Congrats RITA Finalists!

Yesterday the Internet was abuzz as calls when out from Romance Writers of America to the RITA and Golden Heart finalists! Congrats to all those whose work was selected for recognition. Our own Craftie Lady Pamela Tracy finaled in the RITA with her first book, PURSUIT OF JUSTICE! Pamela, we’re so proud of you!

All of us who write for Steeple Hill are thrilled with the number of writers from our house who finaled. Congrats to Linda Goodnight, Irene Hannon, Pamela Tracy, Susan May Warren for a Tyndale House release, and Cheryl St. John in the novella category. Those of you who are members of American Fiction Writers may recognize Amy Wallace and Cindy Woodsmall who also finaled. They’re both Georgia writers and wonderful ladies. It’s thrilling to see so many fantastic writers recognized for their work!

Two of my Georgia Romance Writer friends finaled in the Novel with Strong Romantic Elements category. Karen White and Deb Smith are outstanding authors whose books are must reads! Congrats to both of them!

Another dear friend and GRW member, Connie Gillam, finaled in the Strong Romantic Elements category for the Golden Heart! Connie writes with a unique, haunting voice that always transports me to another place. Hopefully, a savvy editor will spot Connie’s writing gift and offer a contract for TO DANCE WITH MY FATHER.

The National Romance Writers Conference will be held in San Francisco this July. The gala awards ceremony ends the conference and will be extra exciting with the awesome lineup of finalists! I’ll be cheering for all of them!

Here’s the list of Inspirational Finalists:

2008 RITA for Inspirational Romance Finalists

A Touch of Grace by Linda Goodnight
Harlequin Enterprises, Steeple Hill Love Inspired - (978-0-373-87426-2)
Allison Lyons, editor

Autumn Blue by Karen Harter
Center Street, - (1-931722-61-7)
Christina Boys, editor

Pursuit of Justice by Pamela Tracy
Harlequin Enterprises, Steeple Hill Love Inspired Suspense - (978 0 373 44236)
Krista Stroever, editor

Rainbow's End by Irene Hannon
Harlequin Enterprises, Steeple Hill Love Inspired - (0-373-87415-4)
Melissa Endlich, editor

Ransomed Dreams by Amy Wallace
Random House Publishing, WaterBrook Multnomah - (9781590527474)
Julee Schwarzburg, editor

Splitting Harriet by Tamara Leigh
Random House Publishing, WaterBrook Multnomah - (1590529286)
Julee Schwarzburg, editor

Taming Rafe by Susan May Warren
Tyndale House Publishers, - (1414310188)
Karen Watson, editor

When the Morning Comes by Cindy Woodsmall
Random House Publishing, WaterBrook Multnomah - (9781400072934)
Shannon Hill, editor

I’m heading back to my computer to work on my next books from Steeple Hill. COUNTDOWN TO DEATH is an October 2008 release and LEGACY OF DEATH will follow in early 2009! Using many of the techniques we’ve previously talked about from Donald Maass’ WRITING THE BREAKOUT NOVEL WORKBOOK, I’ll try to up the stakes and make the stories better than ever. Of course, I’ll enter them in the RITA! As we know, sometimes dreams do come true!

Happy writing!

Wishing you abundant blessings!

Debby