I'm a Semi-Finalist for the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award!!

I'm really very happy about this! On January 15th, Amazon posted the excerpts from the 836 semi-finalist, and my novel made the cut! WOO HOO!! That is especially amazing to me since there were well over 5,000 entries. I know I probably won't win the big prizes, since there are so many wonderful writers competing, but I am truely thankful to have made it this far in the competition. It has been a major confidence boost for me, because as an aspiring but as of yet unpublished writer, the only feedback I'm used to getting are the rejection slips the publishing houses pay their evil secretaries to stuff into envelopes right before they use my manuscripts for toilet paper.

You can click on the link above or on the Novel title to go to my entry. I'm in the Romance section and my novel is titled "Nefarious". There is some foul language in the dialogue and a bit of violence, just wanted to warn ya. If you want to read my excerpt-which consists of my first chapter-just click on the 'download for free' button on the upper right part of that screen, then click on view. If you like what you read, please enter a customer review! I would appreciate it!

The excerpt will give you a feel for what the rest is about, and here is a quick synopsis over the entire novel, but remember, Amazon only posts the beginning of the story. The big winner will get published. Anyway, here's my synopsis:

"Harlie Storme is a woman overcoming the emotional scars leftover from her violent and abusive marriage. Their love at first sight romance helping her to regain her lost sense of self worth, this small town girl starts a whirlwind romance with a rock icon who pulls her into his tempestous life of paparazzi, tabloids, and bodyguards, sweeping her into a love so deep and sensual that she will never be the same. But all is not perfect in their new paradise. Determined to have the object of his desire all to himself, a stalker threatens to tear the couple's world apart, becoming more obsessed as their devotion to each other grows stronger. If his identity is not discovered in time, their very lives could be destroyed. "

Dang, I'm Behind!

Sorry it has been so long since my last post. I've been busy, the holidays were hectic, and now I'm behind on just about everything!

First, I want to post a picture of the cool stuff Ragan sent me for winning a Christmas contest on her blog. [I had loaded this picture yesterday, but Blogger seems to have eaten it! Glad it's fixed now, anyway] I LOVED it!! Thanks so much, Ragan!! (Sorry it took me so dang long to post about it!) I loved the handmade Christmas card, the pretty pearl earrings, the cool yarn I plan to make myself some anklet socks out of, the stitch kit, and those beautiful stitch markers!! Getting your package really brightened up my Holiday!!

Now, to catch up for this week's DOGS ON THURSDAY post, here is a picture of Miss Pixi dressed up in my daughter's Build-a-Bear outfit!! How cute is that pose?