2012 Catherine Finalists Announced

Contemporary Series – Final Round Judge: Wanda Ottewell, Harlequin
Crashing Into Tess by Christine M. Griffin
Scarlet Distraction by Elly Takaki*
Testing The CEO's Theory by Sarah Darnell*

Contemporary Single Title – Final Round Judge: Leonore Waldrip, HQN
First Aid for a Broken Heart by Kat Latham
Hawaiian Heat: The Marriage Trap by Diane Garner
Octagon Girl by Michelle Manon
Precious Jewels by Mary Behre
Royally Screwed by Kelle Z. Riley

Historical – Final Round Judge: Katherine Pelz, Berkley
An Unloved Earl by Eileen Emerson
The League of Rogues by Lauren Diana Smith
The Winds of Fate by Elizabeth Byziek

Paranormal, Fantasy, Futuristic – Final Round Judge: Esi Sogah, Avon
Fairy Tales by Liz Roadifer
Mated by Magick by Kat Bastion
Seal of Destiny by Traci Douglass

Strong Romantic Elements – Final Round Judge: Kathleen Gilligan, St. Martin's
Murder, Curlers & Canes by Arlene McFarlane
Murder, Curlers & Cruisers by Arlene McFarlane
Wrestling with Alligators by Lateia Elam Sandifer

Romantic Suspense – Final Round Judge: Leis Pederson, Berkley
Death by Design- A Crime of Passion by Meline Nadeau*
Her Unreasonable Doubt by Anne-Marie Carroll
The Cell by Diane Garner

Young Adult – Final Round Judge: Karen Chaplin, HarperCollins Children's Books
Disposables by Elly Takaki*
Dolphins, Dorks & Danger by Robin Weaver
Sway by Nicki Pau Petro *
Atlantis Riptide by Allie Burton

* TRW member
Categories with more than three finalists are due to ties.

'Parachutist' Lands 2nd Place in 2012 Ignite the Flame Contest

The Central Ohio Fiction Writers chapter of the Romance Writers of America has announced the 2012 Ignite the Flame contest winners.

I was excited to learn that my manuscript, The Parachutist, placed second in the historical category. The complete list of winners is below. Congratulations everyone!

2012 Ignite the Flame Contest winners

Suspense Romance
1st Place SOUTHERN HOSPITALITY by Urusla Renee
2nd Place SEVERED THREADS by Kaylin McFarren
3rd Place HARBOR ME by Mandy Rathbone

Single Title Romance
1st Place WHEN IN ROME by Adeline Grey
2nd Place MESMERIZED IN MADAGASCAR by George & Noi Guthridge
PLACE YOUR BETTS by Katie Graykowski
3rd Place HOLDING ON by Ellen Dean Price

Category-Length Contemporary Romance
1st Place THE BESTMAN by Simone James
2nd Place PRESERVATION by Carrie Christie
3rd Place HEART BE STILL by Patrice Wadie

Paranormal Romance
1st Place CHERUB'S PLAY by Katie Grant
2nd Place TO HISS OR TO KISS by Katya Armock
3rd Place MIDWORLDER LOVER by Maggie Mundy

Historical Romance
1st Place FROM YOU I CANNOT HIDE by Cora Lee
2nd Place THE PARACHUTIST by Diana Quincy
3rd Place AMBUSHING THE HEIRESS by Kristen Boe

Young Adult
1st Place BENEATH THE SURFACE by Miranda Rae Carter
2nd Place PAINLESS by Jenna Grinstead
3rd Place WE TWO UNUSUAL by Tony Roberts

'Parachutist' Wins 2012 Duel on Delta

I'm was thrilled to learn that my manuscript, THE PARACHUTIST, took top honors in the 2012 Duel on the Delta contest sponsored by the River City Romance Writers.

My other manuscript, TEMPTING BELLA, placed second in the historical category.

Here's the full list of finalists and winners. Congratulations everyone!

21st Annual Duel on the Delta Contest

Contemporary
Winner: Clear as Glass — Lynn Kellan
Second Place: Synchrony's Call — S.J. Bickford
Third Place: Surrender's Vow — S.J. Bickford

Historical
Winner: The Parachutist* — Diana Quincy
Second Place: Tempting Bella — Diana Quincy
Third Place: Seduced by a Spy — Christina De Gennaro
*Full manuscript requested by the editor

 Inspirational
Winner: Deliver Us from Evil — Mary Curry
Second Place: Liberty's Lady — Mary Curry
Third Place: Too Late to Apologize — Christy Smith

Paranormal
Winner: Dark Conquest — Christina Kenton
Second Place: The Book of Dracon, The Mayhen Series — Briana MacWilliam
Third Place: Seal of Fate — Traci Douglass

Romantic Suspense
Winner: One in Ten Thousand — Jackie Flaum
Second Place: Deadly Rumors — Pamela Anderson-Moore
Third Place: Treasure Life — Sherilyn Alexander

Young Adult
Winner: Operation Breakup — Jeanmarie Anaya
Second Place: Lost Souls — Beth Watson
Third Place: Blood, She Read — Sara Hubbard

Caroline Linden Celebrates RITA Win with Huge Giveaway!

Today I'm over at the Dashing Duchesses talking to RITA-award winning author Caroline Linden about her upcoming book, THE TRUTH ABOUT THE DUKE.

The Harvard grad also reveals how her brainiac friends reacted when the Ivy League math major turned to writing romance. 

Clearly, it was a great move since Caroline just won the RITA for her novella, I LOVE THE EARL.

To celebrate her win, she's giving away FIVE copies of I LOVE THE EARL.

Dash on over to the Dashing Duchesses for a chance to grab one! CLICK HERE. Good luck!

2012 PYHIAB Finalists Announced

The New Jersey chapter of the Romance Writers of America has announced the finalists in the 2012 Put Your Heart in a Book contest. The full list is below. Congratulations to all of the finalists!
 
Paranormal
Katrina Snow – Bewitched by a Kiss
Laurel Wanrow – Passages
Leisl Leighton – Seer's Blood

Romantic Suspense
Keith Zwingelberg – Medicine Woman
Jenna Blue – The Runaway
Michelle Sharp – The Dreamer

Single Title
Michele Mahon – Octagon Girl
Susan J Bickford – Synchrony's Call
Claudia Handel – Lost in You

Young Adult
McCall Hoyle – Twice Shy
Laurel Wanrow – Seaside Sorcery
Karen Schwartz – Extra Ordinary Guy

Historical
Eileen Lloyd – Embracing the Unloved Earl
Mary Jane Esber w/a Miranda Liasson – The Spy Who Loved Me
Jodi Rotondo w/a Joanna Shupe – Drawn to the Earl

UPDATE: I''ve taken the plunge and developed an author website that I actually have to pay for! I hope you'll start visiting me there; that's where I'll be blogging from now on! Come along and have a look! Click here.

'Parachutist' Finals in ECO Contest

I was super excited to receive an email telling me that my manuscript, The Parachutist, is a finalist in the Emerald City Opener contest sponsored by the Greater Seattle chapter of the Romance Writers of America.

The final round judge in the historical romance category is Amanda Bergeron, associate editor at Avon Books/HarperCollins. Thanks to the Greater Seattle Romance Writers of America (GSRWA) for this great opportunity.

Here is a full list of the finalists. Congratulations and good luck!

CATEGORY SERIES ROMANCE
Annabeth Albert  All the Wrong Reasons
Jennifer DeCuir  Drawn to Jonah
Regina Kyle  One Sweet Day

CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE
Annabeth Albert  Still Got It
Tracey Alvrez  In Too Deep
Jen Lois  Permission to Land

HISTORICAL ROMANCE
Louisa Cornell   His Charming Seductress
Melanie Meadors  His Roman Heart’s Desire
Diana Quincy  The Parachutist

NOVEL WITH STRONG ROMANTIC ELEMENTS
Kathy Bremner   Undercover Cowboy
Celeste Deveney  Only Till Midnight
Orly Konig-Lopez  The Day the Merry-go-Round Stopped

PARANORMAL ROMANCE
Amanda Byrne  Iron Jewel
Christina Kenton  Dark Conquest
Angela Quarles  Must Love Breeches

ROMANTIC SUSPENSE
Marni Folsom  Flannigan’s Grace
Ellen Herbert  Is It Me You’re Looking For?
Christine Solberg  Take My Hand

YOUNG ADULT ROMANCE
Amy DeLuca  Hidden Deep
Rebecca Lees  Foreseer
Rachel Pudelek   Dark Waters

2012 Maggie Finalists Announced

The Georgia Romance Writers just announced the finalists in the 2012 Unpublished Maggie contest.

My manuscript, The Parachutist, is a finalist in the Historical Category. I am so thrilled to be among all of these talented writers!

Here's the complete list of finalists:

2012 UNPUBLISHED MAGGIE AWARD OF EXCELLENCE FINALISTS

Contemporary Series Romance:
Melissa Klein, A Risk Worth Taking
Lisa McKinney w/a Lisa Whitaker, Bad Boy Daddy
Pam Mantovani, Daytime Friends
Kasey Dillard w/a Vanessa Moss, The Russian's Unexpected Lover         

Single Title Romance:
Ann Greville w/a Elizabeth Kelley, Doctors With Benefits
Katrina Crew w/a Kat Latham, First Aid For A Broken Heart
Kimberly Kincaid, Food For Thought
Jane Kurtz, Objection Overruled
Kimberle Swaak, Trust Me

Historical Romance:
Eileen Lloyd w/a Eileen Emerson, An Unloved Earl
Frances Fowlkes, The Duke's Obsession
Dora Mekouar w/a Diana Quincy, The Parachutist
Elizabeth Bysiek, The Winds of Fate
Leigh Stites w/a Elisabeth Burke, Tom Sawyer Returns

Inspirational Romance:
J'nell Ciesielski, Lightning From Red Above
Karen Fleming w/a KD Fleming, Love Thy Neighbor
Kristi Hunter w/a Kristi Ann Hunter, Miss Amelia and The Marquis
Gina Conkle, Norse Jewel

Paranormal/Fantasy Romance:
Debbie Herbert, Deep Fathoms
Elizabeth Bank w/a Noelle Pierce, Lightstorm
Angela Trigg w/a Angela Quarles, Must Love Breeches
Marilyn Baron, Sixth Sense
Denise Plumart, Syphon's Song
Adrienne Trent, The Hidden One

Young Adult Romance:
Debbie Herbert, Changeling
Julie Barnard w/a Jules Barnard, Fates Divided
RoseAnn DeFranco, Forbidden Signs
Amy DeLuca, Hidden Deep
Paula Huffman, Red Tide

UPDATE: I''ve taken the plunge and developed an author website that I actually have to pay for! I hope you'll start visiting me there; that's where I'll be blogging from now on! Come along and have a look! Click here.