Fast Times At Golden Heart High

Welcome Guest Blogger, Gina Welborn

Voice: May I speak to Gina Welborn?
Me: Umm, this is she, me, her.
Voice: Hi, this is Terri Reed from RWA. Your entry, One Day, finaled in the inspirational category of the Golden Heart.
Me (scrunching up my nose): Really? You sure?
Voice (slowly): Yeeesss.
Me (bandly): Oh. Well, that’s kinda cool.

(Long awkward pause)

Voice (perky): Congratulations!
Me: Umm, thanks. You too. Have a nice day.

I hung up the phone then walked to the table.

Hubby: Who was that?
Me: An RWA chick called to tell me my story finaled in the Golden Heart.
Hubby: What are you going to do about it?

Me: Nothing. We don’t have the money for me to go to the conference.

Here’s the kicker: Two days later I had this amazing peace that God was going to provide a way for me to go. Well, me and my newborn. And He did! Everything—airfare, conference registration, hotel room, food, and even a ride from the airport to the hotel. Yay, God!

Since I’d never been to RWA Nationals before, I have to say I learned a few things. Yay, me!

1) Being a GH finalist and holding a cute baby begin myriad of conversations.

2) Half the women at RWA Nationals have either cute babies or grandbabies the same age as my daughter.


3) Don’t try to nurse a cute baby in a workshop.


4) Never give your cute, well-fed baby to Missy Tippens, unless you want to stain Missy’s suit.

5) With ugly babies...well, I’m guessing no one cares, but I wouldn’t know ‘cause my baby’s cute. No offense intended to mom’s of ugly babies.

I have to say I’m glad my story finaled because it led me to my agent, enabled me to meet Tina Russo, and affirmed that at least five people loved my medieval. Well, six if you count me.

Now if I had to narrow my Golden Heart experience to one eye-opener, it’d be this:

Find a community to participate in.

Okay, some people might say a clique, but cliques have such a negative stereotype because they tend to be exclusive instead of inclusive, although I can say some groups will forever be exclusive. No one can be a member of the Golden Heart ’07 group except for those who finaled that year. Same with previous and future years, and some groups are very proud of their exclusivity. Yay, them!

Unlike cliques, communities are inclusive, inviting, incouraging. (Yes, I know I spelled encouraging wrong, but I couldn’t think of another in-something word. Then again….)

I mention joining a community for a reason.


During the GH/Rita reception, I sat against a wall with one of my CPs while the certificates were being handed out. Hmm, I can’t remember where our other flutter bug CP was at that moment, but during the reception, I noticed the table that several other current and previous inspy GH and Rita finalists sat.


My CP asked me if I knew any of them. I said, “Nope, but maybe I’ll meet one or a few over the next two days.” If I met any, I don’t remember. I’ll blame it on the cute baby.

I do remember going to the Steeple Hill Open House because I wanted to get to know some authors…oh, the truth is I wanted to talk to Melissa Endlich. Most of the party was a blur because of the number of people in the tiny room, but I can remember drinking a bottle of water and meeting a few ladies so unbelievably sweet, gracious, and friendly that I decided I wanted to be like them when I grow up. Yay, you gals!


Of course, the moment Melissa came over and sat on the end table across from me, I thought “Here’s the reason God made it possible for me to come.” I knew Melissa and I were going to chat and she’d realize what a fabulous person I am and beg me to write long historicals for her. We’d also become BFFs, and she’d name a goldfish after me. Yay, Melissa!


Two seconds after she sat down, my cute baby spit up on Missy. Oh well. Melissa probably doesn’t even like fish.

Despite the blurred memories, I can still feel the impression I had inside that room—a community ready and willing to include any new members. And I don’t think the Steeple Hill contingent is the only group in RWA or in any other writing organization that feels that way. Yay, you fabu communities!

I also realized at Nationals that you can’t sit walled behind your computer waiting for the community to hunt you down. You have to move past your quirks/phobias/fears of being rejected, walk into a room of total strangers, and say, “Hi, my name is Gina Welborn and I write inspirational historicals that are a little funky/silly/outlandish at times, but God’s truth is always conveyed.”


Okay, maybe you should use your own name instead of mine. I’d hate for people to think I have perfect hair and live on something other than chocolate and caffeine. Yay, you!

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When Gina graduated with a degree in Communications, working at a news radio station writing commercial copy, public service announcements, and news reports seemed like a fantabulous career choice. But a writer can only be so creative when describing ketchup and Geronimo’s grave. (No, she never combined those two elements in the same script, but now that she thinks about it, she wishes....) So Gina retired after six months on the job to focus on Goal, Motivation, and Conflict within her family before discovering her niche in fiction writing.

Her medieval finaled in the 2007 inspirational Golden Heart and in the 2005 historical Golden Gateway.

You can sometimes find Gina blogging at Five Kids and a Blog.


If you have a long or short contemporary or historical manuscript, then get your entry fee ready for Faith, Hope & Love's 2008 TBL contest. Gina and Kelly Riley are competing to see who can take Best Category Coordinator honors.