RITA Here I Come

Well, it’s official, I entered the 2009 RITA contest with my December 2008 novella. Okay, okay, for the particular among you, Penny entered. Cindy (that’s me) doesn’t have a 2008-published book or novella to enter. Cindy is working hard to change that, but in the meantime Penny has to take up the slack.

Wish me luck. Not that I expect Penny to final. I do believe a Secrets novella has finaled in the RITA previously—like once—however, generally erotic romances have a tougher time finaling than do non-erotic romances. But! The point is, I had a novella to enter, and so I did. Yeah, me. Because, you see, the thing is, you have no chance in Hades of finaling if you don’t enter.

I’m not planning to attend the National conference in D.C. next summer. Financially, it’s just not in the cards. But I will say that I might have to attend if the novella finals. Two years ago, I said that finaling in the Golden Heart would be the only way I’d attend RWA Dallas in 2007, and then, wouldn’t you know it, I finaled. For the first time ever. You could have knocked me over with an empty cereal bowl! (Thank you to the pal who so graciously offered to share her hotel room with me at the last minute).

You know, after so many years entering the Golden Heart it still surprises me that the RITA costs less to enter. I wonder why? Anybody know? It’s ten bucks cheaper. Yes, published authors have to supply 5 copies of the book for the preliminary round and then another 5 copies for the final round, if one is so lucky as to make it there, so I guess the postage costs are higher. I know they’re scary from Canada—sending ONE Secrets volume to a friend in San Francisco this summer cost $11.00, and the book was $12.00 to buy. So the shipping for one volume was pretty much the same as buying the friggin’ book. That Canada Post, I tell ya. Grrrrr. But, other than postage costs and book-buying costs (Penny’s publisher doesn’t offer its authors crates of free author copies, so I bear the cost for books as well as postage for contests), I couldn’t tell you why the RITA is cheaper. Can you? (Not that I’m complaining, just interested…)

By Cindy

I'm irritated because my posts won't publish.

9 comments

  1. Good luck, Penny! Cindy, I’m working hard to change my unpubbed state too.

    I can’t tell you why the RITA is cheaper, but it’s the cost that’s keeping me from entering the GH. Too expensive. I wish they’d go electronic.

  2. Thanks for wishing Penny good luck! I was able to enter the RITA with a Cindy book last year (Borrowing Alex), but, alas, it didn’t final, although it did get a couple of great scores. Cindy is very bad about getting out one book a year, because Penny is taking up all her time. Penny is greedy; Cindy is patient. Cindy is also around the bend.

    Interesting comment on the GH going electronic. I wonder if that’ll ever happen?

  3. Oh, and Edie? As a former Golden Heart finalist, let me just say that the cost of entering pales in comparison to the excitement of finaling, so if you can swing it, do. The year I finaled, I’d entered 3 different manuscripts in GH, all mailing from Canada. Talk about a hefty sum. But was it worth it when I finaled? You betcha! Worth it in just the friendships alone I made with my GH 2007 sisters. And the final also got the manu a full request from SSE. Still haven’t heard its fate, though…

  5. Good for Penny for entering! Good luck! I entered the GH just because I can’t NOT enter anymore. A glutton for punishment, I guess. Unless I managed to final…

  6. Natalie,

    Now, how did I know that you’d have the answer?

    Lexi,

    Thanks. And good for you for entering the GH. Maybe this year is YOUR year. I don’t even want to tell you how many years I entered GH before I finaled…primarily because I don’t remember. It had to be at least ten (although not consecutively). Egad.

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