Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award, Round 4

Well, my black-eyed pea luck finally ran out. My ABNA entry, Recalculating Route, was a casualty in the final 95% cut. It’s been a great run and I did get a nice Publisher's Weekly review out of it, so overall I’m pleased with my first writing contest.

Of course, I wish I could see the scores, to know just how close I was to the final five in my category. Did the finalists get all fives? Did it come down to tie-breakers? Is there a particular weakness I should work on? Maybe it’s better for all the quarter-finalists that we don’t know. We can tell ourselves that we might have just missed the cutoff, that if we work hard we can make it next year.

That’s the danger and the thrill. I’m hooked now. It’s like winning at bingo or slots on my first try. I can’t wait to try again. Fortunately, luck only plays a part in this gamble, so talent, hard work, and hours of writing and rewriting won’t be wasted. Even if I get knocked out in the pitch round next year, the extra motivation should result in a better book.

I also met some great writers on the forum, and I’ll continue to interact and keep in touch. They're not only talented, they’re special people and I’m honored to have spent time with them. Some of them may well be famous someday. In the meantime, I’ll keep writing.

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September Giveaway

It seems the November Giveaway link in the newsletter is sometimes landing people here. Click on the BLOG link on top and the November post will be on top. So sorry for the confusion. -Beth This month, I'm giving away a copy of AN ALASKAN HOMECOMING and a string of hearts bracelet to one lucky reader. (US only, if someone without a US mailing address wins, the prize will be two ebooks). You must be a newsletter subscriber to win. If you're not already subscribed, you can sign up HERE . You must be 18 or older. Void where prohibited. a Rafflecopter giveaway

February Subscriber Giveaway

This month, I've giving away a copy of AN ALASKAN FAMILY FOUND and a deck of Alaska-themed playing cards in a matching tin to one newsletter subscriber. (US only. If winner has no US mailing address, the prize will be two ebooks.) You must be a newsletter subscriber to win. If you're not already subscribed, you can sign up HERE . Must be 18 or older. Void where prohibited. a Rafflecopter giveaway AN ALASKAN FAMILY FOUND A temporary summer arrangement… Or their new forever? Alaskan peony farmer Caleb DeBoer can barely keep up with the weeds—let alone his willful teen daughter and being short-staffed at the start of wedding season. Luckily, sunny counselor Gen Rockford could really use a summer job and a place for her girls to live. Now what began as the perfect solution for Gen and Caleb is transforming into one unforgettable summer. But will one little secret ruin it all?

Snow Sculptures at Fur Rondy

Photo by Bill Roth / Anchorage Daily News Fur Rondy (short for rendezvous) is the annual winter festival in Anchorage, where residents fight cabin fever with activities like the snowshow softball, the running of the reindeer, and outhouse races. There are other activities too, like hockey, sled dog races, and a poker tournament. My favorite event in Fur Rondy as always been the snow sculptures . The frozen equivalent of sand castles, snow sculptures are, by their very nature, temporary. Beautiful, whimsical, or just funny, they’re created solely for the enjoyment of the artists and passersby. To bring a smile. Like the bloom of a daylily or a rainbow, their short life is part of their charm. It's easy to put off going to the Grand Canyon or the Statue of Liberty. They'll always be there, after all. But come spring, that snow sculpture will be gone forever, so we'd better enjoy while we can. They encourage us to live for today. What temporary pleasures have ...

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