So, yeah. I’m a finalist for the inaugural RWA Vivian awards . . .
I got a phone call . . .
It’s on the RWA’s website . . .
I even tweeted about it, so why doesn’t it feel real?
But there’s no other word for it. I’m stunned.
My category is “Most Anticipated Romance” and is for unpublished manuscripts. I’m writing-buddies with some of the other nominees and am ecstatic to be in the same group as them.
In my prior blog post, I chatted on and on about the journey from Burning Caine‘s first revisions, all the other things I’ve been writing, and how the querying process didn’t swing my way. In fact, I’d been planning to make huge revisions based on the little critique I’d received from agents. I’d even started making them!
So now, I’m sitting on a book that readers and judges are telling me they liked. What now?
Do I have to put some of the imposter syndrome away and listen to this nomination? Believe it?
Is this a sign from the universe that I should self-publish?
I mean, when I started writing, I heard lots of anecdotes from friends and family who knew people who’d self-published a book. I poo-pooed the idea, figuring traditional publishing was the only way to go. But the more authors I connect with, the more I learn about self-publishing, the more I realize that it’s a perfectly viable option.
I’ve been considering it for some time. There’s an appeal to the idea of being able to write what you want when you want. Put it out in the world so much faster than traditional. Get higher royalties.
Be. In. Control.
But wow, there’s so much to learn! So much to do!