I recently received a phone call, followed by an email message that begins with:
Dear Roxana Arama,
Congratulations! You are a finalist in the 2017 Pacific Northwest Writers Association Literary Contest. You should be very proud as PNWA received close to Eight Hundred contest entries from all around the world. An agent or editor will be selecting the first, second and third place winners in each category.
I entered the Historical category of the PNWA Literary Contest in February 2017 with The Wedding Bell, my speculative novel. I’ll be pitching to agents and editors at their literary conference in July, and being a finalist could only help in that nerve-racking process.
Update 07/25/2017: I did not win an award at the conference, but I met interesting people, learned new things, and pitched my novel to agents.
Well done, Roxana. I couldn’t be happier for you!
Max, so great to hear from you. Are you still in Seattle? I miss writing with you at the tables…
It’s about time!
Good work.
Thanks, Jerry!
Roxana: this is good news. I hope you come away with the prize and an agent picks up the series.
Thanks, Jack. These are all big ifs, aren’t they? For now, I’m glad my writing moved the PNWA readers enough to flag it for finalist. I’m now waiting for their critiques, which will help me further improve my book.
That’s wonderful, Roxana! So excited for you!
Thank you, Lori! Great to hear from you.
Roxana! This is so exciting! Huge congratulations to you! :)
Thank you so much, Elise!
Roxana! What exciting news! Congratulations to you!
Congratulations, Roxana! You’re a fabulous writer. I’ve got my fingers crossed for you.
Thanks, Arleen. I miss writing with you.
Congratulations, Roxana! This is absolutely wonderful news! I hope to see your book in my bookstore soon! You are amazing!
Thanks, Jan. Always wonderful to hear from you.
Congratulations, Roxanne. This is huge. You will almost certainly get published. I am so proud to know you and to have written at the tables with you. Betsy
Thank you, Betsy. There’s still a long way to go. Maybe we’ll see each other at the tables again.
Ma bucur si tin pumnii! Bafta multa in iulie!
Multumesc, Ioana. Am nevoie de noroc acum.