New Jersey Romance Writers Conference

         AND THE WINNER IS......


          FOR THE LOVE 
       OF A SOLDIER
                 
           New Jersey Romance Writer's 

             Golden Leaf Contest 

                  Best First Book

It was absolutely thrilling and a great honor to receive this award. 

Best of all, Anne Frazier Walradt, the lyrical Voice of Romance reads an excerpt of the winner's submission. 

I've been listening to her read for years and always dreamed of her reading mine (as I babbled incoherently in my shocked acceptance speech). Of course, when she starts reading, I realized I had won so the blood drained from my head, my hands started shaking, and I caught the last three lines...  

Did anyone tape it?   :)  

As my buddy, Stephanie Estes Saccoccio says (the queen of pithy one-liners), the best 3 c's of writers conferences are conversations, chocolate, and cocktails.  All too true.

Other Highlights:

#1 - As always, being surrounded by and getting to meet so many talented, professional, and kick-ass writers! Romance Writers Rock!

- Great workshops. Vicky Dreiling's The Happy Hooker was a top favorite. Helpful hooks to keep readers turning those pages. (I know, I first thought it was about something entirely different, too... :)  Clever.  Makes me look forward to reading her books. So of course, I had to pick up a couple.

- I lost my sweater, and it was returned to the front desk by Cathy Maxwell, a favorite author of mine.  Maybe her magic touch will have rubbed off on it. One can hope... :)

- Lots of laughs and fabulous martinis with Penny Watson, Bobbi Ruggiero, and Stephanie.

Wasn't one of us in charge of getting the recipes?

 

Books, more books, and author signings!

Sitting next to the lovely Carla Neggers at my book signing. Doesn't get much better than that.

Looking forward to reading her new series set in my home state of Massachusetts. Should be fun.


Sooooo -- whose idea was it to come home?



                                                 THANK YOU, NJRWA!