4/2007 Chapter News
The amazing Christie Craig has some news to share. Along with her critique partner, Faye Hughes, she has just signed a contract to write a nonfiction book – The Everything Guide to Writing a Romance Novel. Congratulations, Christie! Does that make five sales for you in the past two months?
Teri Thackston was featured in an interview with Cerridwen Press, the publisher of her romantic suspense debut, Perilous Passions. You can read all about it at http://www.cerridwenpress.com/newsletter/newsletter_0307.asp.Way to go, Teri!
Barbara Dawson Smith’s historical romance, Countess Confidential, is a finalist for the Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence. The Rogue Report has also finaled in the Historical Category of the Colorado Romance Writers Award of Excellence. Congratulations, Barbara, and we’ll be pulling for you in the final rounds!
Sharie Kohler’s second release, Too Wicked to Tame, has hit the USA Today bestseller list! Congratulations, Sharie! We’re thrilled for you!
Congratulations to WHRWA finalists in the North Texas RWA Great Expectations contest: in Mainstream with Romantic Elements, Life, Love and Maggie Baldovino by Jane Myers Perrine; in Fantasy, Futuristic, Paranormal & Time Travel, The Stone Warrior by Donna Maloy; in the Steamy Hot Category, Under the Precious Sky by Christie Craig. Donna Maloy also made the finals in Young Adult with Legend of the Fox. Best of luck in the finals!
We also have two finalists this year for the Reviewers International Organization’s Award of Excellent. In the mainstream category, DeeAnn Gist has finaled with The Measure of a Lady. In Romance Science Fiction and Fantasy, we have Robin Popp with Seduced by the Night. Congratulations to the two of you!
Heather MacAllister’s Lone Star Santa came in first place in an E-Harlequin poll for Best Love and Laughter of 2006. Congratulations, Heather!
Michele Dunaway has been asked to be a part of Harlequin’s NASCAR continuity series for 2008. Michele will write Out of Line (working title), a May 2008 release. This marks Michele’s 19th sale to Harlequin!
We have another new sale to report! Colleen Thompson’s romantic suspense, The Salt Maiden, will be published by Dorchester in late 2007 or early 2008. This May, Colleen Thompson (while not writing frantically) will also be teaching a month-long class, “What You Need to Know When You’re about to Sell,” for the Published Authors Special Interest Chapter. The class will cover agent and editor basics, first contract pitfalls, how to establish yourself as a professional, and promotional efforts. FMI, visit http://pasic.net/classes.html.
Jane Myers Perrine and four other writers from Steeple Hill Love Inspired are writing a non-fiction book on how each coped with dyslexia. It will be published by Tsaba Press, a small press. Sounds like a worthy subject, Jane!
Nine months after its release, Deeanne Gist’s The Measure of a Lady was still selling strong enough to hit the CBA (Christian Booksellers Assoc.) Bestseller List once again. This time, she was #17 out of all Christian fiction titles. Wow, Deeanne, that’s impressive!
Gerry Bartlett’s fun, new vampire romance, Real Vampires Have Curves, debuted at #5 on Barnes and Noble’s list of trade paperback bestsellers and was also #63 on the Bookscan list of romance bestsellers. We’re thrilled for you, Gerry! May the good news keep on coming!
Jessica Trapp has started a wonderful new challenge group for those wishing to build the habit of writing by producing at least 100 words a day for 100 days straight. The catch is, if you miss a day, you have to start over. Great idea, Jes!
Christy Janisse, writing as Brandy Jordan, enjoyed a fabulous first few days of sale with her first release, Mistaken. She is listed in the number one spot on her publisher’s site for best selling books overall. www.thewildrosepress.com. Also, Christy/Brandy is running a contest on her website for a lovely spa goodie basket – www.brandyjordanbooks.com.
Sharon Mignerey received some good news. Her book, Small Town Secrets, is a finalist in the Inspirational category of the Colorado Romance Writers Award of Excellence. Member Gail Ranstrom also finaled with her historical, Indiscretions, along with Barbara Dawson Smith as mentioned above. Congratulations, ladies! We’re very proud of you.
Results are in from tabulations involving finalists for RWA contests held for 2006 (unpublished) tabulated by the Divas with Tiaras website. To no one’s surprise, we had several members recognized, including Christie Craig, who made the finals 27 times with 6 different manuscripts (four of which have sold to Dorchester and Triskelion), Sharie Kohler, for her “grand slam,” of first, second, and third place wins with Once Bitten, Twice Shy (which subsequently sold to Pocket). Contest may not be the only path to publication, but things have worked out well for these ladies, among many others in our group. Congratulations to you!
Romantic suspense author Colleen Thompson, a past RITA-finalist whose latest release is Heat Lightning (Love Spell Romantic Suspense, Nov. 2006), announces WHRWA’s glad tidings in each month’s “Who’s in the News” column, wherein she shatters her self-imposed moratorium on exclamation points. Please send Colleen your news at whosinthenews@whrwa.com by the 15th of each month
