Some might call it a method
Every year about this time, I go through the should-I-or-shouldn’t-I? angst about entering my books in contests. On the one hand, historically my stories don’t exactly rock the contest circuit (Because they’re too out of the mainstream? Because they suck? Who knows.), but as my publisher freebies are now threatening to take over my house even more than all those catalogs, I figure I might as well do something more constructive with them than rearrange them every few months. Of course, entering the RITAs is a given, never mind the huge depression I go through every year when I don’t final. And I seriously doubt anyone’s sales figures have ever spiked from winning a regional contest. But still. All those books, so little space. . .
Anyway, my latest Romance Writers Report came today, and I found seven — seven! — published author contests I could, in theory, enter. I say in theory because a) I don’t have that many copies of my books lying around, and the thought of buying extra books to toss at contests makes my head spin, and b) at $25 bucks a pop, seven contests ain’t gonna happen. However, since I seem to be incapable of making a decision today (whether to order pizza or get Chinese nearly did me in), I thought I’d just download all the entry forms and figure out which books to send where — if at all — later.
Except here’s what happened: Of the seven contests, three entry forms either weren’t up on the chapters’ websites and/or required me to actually send a snail mail for more info/an entry form (as if), or wouldn’t print. And another couple, upon a half-second’s reflection, really weren’t worth the bother. So that left two. Two is doable. For both of my 2005 books, even. And that leaves me money/books for a couple more down the road, should the mood strike.
The rest of my life should fall into place so easily.
Karen,
Your books do NOT suck! I was one of the first readers who gushed over _Playing for Keeps_ at AAR. That book should have finaled at the very least, but as in all things, other’s mileage may vary.
I have just emerged from a several months long reading slump (illness related) and one of the first things I did was to order three of your books (brand new) from Amazon. Two out of three have already shipped — yay!
Karen, I think you are one of the top five contemporary romance writers out there, and I firmly believe your day will come.
Hang in there,
Carol
Comment by Carol — October 29, 2005 @ 5:05 am
Well, you just cured MY anxiety disorder, LOL! Thanks so much, not only for picking up the books, but especially for the much-needed ego boost (she said, replying to this at 1:30 a.m. because she couldn’t sleep
).
Hope your illness blechs are behind you?
Comment by Karen Templeton — October 29, 2005 @ 7:36 am
Karen,
You are most entirely welcome. It’s nice after all the hours of pure enjoyment your writing has given me to be able to return the favor in even a small way. (I know. I sound like such a suck-up, LOL, but I really mean it.)
Oh, the joys of insomnia. I thought I was done with the worst of it when I went through menopause, but then came chemo — yuck! There is no insomnia worse than chemo insomnia, and if there is, I hope never to know it!
I had surgery for early stage breast cancer (those monthly self-exams are EVERY bit as important as mammmography) followed by six months of chemotherapy designed to search and (God willing) destroy any and hopefully all possibly lurking cancer cells, followed (unfortunately) by a dvt (deep vein thrombosis) just a month after chemo. (I never knew a human leg could get that big without exploding!)
And now, three months after all of that, and coming up on the anniversary of my breast biopsy next month, I am truly on the road to recovery — I am walking a mile every day, and my last bloodwork was so totally good that my oncologist has cut me loose for three months.
Life (and God) is so good!
But yeah, hopefully, my illness blechs are behind me. That was the short answer I probably should have sent, but I’m up late too, surfing, reading my favorite blogs,
and talking to my dh who is in London — love that 8 hour time difference!
Carol
P.S. This all probably falls into that “too much information” category, but it feels so good to be getting back to normal — at least what is now “normal” for me — that I just can’t help it.
Comment by Carol — October 29, 2005 @ 9:14 am
Karen,
I agree with Carol. You’re an awesome writer. Swept Away is one of my only Keepers from this year. And I toally agree about Playing for Keeps. Your books are wonderful because the people are so real.
Carol, you are an inspiration.
Comment by mary beth — October 29, 2005 @ 3:44 pm
Mary Beth, smootches to you, too (and no, I swear I did not pay anybody to pad my blog with compliments, LOL!).
And Carol — my word, you really have been through the mill recently! You poor thing! I’m so grateful to hear that the worst seems to be behind you, though. Here’s wishing you many health-issue free years!
Comment by Karen Templeton — October 29, 2005 @ 5:26 pm
Karen and Mary Beth,
Thank-you so much for your kind words. Karen, as they say, “from your mouth to God’s ears!”
Basically, I’m doing everything I know to do to keep my life as healthy as possible. The rest is in God’s hands, and that’s a good place to be!
Mary Beth, it’s always fun to hear from writers that are “new to me”. I’ll be looking for you.
Carol
Comment by Carol — October 29, 2005 @ 7:22 pm