Congratulations Pip!

I'm thrilled to tell you (if you don't already know from other blogs) that one of my personal picks for the RNA New Writers' Award, Phillipa Ashley, was named the winner on Wednesday night for her wonderful Little Black Dress book Decent Exposure. Congratulations, Pip! Not only will she be over the moon with her win, but her second book with Little Black Dress, Wish You Were Here, is out this month. My copy's been sitting on my Amazon wish-list for some time, and I'm really looking forward to reading it.

The judges said some lovely things about my book, HAUNTED HEARTS. Here are their comments:

We really fell for Sam and his struggles with the violence in his past. We also loved the heartwarming, open-minded heroine and her problem-solving approach to life. In the best gothic tradition, there is a delicious haunted house, which is pivotal to the plot. You know there's Something Going On right from the path to the front door, although once inside the atmosphere builds with satisfactory slowness. Oh, and we loved the cat!

I received a lovely certificate and prize from the award sponsor, Dr David Hessayon, and a beautiful bunch of pink and cream roses from the RNA. I get the warm fuzzies every time I read the judges' comments and I'm already planning to frame my certificate and put it up in the entrance hall where everybody will see it :)

In other cool news, I saw the midwife this morning and Flump has started to engage him-/herself -- hurrah!