No final :(

I found out tonight that the finalists of the Clendon have been contacted, and as I haven't been contacted, I mustn't be a finalist :(

Oh well. I will need to re-write Book 1, one day, so it will get its chance to shine.

Waiting...checking...waiting

No, I'm not waiting on a sub, but the announcements of finalists for the RWNZ Clendon Award. I wasn't going to even mention I'd entered, let alone that I've been desperately checking my email for the past week, just in case I jinxed things. But really, that's just dumb :) And the next best thing to knowing the finalists of the Clendon, is to talk about the Clendon :)

This year is the first time I entered, and in typical me style, entering it became a comedy of errors. I got the dates wrong, and so I had to post the manuscript on a Friday to ensure it arrived in time in New Zealand. So I woke up bright and early on Friday morning, and headed off to an Officeworks near my work that would be able to print two copies of my MS. I'd still get to work on time, easily.

I'm driving along, and notice a strange burning smell. But it comes and go, so I ignore it. I also notice that I seem to be gripping the steering wheel rather hard, as the car veers to the left, otherwise.

I ignore this, too.

Finally, when turning a tight corner, understanding dawns. I pull over to a very convenient church car park, and confirm the news - I have a (very) flat tyre. I am mechanically useless, so call my boyfriend (out on a bike ride and away from his phone), and then my dad. Dad is on his way to work and not far away, so comes and promptly saves me. Temporary spare in place, I go to Officeworks (complete with grease smear on my face that I notice after I get back into my car with printed manuscripts), and eventually get to work very late.

I need to get my tyre replaced as the temporary spare is not suitable for my drive home, so my lunch break is spent very impatiently waiting for a $350 tyre to be fitted (that was a horrifying discovery - who knew "sports" tyres cost so much?) and then zipping off to the post office to post my entry. Except the post office isn't where it used to be.

So I drive to another post office (fortunately this one is still in existence) and my entry is finally - finally! - on its way.

And here we are four months later. Desperately checking my email.

The reason I so hope that I final in this competition, is because it's my rejected book. I entered prior to my R, and I would love for it to have a last hurrah. Because it was rejected, I know it's probably silly to hope it finals - obviously the reasons it was rejected are very real.

But still, it's nice to hope that my first book - which will always be special to me - may get its chance to shine.

eReader, eReader, eReader!

I have wanted an eReader FOREVER. Even more so since I borrowed a friend's earlier this year, but unfortunately there are very few (ie zero) available for sale in Australia. But just recently Borders and Angus & Robertson have started to sell the Kobo eReaders. I saw one on the weekend, and at $199 I can't resist...  I'll be able to read my own MS on it! And friend's MSs. Yay! And of course, actual published eBooks :) I'm particularly keen to read the new Carina Press releases.

I've watched some online reviews of the Kobo, and while it isn't perfect, it seems to be all I need.

So, I ordered one today. Now I just have to wait for it to arrive as patiently as I can manage.

Do you have an eReader? Is the Kobo a decent eReader? Any eBooks shops you can recommend when it arrives? (Woohoo!)

Great beginnings...

Hello from Sarawak, Malaysia! My work trip is going very well (and I bought so many clothes and shoes in KL!), but I'm looking forward to getting home. I fly to Singapore tomorrow, only for two nights, but will have time on Thursday night after work for some last minute shopping. And to think I'm not really a big shopper!

The best thing about being on a busy work trip, and the frantic panic that immediately precedes it, is that you forget about stuff that would otherwise be super important. Like guess-timating when the finalists for a writing competition that you desperately want to do well in will be announced.

Consequently I innocently checked my email a few days ago, and there it was: An email telling me I'm a finalist in the RWNZ Great Beginnings contest! I can't believe it - especially after the luke warm feedback I received from the Golden Acorn (it's the same chapter that was judged). There were 54 entries this year, so I'm feeling particularly thrilled. Congratulations to the other finalists - Diana Holmes (x2!), Sandii Manning, Judith Nolan, Rebecca Skrabl and Suzanne Webb.

Based on the feedback from both contests, I've revised my chapter and synopsis and today hit send on both of my entries. So now I get to sit back and try hard not to think about it! I've been doing some serious second guessing and have had moments of OMG IT IS CRAP, but it's done now, so all I can do is wait :)

Anyway. I feel like all my posts are terribly self absorbed bragfests... but I can't help it! I need to tell someone other than my boyfriend :)

Hello from Kuala Lumpur

I'm currently in KL for work, I have the most amazing view from my hotel room window - see!

I received some good news last week, I finalled in the Golden Acorn contest, my first US contest. Unfortunately the thrill of finalling didn't last long once I read the judge's comments. One judge pretty much hated the hero, heroine and story. Another judge was just a bit "meh" about my chapter, while the third judge was very positive. I actually don't know how I finalled, given only one decent score! But, regardless, much of the feedback is useful, and I have until Monday to make changes before it is submitted to HMB in London for final judging.

Will be difficult to focus on editing when I could be out shopping this weekend! Does anyone have any shopping or eating recommendations in KL?

(I know, Bad Leah. Need to write!)

Yaaaaaaayyyyyyyyyyyyyy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Remember how I finalled in the RWA First Kiss Competition? Well, I'm absolutely thrilled to say that I won! Cristien Hickey came second, and Alli Withers, third.

I received the phone call yesterday from the lovely organiser, Cath Evans. I was at work at the time, so had to run out of my open plan office to be quietly excited in the hallway :)

And, in even more exciting news, the HMB Editor who judged the fnalists has requested my partial and synopsis (and Cristien's, too). I'm really excited about this, and am madly writing and polishing this weekend.

I also hadn't realised that while there were six finalists, there were only three place getters. So my assumption from my earlier post - that I'd get to collect my certificate at the RWA Conference Dinner - was seriously premature! Oh dear.

I also received some feedback from the judging editor. There was some lovely comments about my writing, but it started off with "Despite a contrived set up" - ouch! So definitely something I need to work on. I trap my hero/heroine together on an island during a cyclone, which I suspect is the contrived bit. They are both on the island for a very good reason (driven by their separate individual internal conflicts), is that enough? Or is the cyclone too convenient?

I keep thinking of my rejection letter - where coincidences and contrived situations were a big problem. Any thoughts?

Luna at LoveCats - plus Romancing the West!

Oh wow, I can't believe it's been a month since I blogged! How did that happen?

I've had a busy month, although my word count has not shifted at all. How pathetic. I really need a kick up the bum!

Other than not writing, I spent a week in Sydney for a work conference (and managed to do a half decent conference presentation - only my second conference preso ever so really glad it went well), coming back just in time for Romancing the West. I had the most fabulous time, with some signifcant light bulb moments. I'll write a separate post about those, but for now - I'll just say that Fiona Lowe and Nikki Logan rock :)

I also had an amazing time catching up with Rachael Johns and Nikki Logan, and getting to know Janette Radevski better. Janette is absolutely lovely, and of course, I already knew that Rach and Nikki are awesome :) The photo is of Rach and I at the conference dinner.

In the last month I also submitted my lovely cat, Luna, to Cat Walk Wednesday at LoveCats Downunder. She's the featured pet this Wednesday, why don't you go meet her?