Why You Should Submit to the Golden Heart® This Year

With Guest Piper G Huguley.

Thank you for having me to this wonderful blog. Seekerville has been such a friend to me and I’m glad to be able to be able to have something to contribute to this storehouse of knowledge. Folks may be in the midst of making a decision about whether or not to participate in the biggest, most prestigious contest of the year and I want to give a few more nudges in anyone’s direction if he/she are unsure if they are going to enter the Golden Heart®. If you meet the qualifications and are not published, you should enter and here’s why:

1.    You get a great phone call. I don’t remember who called me last year, but this year it was Leslie Kelly. I immediately dubbed her Santa Claus. Because Old Saint Nick might as well have been calling me as her. Unbelievable.

2.    You get a cool place of honor in all social media. Sometime later that day on March 26, all the new nominees get linked together in a place of honor on Yahoo. There are exchanges of twitter handles, e-mail addys, and a new Facebook page. Now you are in a class with some 30+ people. This represents power as shown in number 3…

3.    I’m a loner nerd. It is true. In college, I was a worker loner nerd. Now I have sisters! When two of us Dreamweavers (Golden Heart® finalists class of 2014) made the quarterfinals in the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award, the Dreamweavers turned out in full force to leave us reviews and good wishes. It was awesome! As for the Luckies (class of 2013) since we have started to publish, we are having a fine time subverting the Amazon algorithms! (There is a very confused someone out in Washington State who cannot fathom why a New Adult novel about young people loving it up the newsroom seems attached at the hip to that Reconstruction era romance about African Americans—heh, heh.)

4.    If your family doesn’t understand your current writing issue, your fellow Golden Heart® sisters will! These are folks who are practiced in craft and writing. They are champion readers. If you want to brainstorm, it’s not hard to find help to do that. A number of them already have a well-oiled machine in place to critique and brainstorm, since that’s part of what got them to the Golden Heart® in the first place. But no one minds helping you out in a pinch.

5.    Make your announcement –any announcement-- in the e-mail forum you will be cheered! You may not think the announcement is such a big deal, but just reveal it to your fellow Golden Heart cohort and they will cheer you on! It makes you feel very good about yourself. I try not to abuse this privilege though. Writers need to be lifted up way too often…


6.    If you don’t feel like hearing goofy contest comments, enter the Golden Heart®! You won’t get any here—it’s just a bunch of feedback numbers. I wish I could write a column about doing what you need to do to take advantage of the system, but I don’t know this new system. I know the one from the past two years, so my knowledge is meaningless here. I’m obsolete. I’m sorry. *dodges rotten tomatoes and eggs*

7.    If your family is fed up about hearing about your Golden Heart® dress, snap a picture and put it up in the forum. Your fellow Golden Heart® folk will oooh and aaaah over the beauty that is to come.

8.    When you get to RWA, you may attend a dinner with your Golden Heart® class. No loner nerd over here anymore! People will eat with me. Just because I wrote a story. That’s pretty cool.

9.    It’s only $35.00! Yes, RWA waited until I was ineligible to reduce the price! Seriously. That’s a pretty good deal.

10.    I am grateful for all of the friendship that people have extended to me over the years, whatever the origin.  People gave me great comfort during the initial loss of my mother. In terms of my writing, I have benefited greatly from all of my writing friendships. The Golden Heart ®has allowed for the creation of yet another kind of writing friendship and I’ve been blessed by it.


Please notice that I did not indicate you should sign up for the Golden Heart® to make connections with agents or editors, to get a heart-shaped necklace, or so that you can be treated like a queen at the conference when everyone sees your pink ribbon. That’s because these things may or may not happen for you. A fair portion of both of my classes, the Luckies and the Dreamweavers, are blowing it out of the water with their agent news, acquisition news or sales numbers. But these things, to me, are icing on the cake. I have far more enjoyed the companionship and the warm embrace. Kind words from others, when people reacted in a way I didn’t expect, have sustained me. I am grateful for all of it.
 

What do you prize most about your writing friendships-- wherever they may take place?

Today Piper is generously giving away a $10 Amazon gift card to one commenter. Winner announced in the Weekend Edition.

Piper G Huguley is the author of the “Home to Milford College” series which follows the building of a college from its founding in 1866. The Preacher’s Promise is book one in the series. Upon release, the prequel novella to the “Home to Milford College” series, The Lawyer’s Luck reached #1 Amazon Bestseller status on the African American Christian Fiction charts.

Huguley is also the author of “Migrations of the Heart,” a five-book series of inspirational historical romances set in the early 20th century featuring African American characters. Book one in the series, A Virtuous Ruby won the Golden Rose contest in Historical Romance in 2013 and was a Golden Heart® finalist in 2014. Book four in the series, A Champion’s Heart, was a Golden Heart® finalist in 2013. 

She blogs about the history behind her novels at http://piperhuguley.com. She lives in Atlanta, Georgia with her husband and son.

The Preacher's Promise

“If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king.”—Daniel 3:17

1866 – Oberlin, Ohio 

Devastated by her father’s death days after her triumphant graduation from Oberlin College, Amanda Stewart is all alone in the world. Her father’s unscrupulous business partner offers her an indecent proposal to earn a living. Instead, to fulfill a promise she made to her father, she resolves to start a school to educate and uplift their race. Sorting through her father’s papers, she discovers he had carried on a mysterious correspondence with a plantation in Milford, Georgia. She determines to start her teaching work with the formerly enslaved. However, when she arrives, the mayor tells her to leave. There’s no where for her to go.

Virgil Smithson, Milford’s mayor, blacksmith and sometimes preacher man with a gift for fiery oratory, doesn’t want anything to do with a snobby schoolteacher from up North. On top of everything else, the schoolteacher lady has a will hard enough to match the iron he forges. He must organize his fellow formerly enslaved citizens into a new town and raise his young daughter alone. Still, his troubled past haunts him. He cannot forget the promise he made to his daughter’s mother as she died—that their child would learn to read and write. If only he didn’t have secrets that the new schoolteacher seems determined to uncover.

To keep THE PREACHER’S PROMISE, Amanda and Virgil must put aside their enmity, unite for the sake of a newly-created community in a troubling age, and do things they never imagined. In the aftermath of the flood that was the Civil War, God set his bow upon the earth to show love and understanding for humankind. To reflect God’s promise, these combatants must put aside their differences and come together--somehow.



The 2015 RWA Golden Heart® opens to entries on December 2, 2015. Details can be found here.

Seekerville Welcomes 2012 GH Winner Karen Fleming

Thank you so much to the Seekers for giving me this fabulous opportunity to be their guest blogger today.

 
 
 I’ll start by saying everyone’s writing journey is unique. It has to be. Otherwise, there would be no distinction between authors’ voices. No special energy or emotion only that specific writer can infuse into a character that makes them become real to the reader. Stories are as varied and special as the people who write them. If not, then every book would be the same.

Last year after I was laid off from my job, I made a list of writing goals to achieve within the next six months. The fourth goal on that list was to enter the Golden Heart.

Just after that, my father-in-law became ill and after ten days in the hospital, he was transferred to a rehab unit. Suddenly I was the only one home during the day to help with getting my mother-in-law to the rehab center for visits and running the gazillion errands that crop up for three households (mine, my in-laws, and my mom).

While I worked outside the home, I wrote at night. That was when I was the most productive. But suddenly, my writing time at night swas getting shorter and shorter. I wasn’t checking goals off my writing list, I was scratching through them because the deadlines had come and gone. And I was getting angry with myself. So I stopped and claimed a block of time during the day when no one else was around and I talked it over with God.

I won’t say it was a prayer because I was not on my knees and I didn’t have my eyes closed. I was pacing my living room, gesticulating with my hands, telling Him what I didn’t understand, pouring out all my frustrations and asking Him why I couldn’t do these things that I truly believed He wanted me to do. And I asked Him if He really wanted me to write, would He please help me get it together.

I found my index card with the list of writing goals. The first three items had big fat x’s through them. I looked at the next one. Oh no. This is the big one. My friend entered last year and she didn’t final. She’d since sold the manuscript, but it didn’t final last year. How could I expect to final if she didn’t?

But I printed out the requirements for entering the contest and I paid my entry fee. There was no way I would forfeit my entry fee. I was determined. I did all my family duties by day and very late at night, I edited, and polished and tweaked that manuscript until I was so deep into the story, I couldn’t see past the words. Then I sent it to my two wonderful critique partners and they gave me their comments.

I stood in line at the post office with my big box addressed to RWA headquarters in Texas. The postal worker told me I was in luck. That day was the last day they were offering guaranteed overnight delivery. I smiled, taking that as confirmation that I was being obedient to God. It had nothing to do with finaling or winning the contest. I had already won because I had met a goal that had to do with my writing and it felt wonderful. I marked the block on my calendar for March 26, 2012 with, “GH Finalists announced.” And I didn’t think about it again.

My phone rang at 9:14 am on March 26th. I looked at the area code on the display. We have family in Texas. I have all their phone numbers coded into my phone. It wasn’t one of them. Maggi Landry introduced herself and I think I forgot to breathe for the rest of the phone call. I don’t think I screamed in her ear—if I did, I am soooo sorry. I tried not to cry until we hung up. 

I was dazed. Stunned. I looked up and said, “Oh, I hope You know what You’re doing, because this is all You.” I called my husband. After I said hello he asked if I’d already booked my airfare. I couldn’t believe he wasn’t shocked. I was. My hands shook while I typed the email to my chapter letting them know I’d finaled. And the cyber Snoopy dancing began. An hour later my friend and critique partner, Carol, sent an email that said she was a finalist too—in the same category, with the story that she had sold a few months before. Oh, boy.

 I had never been to Nationals and I had never entered the Golden Heart. I was in the deep end of the pool. Carol already had a hotel room booked and offered to let me bunk with her. Our other CP, Dixie, emailed and said if we were going, she had to be there too so she could cheer us on. Did I mention how much I love my CP’s? I researched airfare and booked our flights. We decided it would be easier for Carol to stay overnight with me the night before our flight and we’d ride together. It was thrilling to final, but to share it with my friend made it extra special. People were surprised that we were so supportive of each other when we were each other's direct competition. We just shrugged and said we would squeal and clap the loudest no matter which one of us walked across that stage.

One of the most amazing things about finaling happened only days after the finalists were announced. We were all invited to join an email loop created for us by a former finalist class as their gift to us. We spent four months preparing for nationals by getting to know one another and sharing our struggles and the heartaches that had shaped us and brought us to this moment. Not even one of us was focused on winning. We counted ourselves blessed to be in our group. We call ourselves The Firebirds. We have a website, with a blog and some fun content and we are sisters in writing bonded together forever through our trials and triumphs.

Nationals gave us a chance to trade in all the cyber hugs for real ones. We set up meet times, tagged tables during keynote luncheons, and spent free time out by the pool trading info and insights on what we had learned so far. The photographer for the awards reception where each finalist received her certificate didn’t arrive until we were halfway through. One of our Firebirds, Diana Belchase, was so thoughtful and wonderful that when we got started she had each person pose with their certificate while she snapped their photo. She posted them all on her Facebook page so each GH and Rita finalist could claim theirs.

All the repeating GH finalists from the year before had prepared us newbies for what to expect at the luncheons, workshops, the reception, and even the awards ceremony. There was a rehearsal. We had to walk across the stage and stop at the podium to say our name into the microphone. They plastered our pictures up on four huge screens.

Then it was time to get ready and go down to the ballroom. I was nervous. Not because I expected to win, I didn’t. There were only four finalists in the inspirational category. The other three had already sold their stories and had a release date. I would have been thrilled for any one of them to have the honor.

In my defense, I had queries out to agents who had requested partials, but I had not sent anything to an editor. My father-in-law’s illness had progressed and by then he was home with partial hospice care and the rest provided by family, which claimed a lot of my time, so I had not been very aggressive in seeking publication. But I was trusting God to guide me with my queries and connections and He was doing that. Coming to Nationals was part of that plan to move me forward.

Joni, another chapter friend, came as Carol’s guest and I had Dixie as my guest all sitting at the reserved table. Inspirational category was fourth up. I was still turning my head around taking in the glitz and glamor of the ceremony and then it was our turn. As they called the finalists names and our pictures flashed up on the screen, I sat between Dixie and Carol and we were holding hands. Joni snapped our picture. I had my eyes closed with my head bowed. I asked God’s blessing for whoever it was, and then I couldn’t breathe. Joni said she thought I didn’t hear them say my name. I heard. I just couldn’t believe it was me.

One of the other finalists had insisted we write a speech—just in case. So all the Firebirds made a pact that we would thank her during our speech if we won. I was crying so hard when I got on stage, I thought I wouldn’t be able to speak. I took a deep breath and suddenly I felt a warm peace wrap around me and I looked out over that crowd of 2,000 people and I thanked God, Rachel, my critique partners, my family, my husband, and my chapter in a clear and strong voice. I later found out, at the exact moment I was calmed; Carol had said a prayer for me.

I don’t recommend holding out to go to Nationals until you’re a Golden Heart finalist because there is so much to learn and use to advance your goals as a writer available to you whether you are a finalist or not. But I have to say, for firsts, this was THE BOMB. I wear my GH necklace every day.

Advice and suggestions to the writers out there. Enter contests that offer you feedback, so you can see what is working and what isn’t. Don’t stay stuck on one manuscript. When you’ve done all you can do, “bless and release” as one of our Firebirds taught us. Send it where it needs to go and start working on the next story. I said I have 4.5 manuscripts completed. I have blurbs for six others. I can have a synopsis and the first three chapters ready within two weeks of request. You don’t have to have a degree in English to be a good writer. You must have an open mind and willing heart with the ability to learn. And lots of patience. Some people will love your writing, some won’t. Every one has an opinion. But if two or more people make the same comment about something in your story, be willing to look at it from a different angle. Maybe you didn’t convey what you meant to as clearly as you thought you did.

And finally, keep the faith. Not every experience I’ve had writing has been pleasant. But I have learned something that I could use to move forward. And those things that weren’t as pleasant, they were usually because I got ahead of God in the plan. I pray God’s best for you in your writing.




Love’s Advocate by Karen Fleming

Katherine Harper, a child’s advocate and former foster kid working in family court, uses her job and countless hours of volunteer work as an escape from her fear of being alone. Until Nick Delaney, corporate attorney and city council hopeful, gets cited for contempt of court and is sentenced to two months working opposite her in family court.

His reappearance in her life dredges up all the old hurts she tried so hard to leave behind. But when she’s named Citizen of the Year, she finds herself thrust into the limelight and suddenly a women’s group declares her the perfect candidate to go against Nick for the council seat. Their differences of opinion within the courtroom are nothing compared to the varied long-term ideals each has for the city of Pemberly, Georgia.

Is a man trying to give back a portion of what he’s been blessed with the best choice for teaching a woman with a battered heart how to forgive the trespasses against her when he and his father are to blame? If he can’t, he’ll not only fail God, he could cost Katherine and himself the love and sense of belonging God has waiting for them.





Karen Fleming started writing in February of 2009 because a friend asked her to write her a story. After much cajoling she did, and discovered herlove for creating a world where good always wins and the guy always gets the girl.

She loves HEA’s and her husband accuses her of seeing the world through rose-colored glasses. By writing inspirational romances, she don’t have to take them off. Nothing is more rewarding than knowing that because the guy and girl have put their trust in God, their lives together will be blessed. With that assurance, their faith will get them through whatever life throws their way.

The theme she infuses into each of her stories is “using stories of faith to share hope.”

Once again this year Seekerville will be reimbursing one person their Golden Heart Entry fee. This opportunity is open from November 15 through to the Golden Heart deadline of January 2, 2013. Send proof of entry to the Seekerville email address. Winner will be announced on January 7, 2013.

Please note the deadlines for the Golden Heart have changed. 

November 15, 2012, the 2013 Golden Heart Contest opens to entries.

Entries must be submitted to RWA's contest site no later than 5 p.m. CT, January 2, 2013. Entrants who fail to meet this deadline will be disqualified, and the entry fee will be forfeited.

The Golden Heart contest is limited to 1,200 paid entries.



More information on the 2013 Golden Heart Awards is available here.


Are you entering the 2013 Golden Heart?  For you published authors...have you ever entered the GH? Comment today for a chance to win a Seeker book of choice as available. Winner announced in the Weekend Edition.

Top Ten Reasons to Enter The Golden Heart by Guest Bloggers Lisa Connelly & Anne Barton

We’re so thrilled to be in Seekerville for the birthday festivities! A special thanks to Tina for inviting us and for snapping this photo at the RWA Awards Ceremony in New York last June.

Tina suggested we write about the benefits of entering the Golden Heart (RWA’s contest for unpublished writers) so we put our heads together and came up with this list. We should mention that besides being good friends and critique partners, we’re also cousins—second cousins, actually—who come from a long line of strong-willed Italian women with a tendency to speak their minds. If we seem a little opinionated, it’s the Bruseghini in us.

Here are our Top 10 Reasons to Enter the Golden Heart:

1. You’ll be forced to finish the manuscript.

Some goals are just easier if you have a built-in deadline. Without a deadline, weeks slide into months and months slide into years. You know how it’s easier to lose ten pounds when your high school reunion’s coming up? Well, you might be more motivated to finish a story when you see the Golden Heart deadline looming on the calendar. It’s a shot that only comes around once a year. Do you really want to be standing on the sidelines while everybody else is running onto the field? No? Then write your way to the happy ending and get in the game.

2. You’ll be forced to write a synopsis.

That’s right—the big, scary monster known as the synopsis. Only, it’s less Freddy Krueger and more Cookie Monster. Why should you fear writing a few pages outlining the journeys of characters you’ve come to know almost as well as your spouse? The nice thing about writing a synopsis is that it can help you boil your story down to its essence, and that’s really important for pitching—which, by the way, is TRULY scary. Way more terrifying than Freddy. But that’s another post.

3. You'll feel like a real writer -- for better or worse.

Powering through your manuscript under a deadline. Cranking out a synopsis when, let's face it, you may have NO IDEA how your story is going to end. These are the things real writers do every day, all while juggling job and family responsibilities, battling the constant urge to procrastinate, and trying to ignore that voice in their head that keeps asking them what made them think they're any good at this writing thing anyway. Sounds like fun, right? OK, maybe not fun, exactly. But it is definitely challenging, and on the day you send out your GH entry, you'll know the same feelings of accomplishment -- and angst -- all writers feel when they send their work out into the world.

4. It’s not like there’s a major holiday in the month of November . . . oh, wait.

We understand. You want to eat turkey, watch football, enjoy your family, and count your blessings. So here’s what you do. Mail your Golden Heart entry before Thanksgiving. You’ll have peace of mind knowing that it will arrive safely at RWA headquarters in Houston well before the December 2 deadline. Mmmm, can’t you just taste the creamy pumpkin pie and the mug of rich coffee?

5. There’s nothing quite like the adrenaline rush from a mad dash to the Fed Ex drop-off.

If you’re the more adventurous sort (and do not heed our advice about mailing your entry before Thanksgiving) you will need to have a plan for getting your entry to RWA headquarters on time. The good news is that if you are an adrenaline junkie, the rush you get from the last minute scramble will be on par with sky-diving or snorkeling in shark-infested waters.

6. You can multi-purpose your entry.

So you've polished your first 50 pages till they shine, written a compelling synopsis, finished a draft of your manuscript, and sent the whole kit and caboodle off to RWA. Now what? Sit around and wait for March 26th? No way! Now you enter those brilliant opening pages in other contests -- it only takes a few minutes because they're all ready to go. And then you get to work on your query letter, hone it, polish it, then fire it off to your list of carefully-targeted agents and watch those partial requests roll in. No cause for stress when they do, because your opening pages are submission ready -- you can email them back to the requesting agent in under a minute

7. The judges' scores give you a measuring stick.

Each GH entry is judged by five judges, and you will get to see all of their scores. If you don't final, you'll also be told the percentile range your entry fell within. This information is incredibly useful because it reveals how your entry stacked up in comparison to entries by other writers who are seriously pursuing publication. A lower percentile could mean that your opening pages have major problems that you need to address, perhaps with the help of a critique partner or group, while a higher percentile could indicate that your entry came very close to finaling and just needs more polishing. And the range of your scores -- sometimes a very w-i-d-e range -- can indicate how broad the appeal of your work might be, and also remind you just how subjective the whole business of publishing is.

8. We all need a few battle scars.

March 26, 2012 will be a day of jubilation for some and a day of disappointment for others as the GH finalists are notified and posted on the RWA website. If you're fortunate enough to final, enjoy every minute of it (and see below)! If not -- and there are FAR more of us in this group -- treat yourself to something sweet, or watch Pride and Prejudice (the BBC version, of course), or read a Susan Elizabeth Phillips romance, or all of the above. Then get up on March 27 and get back to work! Persistence in the face of adversity, that's what will get you published. You're going to fail a lot on the way to success. Get used to it, get past it, and get on with it.

9. You can't win if you don't play.

Of course, no matter how many other benefits are to be had from entering the GH, ultimately everybody enters because they hope to final. And that's a worthy goal, one that comes with lots of perks. As a finalist, you're immediately invited to join a Yahoo group set up exclusively for that year's finalists, so you quickly make 60 new writing friends who are as serious about the business as you are. Your name and photo go up on the RWA website. You're invited to join the Golden Network, which is an RWA chapter open only to GH finalists. You get special treatment at Nationals -- a private reception, VIP seating at the Award Ceremony. And most of all, you have a chance to win...which is really the icing on the cake!

10. There are lots of ways to win.

We absolutely believe you should enter with the purpose of winning. Pour everything you have into your entry and dream big. But even if you don’t final this year, there are lots of good things that could come from entering the Golden Heart. You could bond with another writer who entered and end up with a treasured critique partner and friend. You could submit your GH manuscript to an agent who loves your work. You could discover your voice or grow as a writer.

In the end, you’re a winner no matter what.

Winning the GH together was pretty special, and that amazing night will be added to our stockpile of treasured cousin memories: playing hide and seek in the cornfield, eating Aunt Pauline’s pizza fritte, washing our hair in the creek, and, of course, dancing the electric slide at weddings. We’d love to hear your cousin memories, so break out the folding lawn chairs, grab the fried chicken, and let’s start gabbing. (Oh, and we’re happy to answer any GH questions as well!)

--Lisa and Anne









Lisa Connelly won the 2011 Golden Heart for Contemporary Single Title Romance. She’s represented by Jill Marsal of the Marsal Lyon Literary Agency.












Anne Barton won the 2011 Golden Heart for Regency Historical Romance. Her debut novel, tentatively titled The Proper Miss’s Guide to Bad Behavior, sold to Grand Central Publishing and releases in early 2013. www.annebarton.com









In honor of these two Golden Heart divas, Seekerville is giving away one reimbursement of the GH entry fee to one commenter who enters the 2012 GH. This giveaway will remain open until the RWA GH deadline or the contest is closed due to reaching the maximum entries. All you have to do is submit a copy of the RWA confirmation email to us at our Seekerville contact email. One winner will be chosen from all the confirmations sent to us, and announced no later than December 2 2011.

Remember you can enter the GH now before the 1,200 entry slots are filled and send your msc to them by the deadline. Here are some of the rules from the GH website. Note the GH requires a completed manuscript.

_______________________________

The Golden Heart contest is open to writers who have not accepted a publishing offer for a work of original fictional narrative prose of 20,000 words or more by Nov. 15, 2011. Entrant must retain all rights to the entry and not have granted any of them to a publisher or any other party prior to or by Nov. 15, 2011.

Previously entered manuscripts may be entered again, but no previous Golden Heart-winning manuscript can be entered, even if revised.

Entrants must be 18 years of age by Nov. 15, 2011.

Neither employees of RWA nor members of their immediate families are eligible to enter any RWA contest. “Immediate family” is defined as spouse, parents and children. Adopted, foster and step members are included in this definition.

Completed entry forms and appropriate fees must be received at the RWA office no later than 5 p.m. CT, Nov. 15, 2011, for the Golden Heart. Forms and fees received after this deadline will be returned to the entrant.

The Golden Heart contest is limited to the first 1,200 paid entries. If entries in excess of 1,200 are received by Nov. 15, 2011, excess entries will first be returned to those who did not volunteer to judge, and second in reverse order of receipt.


Entries must be received by RWA at 14615 Benfer Road, Houston, TX 77069 no later than 5 p.m. CT, Dec. 2, 2011. Entrants who fail to meet this deadline will be disqualified, and the entry fee will be forfeited.


Now be sure to ask Anne and Lisa all your burning Golden Heart questions today, not only to you have experts here to assist you but your name goes in the drawing for our weekly and monthly birthday prizes!!

Finaling in the Golden Heart ® and Opening Doors

Janet here. I'm excited to have Ruth Kaufman posting in Seekerville today! I met Ruth in 1999 at my first Romance Writers of America conference in Chicago. We’ve stayed in touch, along with Becke Turner, another writer we met that year. We have an annual picture taken after the Rita’s ceremony as seen below. I appreciate much about these two lovely ladies, one of which--they make me feel tall. Ruth’s smile is always beautiful but this year it’s downright dazzling.

And no wonder.

Ruth's medieval AT HIS COMMAND won RWA’s 2011 Inspirational Golden Heart® Award. Her true, short story “The Scrinch,” will be in St. Martin’s anthology The Spirit of Christmas, foreword by Debbie Macomber. Ruth is a Chicago voiceover and on camera talent. If you heard her acceptance speech in New York, you know Ruth can talk fast!

Now here's Ruth.

In my May 2010 Seekerville post “Persistence: Profits, Perils and Plans,” I wrote, “Sometimes I feel like a gambler: Just one more bet (submission/contest entry), and my horse will come in (the call).”

After years of pursuing publication, rejections on numerous manuscripts (most personal and complimentary, but still “no, thanks”) and several nail-biting “almost theres,” I wondered when persistence turns into banging your head against a brick wall. How much money, time and energy can you put into a dream? I’d reached a low point, and was seriously considering closing many doors I’d worked so hard to open.

Thanks to encouragement from writer friends like Janet Dean and her repeated suggestions (and synopsis assistance from Janet and Love Inspired author Terri Reed), I didn’t give up. I turned one of my medievals into an inspirational, now titled AT HIS COMMAND.

The first place I sent it was Romance Writers of America®’s national contest for the as yet unpublished author, the Golden Heart®. I’d made it my goal to finish by the entry deadline, though in the past I’ve test new projects in a contest that offers feedback or at one of my local RWA chapter’s critique sessions.

I was thrilled to get the call that AHC was a finalist. I know happiness is supposed to come from within, but finaling in such a prestigious contest was a huge, validating shot in the arm, renewing my hope. I’d planned to go to RWA’s National Conference in New York just to catch up with friends and see shows. Now I had to make the most of this window of opportunity.

After doing some research, I found that most publishers don’t accept unsolicited queries, so I couldn’t even knock. I e-queried some of the agents who handle inspirationals, putting “2011 GH Finalist: Inspirational” in the subject line. I received requests with lightning speed, as if those words had the power of Ali Baba saying, “Open Sesame.” The GH final helped me open new, and reopen some old, doors.

It may seem like a small thing to some, but getting my pink Finalist name badge ribbon meant a lot...a physical representation of finaling. Given the competition, including Seekervillian Pam Hillman, who’d already sold to Tyndale House’s new e-book line, I didn’t think I’d win, and so was surprised when presenter Kit Wilkinson called my name. (Confession: I hadn’t prepared a speech, against advice on Yahoo! groups, from friends and even the awards ceremony director. My extensive improv and public speaking experience helped me come up with a speech on the spot.)

Being a GH finalist has been wonderful, providing months of fuel for a positive attitude. Winning is a bigger thrill and opportunity than I’d expected, opening more new doors and others wider. I’m so grateful for the outpouring of congratulations, support and interest in my writing. Examples: In the bar after the ceremony, an agent I hadn’t queried made a request. A couple of agents who had already requested emailed their congratulations; one who’d wanted a partial asked for the full instead. Having agents approach me is invigorating.

Even so, I can’t raise my hopes too high or count any chickens. Neither a GH final, a win, getting your feet in nor enthusiasm about reading your work guarantee representation and/or a sale. But as they say, if you’re not in it, you can’t win it.

The GH is a great way, but not the only way, to get in the door. What new doors can you open? Can you reopen others, say, by querying an agent who’d rejected you with a new manuscript?

The keys are not being afraid to try and not giving up. You never know when your time will come.

Learn more at www.ruthjkaufman.com and www.ruthtalks.com
© Ruth Kaufman 2011

Janet “Bookends” Dean again. Leave a comment, perhaps answering Ruth’s challenges or relating experiences that either kept you going or ended in The Call for a chance to win Wanted: A Family and rub Ruth’s necklace.

While we’re chatting, grab a plate. I brought fresh fruit, bran muffins and hardboiled eggs for breakfast.

Seekerville Welcomes Golden Heart Winner and Debut Novelist Cat Schield!

Cat and Angi at Golden Heart Awards

 With the deadline to enter the Golden Heart coming up on November 15, 2010, the Seekers have asked me to talk about my Golden Heart experience.

I’ve been a contest diva (i.e. junkie) since I finaled in the Linda Howard in 2007. It was my first contest. I had no idea what I was doing. Something that became apparent with the next few contests I didn’t final in. But I got smart fast and soon I wasn’t just finaling, I managed to win a couple.




Every diva needs a tiara... Right???

 For four years I had a very successful run. In 2008 I received a tiara from Donna Caubarreaux, the originator of the contest divas’ loop. I had finaled with six different manuscripts that year. As far as achievements go, I am very proud of that one.

However, the one final that I wanted more than any continued to elude me. The Golden Heart. It had been my dream to final since 1993 when I joined RWA the first time. So, full of hope and enthusiasm I entered 2 manuscripts in 2007. When I received back my scores that first year, the book that had been trashed in all the contests thus far had ended up in the top 25%. What? Meanwhile, the manuscript that had been finaling like crazy didn’t even make the top half. Huh?

Undaunted, I tried again the next year with a much improved manuscript. It did worse than the year before. Something wasn’t working. I sat 2009 out. Signing with my agent prompted me to try one more time. I entered the 2010 Golden Heart with 2 manuscripts. One was a debut entry. The other, hadn’t made the top half in 2007. Wonder of wonder. It finaled.

If you’ve been happily writing in obscurity, a final in the Golden Hearts is a trip. News releases. Professional headshots (or not). Guest blogging. You join The Golden Network, a chapter whose membership is limited to GH finalists past and present. You go to parties. Rub elbows with agents and editors. All very heady stuff.



Golden Heart finalists

 But the best part is the amazing group of writers you’ll meet in your fellow finalists. This is a brand new support network for you. Some will be experienced finalists. Others, like me, will be clueless and needing as much advice as they can get.

I’m sure it’s obvious that being a Golden Heart finalist opens doors. By the time Nationals rolled around, four of the 2010 finalists had already sold their book, another two had sold non-finaling books. Others were seeking representation or submitting to editors. For me, Orlando was about the party. I had an agent. I had a book (not the one that finaled) sitting at Silhouette Desire. I went to Nationals to hang out and have fun.

A bunch of cool things that happened to fellow GHers that weekend.

One agent handed out her card to all the people sitting at her table and requested they all send her something.

Another agent publicly offered representation.

At the Golden Network Retreat, an editor requested a full based off a first page read.

After the conference, one enterprising agent looked up the websites of all the finalists and contacted one because she liked what she saw.

A few finalists received congratulatory flowers from their chapters.

All those things are great, but what will stick with me forever are all the wonderful friends I made thanks to the Golden Heart. It’s a unique experience that forms lasting memories and strong bonds. I can’t wait to see who finals in 2011. They are in for quite a ride.


Cat Schield lives in Minnesota with her daughter, Emily, and their Burmese cat. Winner of the Romance Writers of America 2010 Golden Heart® for series contemporary romance, her first book, A Case of Meddling, will be coming out in July 2011 from Silhouette Desire. When she’s not writing sexy, romantic stories, she can be found sailing with friends on the St. Croix River or more exotic locales like the Caribbean and Europe. Contact her at her website.

Ruthy here!

Cat, thanks so much for coming by Seekerville, sharing your story!  I've got the coffee on for the straight Joe drinkers AND I brought my Keurig.... And a great assortment of people pleasing flavored coffees, teas and hot chocolates to welcome this lovely eleventh month of 2010!

Let us know if you've dared enter the GH or other contests. How you fared... No cussin', please.  :)  And if you're thinking of entering and looking for advice (any contest, pubbed, unpubbed, GH/Rita, whatever), you've come to the right place. My friends have their GH tiaras polished and primped for the day.

HAVE I MENTIONED LATELY HOW I CRASHED AND BURNED IN THE GOLDEN HEART???  HAVE I?  HUH? OH, A GAZILLION TIMES????? IMAGINE THAT!!!

Gulp.

And you know I brought food, great country breakfast food, fried ham, scrambled eggs, home-fries with onions and paprika, fresh whole wheat or Italian toast, bagels, croissants (a kiss of New Orleans, well deserved)....

And a donut for me. I'll share, though, because I'm THAT nice.  Leave a comment to be entered in a drawing for my newest book:  MADE TO ORDER FAMILY, a September 2010 Love Inspired release, the love story no one thought should or could happen.

But it did.

SWEET!!!!

Nine Nuggets from My Golden Heart® Experiences

Audra here. I'm so excited to have Keli Gwyn join us in Seekerville today! Keli is a faithful friend of Seekerville and the investigative reporter/hostess of Romance Writers on the Journey. Freshly home from RWA Nationals where she attended as one of the 2010 Inspirational Golden Heart Finalists, Keli tossed her suitcase in the laundry, climbed into her row boat and now joins us to share her experience -- and dare I say wisdom -- in unlocking the joys and rewards of the Golden Heart.

Welcome, Keli!

My sincere thanks to Audra for inviting me to be a guest at Seekerville. I’ve always admired, been awed by, and aspired to meet this great group. I’ve done so online, but at RWA® Nationals in Orlando, I got to meet six Seekers in person: Debby, Janet, Missy, Myra, Ruthy, and Sandra. What a thrill! I can vouch for the fact that they are every bit as wonderful as you’d expect. And they’re so nice. (Yes, even Ruthy! Although, don’t tell her I said that. I don’t want to ruin her reputation.)

Sandra, Myra, Janet, Keli, Ruthy, Missy

Anne Barton, Debby, Keli

Audra asked me to blog about my Golden Heart experience, so I’ll do my best to give you a feel for what it’s like to be a finalist in this well-known and well-run contest. Since I live in the heart of California’s Gold Country, I’m going to share what I refer to as nine nuggets, those nifty benefits I was blessed to receive because of my finalist status.


1) Polishing Skills


The GH entry is one of the longest contest entries out there, totaling 55 pages between the partial and the synopsis. Entrants get plenty of practice polishing those critical first chapters until they shine so brightly the judges are tempted to don sunglasses.

That’s not all. The GH is the only contest in the romance genre I know of that requires entrants to submit a complete manuscript. This forces entrants to edit their entire entries, giving them even more experience at making their stories sparkle.


If that’s not enough, RWA allows finalists to submit a revised copy of their manuscripts in the event that they receive requests from final round judges. Knowing an agent or editor may ask to see an entire entry spurs many a finalist to keep working on a story until it glints like the gem they envision it to be.


2) Patience

The GH entry is due in mid-November, and yet the finalists aren’t announced until the last week of March. Four months.

Once the finalists are announced on March 25, they have to wait until the end of the RWA conference to find out who the winners are. Four more months.

Eight months of waiting and wondering are good practice for the world of publishing. Novelists do plenty of both. So, the GH experience prepares the entrants for the writing life as they learn patience.

3) Excitement

OK. Excitement is an understatement for the emotion experienced by most entrants whose phones ring on March 25. Exhilaration, elation, or euphoria is probably a more accurate description.


The thrill begins that day, but there are more to follow. As you’ll see in my next nuggets, a finalist is in for an amazing four months filled with unexpected joys.

4) New Friends


For me, what followed my first GH call in 2008 was a blessing beyond belief. I’d been writing in isolation for two years. I knew not one other writer. I’d spoken briefly with a friend of a friend who told me I needed to join RWA, which I did. I devoured each issue of the Romance Writers Report, which is where I learned about the contests, including the GH.

Even though I entered the GH, I had no idea what an accomplishment it was to final. My first hint that I’d done something special came on March 28, 2008. I received an email from the newsletter editor of my husband’s British sports car club saying someone named Tina Russo wanted her to pass on a message about “a Golden contest or something like that” and asked me if it were legit. Um, yeah!

A month later, Seekerville hosted the four inspirational GH finalists. I was such a newbie that Tina had to talk me through the process. I’d only visited one blog in my entire life and had no clue what a wonderful world of writers awaited me. Thank you, Tina and the rest of the Seekers!

The writer buddies I met through your awesome blog were some of my first. Since then, I’ve met many more. Truly, when it comes to the friends I’ve made because of my GH finals, I feel like I hit the Mother Lode.

5) Fellow Finalists


Two of my fellow GH finalists who met me here in Seekerville back in 2008 invited me to join the Yahoo! group, which had been set up the day the finalists were announced. Courtney Milan helped me make it through the steps involved in joining the loop and posting my first message. In spite of being a latecomer to the group, they gave me a warm welcome.

Over the next three months, I got to know this amazing group of women, who call ourselves the Pixie Chicks—or Pixies for short. We’re still a tight group, and I was delighted to see several of our members in Orlando.
In March of this year, I became part of a second group of finalists known as the Unsinkables. I had a blast meeting many of them at the various GH functions in Florida. Talk about talented. Five of them sold even before Nationals!

6) Recognition


Being a Golden Heart finalist catapults a romance novelist from obscurity into the spotlight. RWA invites each finalist to submit information about their local media and sends out press releases. Some finalists find themselves featured in their local newspapers. One of the 2010 winners was invited to be a featured guest in her town’s annual parade.


Not all finalists make the news or wave to their adoring fans from a float, but most would agree that being able to tell others about their final lends credence to their calling. Family and friends seem to take them and their writing more seriously.

7) Requests


In the professional realm, being able to add Golden Heart Finalist to the subject line of a query can reap rewards. Those who’ve had work in agents’ or editors’ slush piles may find the publishing pros more eager to read their work.

Back in 2008, I watched in amazement as fellow finalists received requests. Some were the result of queries sent prior to the finalist announcement. Some resulted from queries sent after the GH calls went out. Still others came after the final round judges turned in their scores. The requests continued to pour in at Nationals as finalists met with the publishing pros.
The response this year has been similar to what I witnessed in 2008. While GH finalist status is no guarantee of a sale, it does get one noticed and can lead to requests.


8) Royal Treatment


I’d heard previous finalists talk about how much fun it is to attend Nationals as a GH finalist. I saw for myself what they meant when I went to San Francisco in 2008. RWA treats the finalists like royalty.


As soon as the finalists are announced, RWA sends out the GH pins via Fed-Ex. This shiny bit of bling dresses up one’s badge nicely. When a finalist arrives at Nationals, she or he will find a pretty pink Golden Heart Finalist ribbon to attach to the badge. I felt like a minor celebrity when other conferees would stop me to offer their congratulations.

There is a champagne reception where the GH finalists get to mingle with the published RITA finalists and receive their certificates. Being in the same room with some of the biggest names in romance is incredible.

Then comes the Awards Ceremony, where each finalist gets her or his moment in lights. Everyone is dressed in her or his best, creating a festive atmosphere. The GH finalists are seated in the VIP section with the RITA finalists, as well as the editors and agents. In Orlando, my awesome critique partner and dear friend Anne Barton and I were at the table next to Nora Roberts and her friends. And, no, I didn’t badger her to pose for a photo with me. But Anne did take one of me with the other inspirational finalists before the Awards Ceremony.

Keli, CJ Eernisse Chase, and Kristin Leigh Wallace

The ceremony begins with the GH presentation. Each finalist’s picture, book title, and name are displayed on four jumbotron screens placed around the room so each of the 2,000+ attendees has a good view by category, with the announcement of the winners coming afterward. Spotlights follow the winner to the stage. The evening has the feel of the Oscars. I marvel at all RWA does to make the event—and the entire GH experience—such a memorable one.

9) Hidden Blessings

I mentioned the fact that the family and friends of finalists often take them and their writing more seriously after a GH final. For me, I found that I took myself more seriously. After my first final, I felt like I’d received validation. I’d asked God if I were in His will in regard to my writing. I’d asked Him for writing pals. I’d asked Him to boost my confidence. I believe He used the GH as His answer.

I’ve alluded to the new friends I’ve made, but I haven’t talked about the most special connection of all. For me, meeting fellow 2008 GH finalist Anne Barton and forming our critique partnership was by far the best thing to come out of my GH experiences. I didn’t walk on stage in Orlando, and I’m fine with that. I firmly believe the Lord wanted CJ to win. She’d finaled six times, and I felt it was her turn to get a new necklace. I couldn’t be happier for her.

The only thing I was sad about that night was that I didn’t get to tell everyone how much Anne means to me. She’s an awesome critique partner, a treasured friend, and an example of class personified. I’m blessed—and I know it!

Keli and Anne Barton 

* * * * *

I know some of you may not have been able to attend Nationals, so I have a few mementos to share. One commenter will win a package containing a water bottle, notebook, and pen that commemorate the 30th anniversary of RWA. If you’d like to enter the drawing, just say so in your comment. Be sure to leave an email address so I can contact you—unless you know I already have yours.

If you have any questions about the Golden Heart, please feel free to ask. If I don’t know the answers, I’m sure there are others who will, since many of the Seekers and their friends have been GH finalists.

And now, I have a confession to make. I’m a lousy cook. Since I know y’all (that’s for you, Missy) don’t have the addiction to Taco Bell I do, I’ll refrain from subjecting you to seven layer burritos and such. Instead, I invite those of you who are great cooks to offer us some delectable cyber creations in the comments. One thing I do request, though, is that there is coffee—good coffee—available at any hour of the day. That way I know we can keep Anne and Ruthy happy.

Keli Gwyn is a writer of inspirational historical romance represented by Rachelle Gardner of WordServe Literary and was a 2010 and 2008 Golden Heart® finalist. She's the wife of a British sports car enthusiast, mother of a college student, a member of Toastmasters, a scrapbooker, and a Taco Bell addict. She has a weakness for Coach handbags, collects hedgehog figurines, and has a hard time not singing along when 70s music is playing in the Dollar Store.

RWA RITA AND GH Weekend Edition

Seekerville would like to congratulate the
Romance Writers of America,
2010 RITA and Golden Heart finalists!

A special shout out to our friends of Seekerville! We'll be rooting for you!

For those of you not familiar with RWA; Romance Writers of America is the largest organization of romance writers in the world. RWA began in 1980 in Houston, Texas with 37 members. Today RWA has over 10,000 members, of which over 2,000 are published in novel length fiction. RWA also has an operating budget of one million dollars.

This year Nashville, Tennessee will be the location of the RWA National conference celebrating RWA's 30th anniversary. On Saturday July 31, 2010, the RITA and Golden Heart winners will be announced at a gala formal event featuring dinner and the awards ceremony.

The RITA:
The award itself is a golden statuette named after RWA's first president, Rita Clay Estrada, and has become the symbol for excellence in published romance fiction. Up to 1,200 romance novels from 12 different categories are entered in the RITA competition each year. A novel may be entered either by the author or by the book's publisher in one of the 12 categories. After the first round of judging by published romance authors, the competition narrows to approximately 100 finalists.

The Golden Heart:
1,200 romance manuscripts are entered in the Golden Heart ( into one of 10 contest categories) each year by writers who have not accepted a publishing offer for a work of original fictional narrative prose of 20,000 words or more. In the preliminary round, the manuscripts are read and judged by General RWA members, who narrow the field down to approximately 100 finalists. The final round of the contest is judged by acquiring editors from romance publishing houses.

Seekers and friends help Linda Goodnight
celebrate her 2008 RITA inspirational win.

And The Winners Are:


Tuesday: Avoid Cliches! Sandra Leesmith's Tuesday post winner of a Seeker book of their choice is Teri Dawn Smith who chose Black Hills Blessing by Mary Connealy.


Wednesday: Glynna Kaye's post was U.R. A Writer, MD: Time for Your 1st Quarter Check Up. Winner of Give ‘em What They Want: The Right Way to Pitch Your Novel to Editors & Agents,is AJ Hawke.


Friday: Babies & Books (It's a Boy!) by Ruth Logan Herne. The winner of Winter's End is Marilyn Brant.




Next Week In Seekerville:


Monday: Publishing professional, writer, and friend of Seekerville Patty Hall is our special guest today.



Tuesday: RITA and Christy Award winner Francine Rivers interview is featured in Seekerville today. Stop by for a chance to win a copy of the first book in a two part saga, A Mother's Hope, part of the Marta's Legacies Series from Tyndale House. For a sneak preview you can watch the book trailer here.




Wednesday: April Contest Update in Seekerville. The prize vault is OPEN!



Thursday: Steeple Hill Love Inspired debut author, Audra Harders is your hostess today.



Friday: We welcome back, multi-published historical author, and three-time RITA nominee, Cheryl St. John.

Gail Gaymer Martin with Pam Hillman, 3 time Golden Heart finalist
(GH Hall of Fame inductee), at RWA 2006 Atlanta.

Save The Date:


April 7: Desert Breeze Publishing author K. Dawn Byrd.


April 16: Revell author, Janice Hanna Thompson , returns.


April 23: From Books & Such Literary Agency, Janet Grant.


April 28: Waterbrook Press author Mona Hodgson.


April 29: Zondervan upcoming author, Melanie Dickerson.

The 2005 GH Inspirational Finalists (Tina, Myra, Janet & Julie)
at Nationals, Reno, Nevada.

Seeker Sightings:



Until April 3, A Passion Most Pure (and LOTS of other free books) are being offered on Amazon for FREE DOWNLOAD for Kindle, PC, Mac, i-phone and Blackberry. Julie is currently running a contest on her website where you can win a signed copy of her upcoming release, A Hope Undaunted (or any of her books) by simply downloading this free book, telling others about the free download, signing up for her newsletter or FaceBook Fan Page and blogging/tweeting/or sharing with FaceBook friends. All details can be found at the bottom of the home page of her website at http://www.julielessman.com/.

Random News:

• Check out this Novelists Inc. interview with agent Meredith Bernstein of the Meredith Bernstein Literary Agency.
  

• Love Inspired Assistant Editor, Emily Rodmell blogs on the Harlequin Blog.

• RWA University is coming!

• Galley Cat Interview with Agent Paige Wheeler of Folio Literary Management.

• Should I Hire a Freelance Editor? : Rachelle Gardner, Rants & Ramblings

• 21 Tips To Get Out Of the Slush Pile by James Plath (Writer's Digest)

Have a great writing and reading weekend.

OCD (Obsessive Contest Disorder)

I'm recycling this post from many moons ago in honor of the fast-approaching Golden Heart deadline.

http://www.rwanational.org/cs/contests_and_awards

I hope those of you who are eligible have already entered and are polishing up those first 50 pages and your synopsis!! Below are a few tips honed from years of entering many contests, including the Golden Heart.

My boss says that my attention to detail is what makes me good at my job. This trait also comes in handy when preparing manuscripts for mailing, whether to contests or editors. But if you’re not detail-oriented, not to worry. Here are some tips to help make submissions to contests easier.

Keep in mind that some of the tips below do not apply to the Golden Heart, as you will already have entered online and will mail your manuscript separately. This list of tips is to help you get in the habit of doing all the steps every time you enter a contest, so that you can whip out an entry in a matter of hours. (Actually, I haven't entered many contests lately, but I did enter an online one just last week. Old habits die hard. I saw the contest, the final judge, and decided to enter on the spur of the moment. I was done in less than 30 minutes.)

Once you’ve got the content of your manuscript and your synopsis polished to a shine and/or there’s only 3 days until the receipt deadline, then:

1) Print out the rules (if you haven’t already)
2) Print out the entry form (ditto)

3) By this time, you should have already determined:
a. If your ms fits neatly into one of the categories
b. If the deadline is a “receipt” deadline or “postmarked” deadline
c. Found out who the finalist judges are, if possible
d. Looked at a sample score sheet if available

4) Refer to the rules before you print out your manuscript and synopsis
a. Check margins
b. Check font and font size
c. Check to see if there is a title page. What needs to be on it?
d. Check header. What exactly does the coordinator want in the header?

5) Highlight important points so you don’t forget to:
a. Include a SASE if required. Double check postage requirements
b. Include a SASP if required or desired
c. Include your PAYMENT, made out to the correct person/group
d. Include the Entry Form, signed!

6) When you THINK you are completely done, double-check the rules one more time. If you haven’t done something (like write your check, or put postage on the return envelope) write it at the top of the rules and highlight it. In your excitement, it’s much too easy to get to the post office and seal that sucker up, forgetting all about the return postage and/or your check.

7) If you forget to buy postage for your SASE, then the next time you enter a contest, clip the SASE to the OUTSIDE of your outgoing package to help you remember that you need postage on the SASE.

8) If you take your package to the post office, take your rules page with you. Take a moment and glance over it. (That’s when you’ll remember to write your check.) If possible, frequent a small post office. I’ve become pretty good friends with the ladies at mine. They bend over backwards to get my contest, agent and publisher packages out the door, so it helps to cultivate those contacts.

9) Another tip: If you plan to enter more than one manuscript, and there is only one coordinator, see if you can mail them together (and write one check). They are fine with this most of the time. But you’ll still need separate SASE’s…because one ms. might final and the other not…and the coordinator would need to send one back and keep the other one.

It never hurts to check and double check everything. You’ll feel better, your package will be neat and tidy, and the coordinator (or editor) will be forever grateful.

2009 Golden Heart and RITA Tribute

A huge Seekerville congratulations
to the 2009 RITA and Golden finalists.



Special congratulations to Cara Slaughter,
one of our own brought home the Golden Heart
with her final in the inspirational category with Love on a Dime.
A huge woohoo from all of us!

And a shout out to friends of Seekerville who finaled:

RITA

Contemporary Series Romance Category

The Right Mr. Wrong by Cindi Myers
Harlequin Enterprises, Harlequin American Romance (ISBN: 0373752032)
Wanda Ottewell, editor

Inspirational Category:

Finding Stefanie by Susan May Warren
Tyndale House Publishers (ISBN: 1-4143-1019-6)
Karen Watson, editor


The Perfect Life by Robin Lee Hatcher
Thomas Nelson Inc., Women of Faith Fiction (ISBN: 978-1-59554-148-2)
Ami McConnell and Leslie Peterson, editors


Golden Heart

Regency Historical Romance

Midnight Promises by Anne Barton

As many of you are aware, the contests will announce the winners Saturday evening, July 18, in Washington D.C. at the gala awards presentation, which is also the last day and hours of the annual RWA Conference.

For those of you not familiar with RWA; Romance Writers of America is the largest organization of romance writers in the world. RWA began in 1980 in Houston, Texas with 37 members. Today RWA has over 10,000 members, of which over 2,000 are published in novel length fiction. RWA also has an operating budget of one million dollars (financial statements are available online for members only) There are approximately 126 local chapters and 18 special interest chapters and 7 foreign chapters. Since 1981 RWA has held an annual conference in a different U.S. City each summer.

Upcoming conference cities include:

2010 - Nashville, TN

2011 - New York, NY

2012 - Anaheim, CA

2013 - Atlanta, GA

2014 - San Antonio, TX

2015 - New York, NY

2016 - San Diego, CA

The purpose of the RITA and Golden Heart contests is to promote excellence in the romance genre by recognizing outstanding romance novels, novellas, and manuscripts.

The RITA , began as the Golden Medallion in 1982 and became the RITA in 1990. It was named after the first RWA president, Rita Clay Estrada.

Who won those first awards?

1983 Golden Medallion Winners

Best Category Historical Romance Defiant Love by Mara Seger

Best Contemporary Mainstream Romance Opal Fires by Lynda Trent

Best Contemporary Sensual Romance The Heart’s Victory by Nora Roberts

Best Contemporary Sweet Romance Renegade Player by Dixie Browning

Best Mainstream Historical Romance The Endearment by LaVyrle Spencer

Best Young Adult Romance Andrea by Jo Stewart

1982 Golden Medallion Winners

Best Category Contemporary Romance Winner Take All by Brooke Hastings

Best Category Historical Romance Rendezvous at Gramercy by Constance Ravenlock

Best Mainstream Category Romance The Sun Dancers by Barbara Faith

Best Mainstream Historical Romance Day Beyond Destiny by Anna James

You can find a complete list of all the RITA winners past through 2008 on the RWA web page.

When an author receives 3 RITA awards, in the same category, they are inducted into the RWA Hall of Fame. Nora Roberts was the first inductee into the Hall of Fame, and has since qualified in three different categories.

The Golden Heart Awards began in 1984 . There are currently ten categories and the contest is capped at 1200 manuscripts. Approximately ten percent of those first round manuscripts will become finalists. In 2008 there were 70 finalists. This year there are 67 finalists.

Who won those first awards?

1984 Golden Heart Winners

Contemporary 80,000 Words and Up Susan E. Fox

Contemporary 65,000 - 80,000 Words Barbara Dawson Smith

Contemporary Under 65,000 Words Christine DeSmet

Historical Maureen E. Kurr Historical Series Mary E. Butler

Traditional Lisbeth L. Chance

Young Adult Janice Boles

1983 Golden Heart Winners

Contemporary Series Melanie Catley

Contemporary Single Title Kathleen Eagle

Historical Betina Lindsey

Historical Series Barbara L. Jones

Historical Series Vivian N. Doering

Young Adult Patricia Pinianski

You can find a complete list of Golden Heart winners through 2008 on the RWA site.

The Golden Network chapter, a special interest chapter of RWA which is comprised of only Golden Heart finalists and winners, maintains the Golden Heart Hall of Gold which lists authors have finaled three or more times in the Golden Heart competition.

By the way, Seekerville's own Pam Hillman is a Golden Heart Hall of Gold inductee.

Who has finaled the most in the Golden Heart competition?

Trish Milburn

2003 Romantic Suspense

2003 Romantic Suspense

2004 Romantic Suspense

2005 Romantic Suspense

2006 Romantic Suspense

2006 Young Adult
2007 Young Adult

2007 Young Adult

Interested in entering the 2010 Golden Heart? You have just enough time to start preparing and to save your money for the $50 entry fee. Writers do not have to be members of RWA to enter.

Registration for the 2010 Golden Heart is usually available online in late September with the form available in the October RWR. You may register and complete your payment at that time. Registration ends the middle of November; however once the contest reaches its 1,200 entry maximum, it will close to new entries, even if it is prior to the deadline. The requisite 6 copies of a partial including synopsis(not to exceed 55 pages) and one copy of the complete, including synopsis will be due at the RWA offices approximately the first week in December.

You can see the 2009 timeline and the fine print details here.

Once again, congratulations to the 2009 RITA and Golden Heart finalists. We hope to see your name on that list in 2010.