1/2010 Chapter News
Happy New Year everyone. As we get ready to tackle 2010 and all those writing resolutions we’ve made, let’s take a moment to reflect on some 2009 successes and some early 2010 release news.
Congrats to Susan Breeden, whose manuscript, A DIFFERENT BEAT, came in second in East Texas RWA’s “Southern Heat” contest (Contemporary Single Title), and first place in Valley of the Sun “Hot Prospects” contest (Contemporary Single Title).
Additional congrats to Bonnie Johnston, who, writing as Daria Drake, had her WIP, RITES OF CLAY, place first in the Fantasy category of the 2009 On The Far Side contest.
We continue to be thrilled for Kay Hudson, whose light paranormal, JINN & TONIC, placed first in its category in the Southern Heat Contest and third in the Hot Prospects Contest. Kay took the month of December off after sending two entries to the Golden Heart (we’ll keep our fingers crossed for you Kay), and she plans to get back to work on a new computer in early January. Meanwhile, on the day after Christmas, she adopted a cat named Nutmeg, a Siamese/Burmese mix (as far as anyone can tell, since Nutmeg was rescued from a storm drain in August) through Second Chance Pets.
Sometimes fans can be fantastic, and Gerry Bartlett has a “fan”atic who is determined to see her Real Vampire books made into a TV series. This fan has started a petition and vows to take it to all the networks as soon as she has a thousand signatures. She’s even offering prizes out of her own pocket as incentive. Here’s the link if you want to help her along. Gerry’s dreaming. www.petitiononline.com/realvamp/petition
In release news, Jessica Trapp found out her next book, which is still untitled, will be out in December 2010. Watch this column for the title!
Lynn Lorenz has two upcoming releases, BAYMORE’S HEIR, from Loose Id, Jan. 5, and BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY’S, from Amber Quill Press, Feb.14. Way to start the year off, Lynn!
Linda Jacobs celebrates the New Year with an audio books contract. She has contracted with Books in Motion for the three titles in The Yellowstone Series: SUMMER OF FIRE, RAIN OF FIRE, and LAKE OF FIRE, originally published in book form by Medallion Press. They will be recorded and released in audio format in the Spring of 2010. Sweet.
And Michele Dunaway finished off 2009 by writing her second article on teaching for Visual Thesaurus.com entitled “Why Literary Analysis is Subjective” and also by learning that her February 2010 Harlequin American release, BABY IN THE BOARDROOM was a 4.5 star RT Top Pick. She’s currently at work on revisions for a September release, and then who knows as she’s currently out of contract. But the teaching job is going well and keeping her busy: Michele received one of four prestigious Journalism Education Association Medal of Merit awards at the national convention in Washington, D.C., which are awarded for outstanding contributions to scholastic journalism.
