather Nickodem
2nd Place - The Secret Ingredient by Susan Spaulding**
3rd Place - Octagon Girl by Michele Mannon
4th Place - The Novice Wife by Adele Downs**
5th Place - Doctor with Benefits by Elizabeth Kelley**

Romantic Suspense - Final Round Judge - Katherine Pelz, The Berkley Group

1st Place - Double Trick by Ava Milone + Full Requested
2nd Place - Mesmerized in Madagascar by Georgi and Noi Gutheridge
3rd Place - Twisted by Tori Lennox
4th Place - Her Unreasonable Doubt by Anne-Marie Carroll
5th Place - The Way You Love Me by Janis Thereault


+ Full Requested
** VFRW member

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A Bargain Bride: The Duke of Chandos Buys a Wife

Credit: National Museums Liverpool

Today I'm over at the Dashing Duchesses blogging about the true life story of Anne Welles, a chambermaid who became a duchess after being sold by her husband.

The story goes that Henry Bridges, 2^nd Duke of Chandos, first saw Anne while dining with a friend at the Pelican Inn in Newbury, where she worked.

A stir in the inn yard drew the duke’s attention. When he learned a man was about to sell his wife, His Grace reportedly replied, “We will go and see the sale.”

Dash on over to the Dashing Duchesses to find out what happened next, CLICK HERE. 

Which Digital Books Are Thriving

A recent Publishers Weekly article focuses on how well ebook imprints are taking root in the publishing industry. It highlights the changes and trends on the digital side of the business.

Kensington is one of the latest houses to launch an ebook-only imprint, eKensington.

Crimson Romance's ebook imprint is unveiling an ebook subscription site for romance titles.

HarperCollins’ Impulse imprint will go from one digital title per week to two this fall.

Which ebooks are doing best? According to PW, it's a mix. Books that have done best for the digital imprints encompass both original titles and reissues. At InterMix, Nora Roberts classics are among the bestsellers.

Over at Impulse, an original story by Rachel Gibson, "Crazy on You," and an original novella by Eloisa James, "Winning the Wallflower," have been winners. 

Loveswept’s top ebooks include an original title, "Because of You,"  from debut author Jessica Scott.

'The Parachutist,' 'Tempting Bella' Final in 2012 Orange Rose Contest

The finalists in the 2012 Orange Rose Contest have been announced.

I'm thrilled and grateful that two of my manuscripts, THE PARACHUTIST and TEMPTING BELLA, are among the top eleven overall finalists.  

The Orange Rose differs a bit from other contests in that it doesn't split entries up according to category. All genres of romance (historical, paranormal, contemporary, etc) are judged together.

The finalist entries are judged by three editors and agents. The winners will be announced on Saturday, Oct. 13.

Here's a complete list of the finalists. Congratulations and best of luck to everyone!

Finalists for the 2012 Orange Rose Contest

 for Unpublished Authors 

Unwritten by Rachel Bates

The Agreement by Angela Blount

Sail Away by Chris Campillo

First Aid for a Broken Heart by Katrina Crew

Burnout by Tee O'Fallon

Mesmerized in Madagascar by George Guthridge

Keeping Athena by Rowena Hacker

Genie in a Bottle by Tracy Mecca

Tempting Bella by Diana Quincy

The Parachutist by Diana Quincy

Flood and Fire by Amy Raby 

PW's Fall 2012 Top 10 List Offers Romance with a Twist

Publishers Weekly is out with its Top 10 Romance List for Fall 2012.

There are familiar names on the list, but some of those authors are trying something a little new.

Mary Wine, my mentor from Kensington/Brava's Writing With the Stars contest, is out with her first steam punk novel, A Lady Can Never Be Too Curious.

Lydia Dare's Wolfishly Yours is set in Regency England, but her protagonists are werewolves who have to be tamed to meet society's strictures.

Another of my favorite authors, Miranda Neville, visits the Georgian era with The Importance of Being Wicked,  a new series featuring reckless art collectors and how far they'll go for the prizes they want. 

Here's the complete list:

The Importance of Being Wicked by Miranda Neville

Wolfishly Yours by Lydia Dare

A Lady Can Never Be Too Curious by Mary Wine
 
Summerset Abbey by T. J. Brown

Tallie’s Hero by Sara Luck

Running Wild by Linda Howard and Linda Jones

Close Enough to Touch by Victoria Dahl

The Inn at Rose Harbor by Debbie Macomber

When Lightning Strikes by Brenda Novak

Touch Me Now by Donna Hill