Wednesday, March 25, 2009

RITA Finalist -- Twice

I am a RITA finalist for The Spymaster's Lady in the Historical Romance category. I'm a finalist for My Lord and Spymaster in the Regency Historical category.

Two Finals.

I am so happy and excited my stomach hurts. This is Exactly like the birthday party where you get the electronic game you wanted and eat six pieces of cake and then throw up, except that you have to buy a long black dress too.

26 comments:

  1. Congratulations, Joanna! Well deserved.

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  2. I saw that, Jo! I'm so happy for you!!

    You're doing rather well at Da Bwaha too. :)

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  3. @ Phyl Thank you kindly. Oh yes.

    @Susan. All of this makes me nervous as all get out.

    I've never thought of writing as a zero-sum game. Ms Great Historical Romance Writer doesn't skin a single sale from me. In fact, she sends the reader off thinking, 'Let me find another Historical Romance to buy.'

    The good writers grow my genre. They're not my competition. They're my advertisement.

    So the 'which is better -- these really great guavas or the excellent kumquats?' question makes me all discombobulated.

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  4. @Phyllis and Victoria --

    Thank you so very much. I'm a bit stunned still. But happy.

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  5. I just saw the list on RWA and came straight here. CONGRATS!!!!!

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  6. Anonymous6:27 PM

    Yes! Yes! Yes! Congratulations.

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  7. Jo, I'm so-so thrilled over your double-finals!! That's two silver pins for your conference badge. Now, I'm also hoping for two gold pins and for screaming my throat raw during the ceremony.

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  8. Well done, Jo! Get used to it -- this is just the beginning (we readers are thrilled).
    Martha

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  9. Congratulations!!! This so exciting! Try not to throw up on your new black dress. {g}

    (Yes, I switched from Linder back to Linda G. I'm shuffling my identities.)

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  10. I think I get to meet all the other Finalists.

    This is so utterly cool.

    @ Linder and Linda G.

    YOu two are going to just have to work this out between you.

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  11. I love your books. You've written the best heroines I've read in ages.

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  12. kathleen6:42 PM

    My two favorite books and they both final! Way to go and I have my fingers and toes crossed for ya!

    Kathleen

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  13. Congratulations! That is so cool, especially for a new author!
    Texasgeni

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  14. Anonymous9:42 AM

    Congratulations! This is awesome! I love your writing and this just proves how many others do too!

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  15. I feel just wonderful about this. For me, getting the Finalist noms is the winning.

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  16. A much belated CONGRATULATIONS, Jo!!! That's fantastic (and well-deserved)!!!!

    you wrote: I think I get to meet all the other Finalists.

    Yep, there should be a big reception thingy for all the Rita and GH finalists -- food, socializing, trying to balance a drink and plate and shake someone's hand...(actually, the year I was a GH finalist they had lots of tables, too, which are better for the plate/drink thing, but worse for meeting everyone!)

    Cara

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  17. @ Cara King -- Woot woot ... meeting my idols among the writers.

    I will real fast go out and read the other Finalist books so I have something to say besides,

    "I love your work. I really love your work. You are so fantastic. I thought you would be taller, somehow."

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  18. I am so happy for you, but not surprised!!! Your books deserve the nomination.

    When I think of meeting authors I love, I remember going to a reading by Mary Oliver. Not only was I, um, sobbing, but when I met her I kept thinking 'Don't you know me! It's me! We've been so intimate!' Alas, she was very nice.

    I am a sloooooow writer as well. I love it when you talk about your 'method' because it makes me feel less concerned about mine. I am about 1/3 of the way through the second draft, of probably 4 or 5 drafts. 2010 sounds about right.

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  19. Annie2:26 PM

    Very cool and well-deserved. And I bet they ain't seen nothin' yet.

    Congratulations!

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  20. So behind the times, I am. YAY!!!!!!!!

    How exciting!!!! Best of luck!!!!

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  21. Congratulations! Both were great books and I've got my fingers crossed for you!

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  22. Hi Lady Leigh --

    I have a feeling that folks who 'work a scene' till it's perfect and then go on to the next scene and do that one to final form,
    get the WIP done faster
    than folks who do a lot of ms redrafts.

    I think the 'whole scene' people maybe have this solid mental blueprint from the start.

    I fumble around and add this and shift that and eventually the plot stops falling down under its own weight
    and I step back and hold my breath ...

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  23. @ Trumperkin and Katy and Annie and Precie and Patricia and All --

    They have sent me little silver pins.

    RWA has sent them.
    In bubble wrap.

    I have not opened them yet from the little casing of bubblewrap
    because I just got back from driving all day through the rain and fog
    from South Carolina
    and my hands are liable to make some mistake and drop them in the dog's bowl or something ...

    But they are perfectly lovely.
    Little silver ladies.

    I do not know what I am supposed to do with them, but there is a letter I have not yet read that will tell me.

    I think I have to get an actual official portrait style picture taken, which I probably was supposed to do a long time back but didn't.

    Oh. And I'm going to do the Literacy signing in Washington at the Conference. I wasn't going to do it since I don't have a new book out.
    But since the books are finalists there may be folks take an interest in them who didn't read them when they came out but will now.

    Anyhow, signing gives me a chance to sit next to Elizabeth Boyle and Mary Blayney who are cool people.

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  24. Alice6:25 AM

    Joanna, so excited about all this for you. I loved those 2 books, & finally, my daughter read them. We are now anxiously waiting for the next one!

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