It Was a Good Week

A few minutes ago, I got an email from the RWA on-line chapter FF&P (Fantasy, Futuristic and Paranormal) telling me I had finaled in their "On The Far Side" contest in the erotic romance category for my novella, "Dying To Do It." The manuscript will now go to Kate Duffy, editor extraordinary.

This means that, as the result of the five contests I entered this year, two of my manuscripts are now heading for New York to be judged/reviewed by three editors:

Christopher Keesler of Dorchester--"Witch Vampire?" (Where the Magic Is contest)
Tova Sacks of Berkley--novel "Witch Vampire?" (Romance Junkies contest)
Kate Duffy of Kensington--novella "Dying To Do It" (On the Far Side contest)

And yet another manuscript ("You've Been a Bad Girl") has been requested by Ellora's Cave following a second place win in the JERR contest.

Hopefully I will come out of this experience with a contract and/or an agent. Have contacted my number one choice for agent and hope that she will have an interest in representing me.

Earlier in the week when I posted about winning the Romance Junkies contest, I commented on the need to select contests carefully. I chose mine according to the names of the final judges. I tried to pick a variety of contests that would get me the widest possible exposure. There are over 200 RWA chapters and practically every one of them has a contest. All contests are simply not equal.

I guess what I'm saying is to be sure you have a goal and a specific plan for reaching that goal. What is your targeted market? Who are the top people in that market? How can you get your work seen by them? It's a lot easier if you think it through ahead of time.

Hurricane Rita is due to arrive in twelve hours. I'm going to the symphony tonight and figure I'll be stuck in the house the rest of the weekend with Rita. Guess I'll take some time off to read. I've got the new books by Joe Konrath and Lee Child sitting on my nightstand.