Sawyer's Rose is a Golden Heart Finalist for 2015!!!!!



I hadn't thought about submitting Sawyer's Rose for the Golden Heart until someone at GRW asked me if I was going to enter. So I read up on the rules and did a little work on Sawyer's Rose and got it submitted by the deadline, really on a whim. I figured, what the heck, I will at least get more feedback on the story if nothing else. I was so certain it would never make it to the finalist listing that I didn't even take a look at what day the finalists would be announced. Seriously, until I went to lunch with a group of ladies after the March GRW meeting I had never paid it any attention. Thanks Tanya Michaels, who happened to mention her nerves were on end about Thursday's announcements of the Rita Finalists. Of course being new to this contest I asked if they announced the Golden Hearts on the same day. Yes she told me. OK, so between Sat. and until Thursday morning the possibility sat in the back of my mind. Naahhh,  I told myself as I am a new author and I still have so much to learn that there is no way I will place nationally. But I did leave my cell phone on at work, just in case ya know. Well, that darn cell phone rang loud and clear in my pocket while I was alone in my office. I jerked it from my pocket and took a look. Long Distance. This can't be happening:
"Hello?"
"Is this Kim, Kim Turner?"
"Yes."
"Well, I am calling from RWA....


I can't even remember what I said from there. All I had to hear was RWA...I knew they rest of the story. They don't call you if you don't final. My knees went weak, my hand to my mouth and the tears began and I was visibly shaking as we hung up. I sat the phone down afterwards and continued my little cry of happiness wiping tears that would not stop. I was sorry I was in my office alone. I needed to scream and tell someone! So after the tears I did that and then called my husband and lost myself to tears again. Then I got myself together and called my Critique Partner, Maggie. I really do not even remember what I said. I had teased Maggie before that I wasn't planning on New York Nationals with RWA but should Sawyer's Rose final and win, that she would have to do my acceptance speech. Honestly, I never thought this would happen. So...I figure it this way. When Sawyer's Rose was entered into the Golden Heart it was an unpublished work and the contract didn't come until later and so due to this, I can no longer be a Golden Heart Finalist after this event. I GOTTA GO TO NEW YORK!!! I booked my conference ticket on my lunch break and my hotel later that night. Airfare will come after we get our family plans in order for this summer.


SAWYER'S ROSE: Maggie Finalist, Golden Heart Finalist, and this story will be published soon by THE WILD ROSE PRESS. Somehow I am living the fact that dreams do indeed come true.