Double RITA® Finalist

Well, it's been exactly a year since I blogged.  How terrible!

On Friday I was at the pictures with my kids.  We were watching London Has Fallen when my phone started ringing. Well, not ringing exactly.  It was on silent.  I didn't recognise the number so didn't move.  Gerard Butler had my full attention.
Then it kept ringing.  Persistence makes me nervous so I decided to go outside and answer - and I'm so glad that I did.
The lovely Julie Kenner who is a Board member of Romance Writers of America^® introduced herself.  I'd forgotten it was  RITA^® day - what was wrong with me???
She then proceeded to tell me I'd finaled not once but twice as a RITA^® Finalist for the awards this year.
I didn't believe her.  I asked her to tell me again.
Then I asked her who she was again.
Then I asked her to tell what books had finaled again - because even though she'd told me seconds earlier, I couldn't remember.
At this point she asked me where I was.
I told her I was on a date with Gerard Butler!

No, I told her I was at the pictures watching London Has Fallen with my kids.
She asked if I was going to San Diego, I said no, not this year.

I went to my first conference last year in New York.  It was fabulous, I loved it but was absolutely exhausted when I came home.  This year, I planned on heading to the RNA conference in Lancaster.  And I still am.........

But now I'm going to San Diego too!  We'll not talk about how I've had to move our family holiday, or the fact it is an 18hr journey, or on the return home how I have less than 24 hrs home before we leave for that family holiday.  I'm just too excited to think straight quite frankly.

I'm also delighted that I know some of the other finalists - my friend Heidi Rice (who I might have phoned while still kneeling on the ground outside the cinema!), Maisey Yates and Romy Sommer.  It also means I get to see my two Australian partners in crime Rachael Johns and Emily Madden!

Beyond excited!

The pictures are of the two books that are finalists.  They honestly couldn't be more different.

I also found out later that the Board member that phoned me was also a finalist.  Congratulations to Julie Kenner too!

Now all I have to do is find a red dress!