2010 Golden Heart and a Piece of Cake

Today, Romance Writer’s of America announced their 2010 Golden Heart Finalists.

For the past four years, I have yearned to enter this contest. More so, after attending the 2009 Romance Writer’s of America Conference and Award Ceremony in Washington D.C.  This year, I finally felt my manuscript was worthy of entry. After all, I’d been tweaking it for four years.

If anyone thinks  he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself.  Each one should test his own actions. Then he can take pride in himself, without comparing himself to somebody else, for each one should carry his own load.  (Galatians 6 3:5)

Today, I headed out to my son’s preschool for his “spring party” knowing I’d be far from my phone should I get “the call” or any call for that matter. I spent a fun-filled morning of making bonnets, painting eggs, and listening to stories about easter bunnies.

I told myself I wasn’t going to go home, for the last thing I wanted to be doing was staring at the phone. I couldn’t resist stopping in at the house and checking the answering machine. My husband called, and if he were the only person to call me today, it was the most important phone call of all, as I listened to it twice, just letting his words and his loving voice lift me up and renew my spirits.

Then I headed out to find the biggest chocolate cake one could buy at the grocery store.  They say chocolate has a way of lifting you up too, and what is better to either celebrate with or give you a little cheering up than a big piece of chocolate cake for dessert right?

Well, I can honestly say I didn’t get “the call”.  As a matter of fact, my husband was my only phone call today, in which I’ll savor his message on our answering machine for a very long time. His message was basically this:  whether or not that I’d be selected as a 2010 Golden Heart finalist – I’m still a good writer.  And in the words of a good friend whom I spoke with today, “It’s just not my time.”

God still has a plan for me, and I may never be a Golden Heart finalist. That doesn’t mean I won’t ever be published. There’s still next year, and who knows maybe next year I’ll be published and no longer eligible to the Golden Heart contest. That’s okay too. (There’s always the RITA’s)

For now, however, I’ve got my chocolate cake and I intend to eat it too! 

Oh fudge… I guess this means I’ve got to get my revisions underway on my current work in progress. Ah, the life of romance writer…sweet and fulfilling.

Congratulations to all the 2010 Golden Heart Finalist!