SARAH, MY BELOVED EARNS NOMINATION FOR BEST "LONG HISTORICAL"!

May I make a little announcement that literally thrills me to the bone and sends me to my knees in gratitude to my Heavenly Father?

This year’s Romance Writers of America National Conference will take place in San Francisco in July. Here they will announce the winner of the Inspirational Readers’ Choice Contest, which is the “Faith, Hope, and Love” division of RWA and open to authors of inspirational novels published in 2007. About a week ago, I received word that judges of this contest nominated Sarah, My Beloved for the “Long Historical” category. Can you believe it? I can’t! In fact, my little mind is blown away! GONE! (grins)

No, I will NOT be attending the awards dinner. *You will note there are four finalists in my category, which means there is a tie for third place. I fully expect to land in the third place tie and will GLADLY and humbly accept that honor, but I don’t think it warrants my flying to San Francisco for one night! (And, no, I am not the least bit sorry about not going.)

Here are all the IRCC finalists and their categories:

Long Contemporary:
Surrender Bay by Denise Hunter (Thomas Nelson)
Too Good To Be True by Trish Perry (Harvest House)
Taming Rafe by Susan May Warren (Tyndale House)

Long Historical: (3rd Place Tie)
Remembered by Tamera Alexander (Bethany House)
Petticoat Ranch by Mary Connealy (Barbour)
Lady of Milkweed Manor by Julie Klassen (Bethany House)
Sarah, My Beloved by Sharlene MacLaren (Whitaker House)

Women's Fiction:
Let Them Eat Cake by Sandra Byrd (Waterbrook)
The Oak Leaves by Maureen Lang (Tyndale House)
Remember to Forget by Deborah Raney (Howard)

Short Contemporary:
Simple Gifts by Lori Copeland (Zondervan)
Forever Christmas by Christine Lynxwiler (Barbour)
Mom in the Middle by Mae Nunn (Steeple Hill)

Short Historical:
Bluebonnet Belle by Lori Copeland (Steeple Hill)
The Lumberjack's Lady by Susan Page Davis (Barbour)
The Bounty Hunter and the Bride by Vicki McDonough (Barbour)

Romantic Suspense:
Buried Secrets by Margaret Daley (Steeple Hill)
Nowhere to Hide by Debby Giusti (Steeple Hill)
Ransomed Dreams by Amy Wallace (Multnomah)

Novella:
Unwrapping Christmas by Lori Copeland (Zondervan)
The Spinster and the Lawyer by Jeri Odell (Barbour)
Moonlight and Mistletoe by Carrie Turansky (Barbour)

Thank you ever so much for indulging me as I share my joy. God is so amazing to have given me this passion to write! And it is solely for His honor, glory, and the furthering of His Kingdom that I put my fingers to the keyboard!