Why I’m Glad I Opened this Email

On Friday morning I received an email with a subject line of one word: ‘Congratulations’. Now for most of you wary computer users, seeing the word congratulations from an address you don’t recognize sets off all kinds of alarm bells. Does the email contain a Trojan, or worm, or malware hidden inside just in time to screw up your day (and it was Friday the 13th remember).

But I opened it and promised not to click on any links inside (cause that’s how they get you).

Instead of a computer virus or declaration that I won a trip to some tropical island with ‘no strings attached,’ I found out that SENTINEL LOST, book 5 in my Mind Sweeper Series is a finalist for paranormal romance in the Booksellers Best Awards this year. Yippee!

And it got me thinking about my stories. How even though I sent SENTINEL LOST out into the world last year, that doesn’t mean that my work is done. Yes, I just introduced my new wedding planner series, but Kyle and my Cleveland-based supes are far from finished telling their stories. They continue to entertain new readers and I will be writing new stories in my Mind Sweeper Universe as well.

So it was a huge honor to find out that SENTINEL LOST is a finalist. Gave me a boost. (Believe or not, we writers need to get a boost every once in a while.) The winners will be announced at RWA Nationals this year in July and I’ll be there with my fingers crossed.

Don’t you worry, I’ll let you know how it goes!