For years I have entered the PNWA writing contest for unpublished novels and while I have been a finalist three different times, I never won. So being a finalist for a fourth time in 2023 felt a little anti-climatic, because, you know, I never win.
Expecting another year of disappointment, I almost didn’t attend the awards banquet. I couldn’t see myself sitting through another dinner, clapping for everyone else, and wondering what winning might feel like. I knew all too well what not winning felt like–a heavy weight that settles in your gut and a stifling lack of motivation and energy.
Imagine my surprise when they called my name as First in Romance! Falling for Paris, the third book in the Crooked Creek Romance series came through for me with the win! Thank you to my characters, rodeo cowboy turned paramedic/firefighter Lyle Strong and P.A. Stiles (Paris Anne) a NYT Bestselling crime thriller author who has lost her muse.
If you are an aspiring writer, check out their contest. It is a great way to get feedback.
