Yeah, I’m saying there has to be something higher than Cloud Nine, and I’m on it. I am a 2011 Golden Heart finalist. I’ve been fielding congratulatory calls, tweets and e-mails all day — and I’m glad to get them.
I can’t count the number of times I’ve thought to myself “OMG, OMG, OMG” today. Good thing they just added that phrase to the dictionary, eh?
The GH final wasn’t the only piece of good news I received today. I also found out that “Beauty and the Ballplayer” won the Beacon contest, too. And the final judge/agent requested a full MS. I’ll be getting right on that, contacting her Monday.
See? I’m not imagining all this good fortune. It’s really happening!
I’ve been writing off and on since I finished my first draft of my first MS back in 1995 or 96, but I’ve gotten serious about it in the past two years. I entered the GH for the first time in 2010; my entry earned solidly mediocre scores. This year I entered two (in series contemporary and single title contemporary) and finaled once.
You can find a full list of Golden Heart® and RITA® finalists here. (I’m excited to have found the ® symbol I’ve been instructed to use in reference to the GH and RWA.) It was nice to see so many familiar Ruby sisters (from my adopted GH class of 2009) on the lists.
There’s so much to think about, though. The Boyfriend said, “What’s next?” Well, the most immediate concern is getting a flattering headshot by April 8. I also need to find a way to pay the conference registration fee/airfare/hotel, and think about business cards. And I need to update my website … and take a “crafting the perfect pitch” workshop so I’m ready to meet with agents/editors at Nationals.
Simply put, I need to ramp up my writing efforts while remaining grounded enough to hold onto the day job … and start a new diet to lose weight before July.
None of these things are impossible tasks. I’m just thankful to be faced with such dilemmas.
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Arlene, I am so happy for you. Like, beyond belief! I just know big things are going to happen for you now! My only hope is that when you’re rich and famous, you’ll still have write-ins with me. 😉
Write-ins with everyone! How else am I going to get any writing done? Geez — I thought I spent too much time online before. My fingers have been surgically attached to the keyboard almost since I got the call (including way too often @ work last night).
You’re a busy woman! 😉 Riding the “high” will help you get all of that done. (And some writing time with me, perhaps?)
Hello Arlene, fellow 2011 GH finalist! You certainly got a dose of good news in a very short time. Congrats on all counts.
I held off my celebrating until evening, because I wanted to enjoy the whole first-time GH experience (online, of course). Don’t think I’ll ever forget the day. 🙂
Thanks. I’d scheduled a massage for Friday morning (to take my mind off waiting for the phone to ring) and then I had a chiropractor appointment, too. After that, it was lunch, then work for me. No way I can take a Friday off to sulk — it’s the busiest day of the week, with us working on two/three issues of the paper.
I know what you mean about not forgetting the day. I keep saying to myself that March 25, 2011, is the day my world changed.
[…] since she won our chapter contest in 2011. (On a side note, that was good year for her. On the same day she placed FIRST in the Beacon, she finaled in the Golden Heart.) As far as I knew, none of the women who weren’t part of the same group knew each […]
[…] When BEAUTY AND THE BALLPLAYER finaled in the RWA® Golden Heart contest in 2011, I was floating way beyond Cloud Nine. […]