One of the 2006 finalists is getting interviewed for the newspaper, so Trish and I thought it would be fun to do our own interviews. Go to her blog to read mine!




1) What did you do when you got the news?

I was on the road headed for Atlanta and had stopped at a rest stop just over the Georgia state line. I was actually in the bathroom about to wash my hands when I got the first call. The second came as I was driving down the interstate, and I managed to knock the hands-free earpiece to my cell phone out of my ear while trying to answer. I’m going, “Hang on, whoever you are!” Luckily, she didn’t hang up.

2) Who was the first person you called/e-mailed/told in person?

Maureen Hardegree. She’s one of my Noodler buddies and is also president of Georgia Romance Writers. She’d called me earlier to see if I’d finaled because she was going out to buy roses for all the chapter members who’d finaled. I’d previously told her that no, I hadn’t, so I called her back and asked, “So, you bought those roses yet?”

3) How did your family react? (I’ve heard of children who said something like, “Gee mom, that’s great. What’s for dinner?”)

My husband was happy for me. My sister said, “Cool!”

4) Why did you enter this manuscript?

Both finaling manuscripts were complete at the deadline. ☺ Both were new entries for me, and I was hopeful that finaling would give them an extra little push toward possibly being bought.

5) To what do you owe your success? (copious amounts of chocolate, etc.)

Chocolate’s good, but I’d have to say hard work, perseverance even when it was really hard to keep going, and a very supportive husband.

6) In addition to practicing your Golden Heart acceptance speech, do you practice accepting any other major awards? (e.g.: An Oscar? A Grammy? A Nobel?)

I have to admit to fantasizing about the Oscar speech. I’m a big movie lover and would like to be an extra in a movie someday, preferably a big western.

7) In event you win, can we expect an exuberant, life-affirming acceptance speech (a la Roberto Benini’s Life is Beautiful speech), a tearful, endearing acceptance speech (a la Julia Robert’s Erin Brokovich speech) or a boring, politically-motivated speech (a la Micheal Moore accepting anything)?

Well, since I’ve actually done one of these and made people cry, I’d say the Julia Roberts type. It’s just so important to me to thank the people who support me in my writing, day in and day out, friends that I wouldn’t even have if not for writing.

8) If on Golden Heart night you could wear any Oscar dress that’s been seen on the red carpet, which one would it be?

The black-and-white vintage Valentino Julia Roberts wore when she won the Best Actress Oscar for Erin Brockavich. To see it: You can see it here.

9) If you could be escorted by a famous hunk to the Golden Heart award ceremony, who would it be?

Brad Pitt. Yes, I know he’s a bit on the outs because of the whole Jennifer-Angelina thing, but did you SEE him in Mr. and Mrs. Smith?



10) Is there a negative side to finaling?

The fact that there are so many talented writers out there, many of them friends, who didn’t. The day the calls go out to finalists is a mixture of elation (if you final) and sadness (for all the great writers who didn’t).