"Snapdragon" is a Finalist in the Book Buyer's Best Contest!

In an unexpected, good-news twist, I found out today (after having a very bad week) that Snapdragon was named a finalist in the Book Buyer's Best Contest run by the Orange County chapter of RWA (OCCRWA)! I had, frankly, given up on this award, as I'd heard titterings that finalists were receiving calls (a call that never came for me), and the notification date had long-passed.

This is a tough business, people. The books that we sweat, bleed and develop drinking problems over may never do well commercially, may never receive a single accolade, etc. Snapdragon is a different work of romance, both in its structure and complexity. The fact that it isn't formulaic made it even less of a sure thing on the awards circuit. 

With all that said, I'm very proud to be able to say that Snapdragon still may not be selling a lot of copies (no, seriously--it's not), but that this is its tenth final among awards I've sought out. Of those ten, two are solid first place wins and others placed in the top three. I'm sure that one day, I'll be old and broke surrounded by cats--but I will never be ungrateful for this recognition. Thanks to the Book Buyer's Best Contest judges and to the coordinators from OCCRWA!