Reality Check

It's been a few weeks since I was in Atlanta for the 2006 RWA conference. I had tons of fun seeing my friends and meeting new people, attending a few workshops and hanging out in the bar. It was an extra special conference for me because I was a triple finalist for the Golden Heart, RWA's contest for unpublished writers. And...I won! My book, Snooping in Stilettos, won the Golden Heart for Best Novel with Romantic Elements. It was a huge honor, and even though it's not a publishing contract, I still consider it validation and recognition of years of hard work and good writing. So yay, me!

I came home and unpacked, started the laundry, then went through the mail that had stacked up while I was gone. There were two rejections from agents I'd queried before I left, plus a packet of judges' scoresheets from another contest I didn't win. I leafed through the judges' comments and found this one: "The pacing is off for a suspense." Sigh. My book isn't a suspense. I put the scoresheets down and took a nap.

Back at the day job, my friends gathered round to hear the good news and admire my Golden Heart necklace. One friend said, "But you were a triple finalist. So that means two of your books lost, right?"

It's great to be home.

Cheers!

Kate