The Wonderfulness that was RT

Myself, Tee Tate, Tina Moss, and Yelena Casale

I struggled so much over this post because I wasn't sure how to write it. Attending RT was very emotional for me, in a wonderful way. Like many of you writers out there, I've struggled to break in with each book that I have written, and eventually went indie after having an agent and failing to sell to editors due to many of them already having filled their 'paranormal list' for the time.

If you follow myself or Tee Tate on Facebook or Twitter then you may have heard the news that the RT Book Lover's Convention was amazing for me in many ways. First, I had the opportunity to meet many of my online friends in person for the first time. They were just as fantastic in person as they are on line, a rare and wonderful thing. And...*dramatic pause*... I had the phenomenal good luck to win second place in the RT Convention's American Idol Author Competition. While the RT website says only the first place winner will receive agent mentorship, this year all top three placers are receiving it! That means I have a year long mentorship with the fabulous, and I mean Fabulous with a capital F, Nicole Resciniti of Seymour Agency and Louise Fury of the Bent Agency. These ladies are amazing and so incredibly sweet.

I've entered many contests over the years and have never won. But I kept writing and I kept striving to improve. It finally paid off in a HUGE way. Not only did I win the contest but everyone I pitched to while I was there asked for either a full or partial. I can't tell you how many times I've watched things like this happen to others and wondered what I needed to do to accomplish such a wonder. Now I know. You just need to keep writing, most importantly keep striving to improve your writing, and then get out there and try-Hard. The work isn't over though, it's just beginning, so off to editing for me!