Subject: This Is Now Book Buyers Best Winner

For Readers

Hi Friend,

This Is Now Wins BBB 1st place!

Last Saturday was an exciting day. I attended the OCRW awards and birthday bash. My novel This Is Now was a finalist in the mainstream with a central romance category.

I attended the event to reconnect with writers that I haven't seen in a long time, and to meet new people. I was ready to cheer for my novel, but all authors know that every book chosen as finalist is great, so I didn't have any expectations of my novel in coming in first. I just wanted to have fun and get out of the house for a while, and of course to cross my fingers and hope for the best.

I was pleasantly surprised when This Is Now was called as a 1st place winner!!

Thank you to all the contest judges and contest coordinators.

Congratulations to all 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners in all categories.

ORANGE COUNTY ROMANCE WRITERS IS PROUD TO ANNOUNCE THE 2022 BOOK BUYERS BEST CONTEST WINNERS

Showcasing the shining excellence of published authors in novella and novel-length romance fiction and mainstream fiction with a central romance

CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE

1st Place: The Agent by Nancy Herkness

2nd Place: Hotel King by Claire Marti

3rd Place: Once Upon a Royal Summer by Teri Wilson

HISTORICAL AND REGENCY

1st Place: Scandal’s Choice by Leslie V. Knowles

2nd Place: Chasing Scandal by Leslie V. Knowles

3rd Place: Lily by Kathleen Bittner Roth

INSPIRATIONAL

1st Place: Held for Ransom by Kathleen Tailer

2nd Place: A Life Redeemed by Olivia Rae

3rd Place: Seeking Sanctuary by Susanne Dietze

MAINSTREAM FICTION WITH A CENTRAL ROMANCE

1st Place: This is Now by Julia Amante

2nd Place: Sworn to Fly by Maria Imbalzano

3rd Place: Partner Pursuit by Kathy Strobos

PARANORMAL/TIME TRAVEL/FANTASY/FUTURISTIC ROMANCE

1st Place: Alpha’s Moon by Sabrina Silvers

2nd Place: The Binding Stone by Lizzy Gayle

3rd Place: The Scarlet Oak by Carolina Montague

ROMANCE NOVELLA

1st Place: Send Me by Anna Grace

2nd Place: Blue Moon and Starry Nights by Ryan Jo Summers

3rd Place: Red Velvet Crinkles and Christmas Sprinkles by Maria Imbalzano

ROMANTIC SUSPENSE AND MYSTERY WITH ROMANTIC ELEMENTS

1st Place: Rogue Christmas Operation by Juno Rushdan

2nd Place: Before the Dawn by Gail Chianese

3rd Place: Alaskan Christmas Escape by Juno Rushdan

YOUNG ADULT

1st Place: This is For Tonight by Jessica Patrick

2nd Place: What Lies Beneath by Marissa Doyle

3rd Place: Butterflies and Characters by Liz Hsu

Celebrating with Lesley Knowles

Leslie and I have been long time members of the old Orange County Chapter of Romance Writers. It was nice to see her at this event. She won first and second place in the Historical and Regency category for Scandal's Choice and Chasing Scandal.

To celebrate THIS IS NOW, the ebook is available for the rest of October for 50% off to newsetter subscribers only.

Since THIS IS NOW would not exist without THAT WAS THEN, it is also on sale.

Follow the links below:

THAT WAS THEN sale

THIS IS NOW sale

Join my free FB Book Group

If you like to discuss books, join my FB book group to talk about all books, not just mine.

Have you read This Is Now? Consider leaving a review on Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Goodreads. Reviews help authors, so it would be your good deed for the day.

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Or your favorite online bookstore

For Writers

Ten Things I've Learned About Writing

Get your writing done early in the morning.
End your day by writing
Go to writer’s conferences to be among other writers.
Being alone with my thoughts is the best part about being a writer
Research is necessary even when you don’t like it.
Exercise and take breaks and drink water
Follow the rules, but not too strictly
Writing gets better with each rewrite
If you can’t think of what to write next, step away.
Take your time with you story. This isn't a rac,

Visit my Medium article for details on each of these steps. Or if you prefer, watch the YouTube video linked below.

On Fridays, I post new videos with writing advice on YouTube. The 10 Things I've Learned About Writing is this week's video.

If you are just starting out as a writer or you've ever said, "I'd love to write a book" then visit my How to Write a Book group on Facebook to read more of my blogs about writing for free, and to chat about your project and ideas with others.

Or if you want to be walked through the writing process, my course The Easy Tell Your Story Course for Beginners is a great place to start.