In every romance novel, there comes a time when you aren’t sure the couple is going to make it. In a well-written one, your readers are in tears because they are convinced the couple’s not going to make it. And let’s be honest ~ it’s the break-up that keeps things interesting, anyway.

Think you can bring us to tears? Send in your best break-up scene, and find out. Full details can be found here: Alaska’s Break-Up Contest

Good luck, and happy writing!

Then the last two days happened. In just those 48 hours, I’ve realized it’s time. First, I found a love note from DH. He’d tucked it into my work notebook, among my papers and scribbles, for no reason at all. It was just one of those things he does – a random act of romance. Kind of like that new blog I want to write… oh yeah…

Then just yesterday, Delilah Marvelle tweeted “Who is up to writing from now to 4 pm Pacific?  We’ll do a page count at 4 pm”. Now, Delilah and I haven’t spoken in a very long time, but there she was, at the very top of my twitter feed. Yesterday wasn’t a good day for me to take her up on her challenge, so I replied “wish you were doing this tomorrow. I could use the motivation!” ~ and she took me up on it.

Suddenly, I had empirical evidence for random romance, motivation, and accountability. It is, apparently, time to get back to work. Stop flirting and get serious.

Watch this space for updates about the new books. Head over to the new blog, Random Acts of Romance, for details and ideas. It’ll be another fun ride. For now, though, I need you to excuse me. I’ve got books to write.

ALASKA CHAPTER of ROMANCE WRITERS of AMERICA presents: A Contest for Unpublished Manuscripts.

The 4th annual
Alaska Break-Up Contest
Every year, here in Alaska, we undergo a phenomena we lovingly call Break-up. It’s when the ice and snow finally melts away, and the darkness of long winter nights gives way to even longer summer days. Do you have a break-up scene or dark moment in your romance manuscript? If so, we would love to see it.

1: Submitted manuscripts must be unpublished, and must be received by midnight May 1st. 2011
2. Enter your best break-up or darkest moment scene. Entry must not exceed 10 pages. All categories and heat levels welcome.
Please include a set-up scene (1-3 pages) to assist judges in understanding entry selection. Set-up scene will not be judged.
3. You may submit more than one entry. Each entry must be separate and complete with appropriate fees and signed agreement.
4. All submissions will be judged by AKRWA trained judges, RWA PRO members, and published authors. Final winners will be judged by Ellora’s Cave Publisher Raelene Gorlinsky
 . Winning entry will be submitted for a personal critque by New York Times Best Selling author Cherry Adair.
5. All submissions will be returned to author with judges’ comments.
6. Submissions must be accompanied by signed agreement and payment by PayPal.
7. Winners will be announced on the AKRWA Web site by July 1, 2011.
8. Entries received after May 1, 2011 will be disqualified and returned unopened.
9. See Submission Guidelines for details on how and where to submit entries.

PRIZES:
Winning manuscript will be submitted to: New York Times Best Selling author Cherry Adair.
• All entrants will receive a beautiful certificate of participation.
• All judges are trained, PRO members and/or published authors.
• All authors will receive at least three score sheets with valuable judges’ comments.
• To see examples of the score sheets, visit the contest page on our Web site at:
http://www.akrwa.org
SUBMISSION GUIDELINES
Manuscript Requirements:
• Entries must be prepared in accordance with common publisher’s standards (double
spaced, one inch border, 12 point type e.g., Courier/Times New Roman/Arial).
• Header on each document shall include title, category and page number.
• Please do not include author’s name anywhere on the actual entry.
• Your entry must represent a break-up or darkest moment scene.
• All entries must meet the RWA standards of romance writing.
• Entries that do not comply with the listed requirements will not be scored.
Submit:
1)Electronic submissions only:
2)Manuscript and setup scene in RTF. In addition, your completed entry form and entrant’s agreement in a separate file.
3)Payment by PayPal. Each entry, $30.00. Submit PayPal orders to: treasurer@akrwa.org.

E-mail submissions to: contest@akrwa.org

And honestly, I think I get why the decision may be particularly hard. On the one hand, it’s a really good book. Probably the best of the three. On the other hand…the first two books aren’t selling very well. Sales for the first one, FALLING IN LOVE, shrinking may have been anticipated. But sales for the second, FALL INTO ME, have never been good. Mind you, I know why. Because of the situation I was in when the second one came out, I wasn’t able to market it well at the time. Sales have always shown that. *sigh* Industry standard is that it would be very difficult to market it in mainstream venues at this late date. So, I’m marketing it here. And over at Facebook. And twitter. And anywhere else I can think of.

So go ahead, click here or here or, yes, even here. Buy books! Leave comments! You know you want to…

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The guy is Zay. We’ve been friends since he was 21. We are an odd pair and we will both admit it. After all, I do this for a living:

He does this for a living:

But we work in our own weird way. Today is his 30th birthday.

Happy Birthday.

This year, I am the same age Polly was when she was first diagnosed with breast cancer. I admit; it threw me. All will be well. There is absolutely no reason to think otherwise; this was simply another yearly exam. And it was a good reminder.

Women, get your annual exams. Men, remind the women you love to get their annual exams. It’s too easy to catch early. There’s no reason not to see your doctor once a year. Stick around to celebrate many more holiday seasons.