December News

Judi Phillips (w/a Pepper Goodrich) entered the Resolutions contest sponsored by Whispers Publication, and won 2nd Place and a contract for her erotic story MELTDOWN.

Congratulations to Marie Benesh, our outgoing Vice President, for being selected the recipient of the 2008 Cyber Rose Award in recognition of her extraordinary service to our chapter.

Nicole North has sold KILTED LOVER to Red Sage Publishing.

Jaclyn Vieira Di Bona's THE WHIMS OF FATE won First Place in the Golden Gateway contest (final judge Diane Ventimiglia from Silhouette), Second Place in the Golden Acorn contest, and is a finalist in the Southern Heat contest. Jaclyn also received her Pro Pin.

Kim Grooms' SECOND CHANCE FOR A FAMILY won First Place in the 2008 Golden Pen contest, short contemporary category, and received a request for a full from Harlequin editor Susan Litman.

Dawn Wolzein (w/a Dawn Marie Hamilton)'s synopsis for JUST BEYOND THE GARDEN GATE took First Place in the paranormal category of the 2008 Maine RWA Synopsis Writing Contest.

November News

Terry Spear's HEART OF THE WOLF (Sourcebooks) has been named one of its Best Books of the Year by Publisher's Weekly.

October News

Terry McLaughlin's Harlequin Superromance, THE RANCHER NEEDS A WIFE, has won First Place in the Contemporary Category of the Aspen Gold contest.

Jane Leopold Quinn has sold HOT UNDER THE COLLAR/LEGENDS OF LOVING, TEXAS to Red Rose Publishing and UNDERCOVER LOVER to Siren Publishing.

Patti Shenberger has sold THE LAIRD'S LADY to The Wild Rose Press. The digital version was released October 15 and the print edition will be available December 15, 2008.

September News

Michelle Libby (w/a Jillian Hallowell) is celebrating a first sale (for Jillian), and a fifth sale for Michele. FLASHBANGS AND NIGHTSTICKS will be one of the launch books for new publisher Carnal Passions.

Jami Davenport's novel THE DANCE (Siren Publishing) received an "Outstanding Read" from Simply Romance Reviews, "Book of the Week" from Whipped Cream, 5 Flags from Euro-Reviews, 5 Cherries from Whipped Cream, and an "A" Rating from Simply Romance Reviews.

Jane Leopold Quinn has sold WINDY CITY LOVE AFFAIR, a story that revolves around a contemporary rancher/cowboy from Idaho and a law student working in Chicago, and THE KEEPER, the story of a hurt woman rescued heart and soul by her ex-boyfriend's cop partner, to Phaze.

Jodi Lynn Copeland is pleased to announce two contemporary erotic romance novella sales. Jodi will be taking part in a red hot holiday anthology to be released from NAL Heat in fall of 2009, with her aptly named MISTLETOE BLISS. In November of 2009, her novella PLAYING WITH FIRE, will be included in the Men on Fire firefighter anthology from Kensington Aphrodisia.

Jean Drew (w/a Jean Adams) has sold YESTERDAY'S DREAMS, a contemporary set in the Bay of Islands, New Zealand, to Highland Press.

Cai Smith & Stephanie Lynch (w/a Marilu Mann) have sold CHANGING FOCUS, the third book in their Lusting Wild Series, to Ellora's Cave.

August News

Judi Phillips's AFTERNOON DELIGHTS won First Place in the Erotica category of the 2007 Romancing the Tome Contest, Coeur de Louisiane chapter. Her manuscript THE LOVE GENIE won First Place in the Erotica category of the 2007 Beacon Contest. And she has sold GHOST OF A CHANCE to The Wild Rose Press.

Nancy Litzau finaled in the Maggie contest with her paranormal entry, JUST IN TIME, and took second in the Dixie Kane with her paranormal, TIME HUNTER.

Terry McLaughlin's Harlequin Superromance THE RANCHER NEEDS A WIFE is the winner in the Long Contemporary category of the 2008 Bookseller's Best contest.

Carolynn Carey's traditional Regency, COMPROMISING SITUATIONS, published in July 2007 as part of the Cotillion line of Cerridwen Press, took 1st Place in the Regency category of the National Readers' Choice Awards.

Susan Lanier-Graham has received 4 partial requests from agents and a publisher and one full request from Jessica Foust for SHATTERED, the first in her series of action/adventure stories about an elite team of Navy SEALs and the gutsy women who come into their lives.

Geniene Catalano is celebrating a FIRST SALE! RED HOT BLUE sold to Red Rose Publishing. Geniene has also received her Pro pin.

Pamela Kopfler's BETTER DEAD has won 1st Place in the Paranormal category of the Dixie Kane Memorial Contest, South Louisiana Chapter of RWA, 1st Place in the Paranormal category of the Four Seasons Award, Windy City RWA, 1st Place, Paranormal category of the FAB 5 contest, Wisconsin Chapter RWA, and 1st Place Paranormal category/Overall Winner of The Daphne in the Daphne Du Maurier contest, Mystery and Suspense Chapter RWA (KOD).

Nicole North has sold BEAST IN A KILT to Red Sage for the Red Sage Secrets Volume 29 anthology.

McKenna Jeffries is celebrating a first sale! CONQUERING JAZZ, the first of her Sultry Nights Series, was released in March 2008 by Liquid Silver Books.

June/July News

Mona Risk has sold BABIES IN THE BARGAIN, a 65,000-word medical romance to The Wild Rose Press. Her romantic suspense FRENCH PERIL, was released in June from Cerridwen Press.

Cai Smith & Stephanie Lynch (w/a Marilu Mann)'s first book, CHANGING TIMES (Ellora's Cave), was blurbed in Barbara Vey's Beyond Her Book, Publisher's Weekly blog.

Laurie Darcey's LOVE ON A LIMB received Fourth Place in the Heartland Romance Chapter's Show Me The Spark! contest and is a finalist in the Single Title category of Central Florida Romance Writer's Touch of Magic contest.

Debbie Gould has sold INFIDELITY, her second book with Red Rose Publishing. It will be released in July.

May News

Terry McLaughlin's Harlequin Superromance THE RANCHER NEEDS A WIFE won a HOLT Award of Merit in the Long Contemporary category.

Renee Hagar's GOING TOPLESS has received 4.5 stars from Enchanting reviews. It has also just been released in print from Siren Publishing.

Wend Petzler has sold WHISPER TO ME, first of the Borne Vampire series, to New Concepts Publishing.

JoMarie DeGioia has sold PRIDE AND FIRE to Sinful Moments Press.

Judie Aitken is a double-entry finalist for the 2008 Lorie's Best Proposal contest.

Brenda Williamson has sold HER SAVAGE LOVER to Aspen Mountain Press.

Cynthia Arends (w/a Sindee Sexton)'s WINGS OF DESIRE has won 1st place in Hot Prospects Erotic Romance, 2nd Place in Great Expectations, 2nd place in NW Indiana Grand Beginnings, 3rd Place in First Coast Unpublished Beacon, and is a finalist in the following contest: SMRW Unpublished Laurie contest (FFP category), WisRWA Fab 5 (Erotic Romance category)

Pamela Kopfler's BETTER DEAD is a finalist in several contests: the Daphne du Maurier Award (RWA's Mystery and Suspense chapter), the Four Seasons contest (Windy City RWA), CONNections (Connecticut Romance Writers), Touch of Magic (Central Florida Romance Writers) and Show Me The Spark (Heartland Romance Authors). BETTER DEAD took 3rd place in the paranormal category of the Hook, Line and Sinker contest (Hudson Valley Romance Writers). Her manuscript QUEEN'S JUSTICE is a finalist in the romantic suspense category of the FAB Five contest (Wisconsin RWA).

Terry McLaughlin's two 2007 Superromance releases have finaled in contests recently. MAYBE, BABY was a finalist in the Lories, and THE RANCHER NEEDS A WIFE is a finalist in the Golden Quill and More than Magic contests.

Stephie Smith's THE MASQUERADING DUKE has finaled in Heart of Louisiana RWA's 2007 Labor of Love, Heartland RWA's 2008 Show Me The Spark, and Connecticut RWA's 2008 Connections contests.

April News

Helen Scott Taylor's THE MAGIC KNOT, a 2008 Golden Heart finalist, won the American Title IV contest and will be a February 2009 release from Dorchester. A first sale and a contest win all in one!

JoMarie DeGioia recently signed with Michelle Grajkowski of Three Seas Literary Agency.

Ami Weaver's THE NANNY'S SECRET placed First in NTRWA's Great Expectations contest, contemporary series catagory, and the partial was requested by the final judge/editor.

Debbie Gould is celebrating a First Sale! Her romantic suspense MOUNTAIN'S ECHO sold to Red Rose Publishing.

Wend Petzler has sold LADY THIEF, a Robin Hood-styled medieval, to Anne Seymour at The Wild Rose Press.

Dawn Oliveri (w/a Shara Lanel) has qualified for PAN status with the sales from BLAME IT ON THE MOON, published by Loose ID.

Cai Smith and Stephanie Arwen Lynch (w/a Marilu Mann) have sold the novella SAPPHIRE TEASE to Ellora's Cave as part of the Jewels of the Nile Anthology Series.

Elizabeth Amber's NICHOLAS, THE LORDS OF THE SATYR from Kensington Aphrodisia won the 2008 Judge a Book By Its Cover contest (single title category). The full color announcement is on the inside cover of Romance Writers Report, April 2008. The book is also a finalist in several contests this year: Colorado Romance Writers (RWA) Award of Excellence contest (erotic romance category), the Wisconsin RWA's Write Touch Readers' Award contest, Passionate Ink's Passionate Plume contest (historical category), and Oklahoma RWA's National Reader Awards (Best Book and Erotic Romance categories).

Patti Shenberger has sold THE CAPTAIN'S WENCH, an updated version of The Ghost and Mrs Muir but sexier, to Devine Destinies, a new line of eXtasy Books. This is her fifth sale.

Michele Dunaway has sold THE RELUCTANT CEO & BABY ON BOARD to Harlequin American Romance in a two-book deal for her 21st and 22nd books.

Pamela Kopfler's QUEEN'S JUSTICE finaled in the romantic suspense category of the Wisconsin RWA FAB 5 contest.

Debra Sennefelder's short story WALK AWAY has been accepted for publication by Chicklit Review.org for their May/June Issue. This will be her second story published by them.

March News

From the Heart Romance Writers would like to congratulate our 2008 RITA® finalist Terri Garey - DEAD GIRLS ARE EASY (Best Paranormal and Best First Book), and our 2008 Golden Heart® finalists: Catherine Chant - WISHING YOU WERE HERE (Best Young Adult) and Helen Scott Taylor - THE MAGIC KNOT (Best Paranormal).

Tawny Weber recently sold three more as-yet-untitled books to Harlquin Blaze. The release dates are slated for April/May and September of 2009.

Marianne LaCroix's CROSSED SWORDS (Ellora's Cave) is a Romantic TImes BOOKClub Top Pick in the April 2008 issue, and received a 4.5 star review.

Cai Smith (w/a Kacey Smith) announces a first individual sale to Amber Quill Press as part of their 2008 Heat Wave Contest. Chosen out of over 200 entries, her novella TALES FROM THE GRAVEYARD SHIFT: GHOULS will be released in June 2008.

Shann Fountain-Culo has received her RWA PRO Pin.

Minnette Meador is celebrating a first sale! STARSIGHT will be released by Stonegarden Publishing. This is the first of four books Minnette has coming out in 2008. She has sold THE CENTURION & THE QUEEN, a novel of high adventure and romance set against the Boudicca Revolts of 60 AD Roman Britannia, and the sequel THE BRETON & THE GENERAL to Resplendence Publishing. She also has a short story "Sunday Breakfast" included in the anthology CUP OF COMFORT FOR SINGLE MOMS, published by Adams Media.

Kay Thomas is also celebrating a first sale! THE DEVIL YOU KNOW, the story of an ex-Marine and a perpetual screwup who join forces to rescue an autistic boy from a web of murder and government conspiracy, sold to Denise Zaza at Harlequin Intrigue. The release date is January 2009 and the title is subject to change.

Nancy Pirri, writing as Dame Sapphire with the Jewels of the Quill author promo group, is proud to announce the Jewels March 2007 release, Tales from the Treasure Trove, Vol. III (Whiskey Creek Press) has won the EPPIE award for 2008 for best mainstream contemporary and is a Romantic Times Reviewer's Choice Award finalist for 2007. Nancy's story 'Princess Sapphire', set in 1880's Montana, is one of seven in the anthology.

Pam Bowerman (w/a Jami Davenport) sold a second book, THE DANCE, to Siren Publishing. THE DANCE will be a late 2008 release.

Debra Maher's HEARTS IN WINTER received First Place in Historical category of the Missouri RWA's 2007 Gateway to the Best contest.

Renee Knowles has been offered a contract from The Wild Rose Press for her Regency historical novella, COURTING TROUBLE. It will be released in 2008.

Jane Leopold Quinn has sold WINDY CITY LOVE AFFAIR to Phaze and her short story "His, Hers & His" will appear in the GOIN' DOWN anthology from Aspen Mountain Press.

Stephanie Lynch and Cai Smith (w/a Marilu Mann) are thrilled to be a part of the extremely popular Ellora's Cave Caveman anthologies. Their SAPPHIRE SEDUCTIONS will be included in an upcoming Jewels of the Nile anthology.

Kelli Finger (w/a Abbey MacInnis) s celebrating a first sale! DELIGHTING MISS DAISY will be realeased by Wild Rose Press as part of the Wayback Texas series in the Yellow Rose line.

February News

Pam Bowerman (w/a Jami Davenport) is celebrating a first sale. WHO'S BEEN SLEEPING IN MY BED sold to Siren Publishing.

Kate MacEachern's THE RELUCTANT VAMPIRE won First Place in Coeur de Louisiane's Romancing the Tome contest, Paranormal category. The contest announcement indicates a full requested.

Catherine Chant's romantic suspense SAINTS AND SINNERS is a finalist in the Great Expectations contest, sponsored by the North Texas RWA chapter.

January News

Eugenia O'Neal has sold DIDO'S PRIZE to Parker Publishing.

Barbara Hughes (w/a Natasha Moore) has sold the novella SUNRISE to Ellora's Cave to be part of the 2008 Cavemen Anthology Jewels of the Nile II which will be releases in June 2008.

Renee Hagar (w/a Renee Knowles) has just signed a new three-book contract with Siren Publishing for an erotic romance series called, PLEASURES, INC. The first book, GUILTY PLEASURES, will be released summer/fall 2008. Her debut novel, an erotic chick lit called GOING TOPLESS, also from Siren Publishing, received a 5 Flag review from Euro-Reviews.

Mary Eason has sold her second romantic suspense novel to Cerridwen Press. SILENT WITNESS is about a woman who loses her memory after witnessing the murder of her best friend. Her first romantic suspense novel through Wild Rose Press' Crimson Rose Line entitled FREEFALLING will be available in ebook format February 1, 2008 and in print August 1, 2008.

Terry Spear has sold a second book, DON'T CRY WOLF, to Sourcebooks and the book RELATIVE DANGER to Wild Rose Press. She has also sold "Digging for Family Roots & The American Sign Language" an article about genealogy for teens and and learning The American Sign Language, to LISTEN magazine.

J L Wilson has sold IF NOT FOR YOU to Cerridwen Press. This is her fourth book for 2007.

Jean Drew has signed a contract with Highland Press to re-issue BEATS A WILD HEART, her book set on Cornwall's Bodmin Moor.

Helen Scott Taylor 's story THE MAGIC KNOT has made it through to the fourth round of the American Title contest. Voting runs Jan 21st to Feb 3rd at www.romantictimes.com/news_amtitle3.php