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What I'm writing in YEAR OF THE DOG

I just finished writing Year of the Dog ! It had a massive plot hole that I had to fix which turned out to be more work than I expected. Here’s a snippet: “Hey, Auntie Nell.” He wrapped his arms around her, bussing her on the cheek and breathing in pikake flowers and shortbread cookies. And suddenly he was nine years old again, and her solid presence had made his chaotic world stable once more. “What are you doing here?” He usually took her to dinner on Wednesday nights, but today was Tuesday. The edges of her smile faltered a little before brightening right back up again. “What, I can’t visit my nephew?” She angled around him to enter his home. “Is this your new house? Looks lovely.” Which was a blatant lie, because the fixer-upper was barely livable, much less acceptable to a neat-freak like his aunt. She also left four matching pink and purple floral suitcases on the stoop behind her. Only then did Ashwin notice the cab driver standing slightly to the side of the walkway. “Can ...
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2008 ACFW Genesis contest finalists

Captain's Log, Stardate 04.08.2008

Congratulations to all the finalists of the 2008 American Christian Fiction Writers Genesis contest for unpublished writers!

Chick lit/mom lit/lady lit:
Annalisa Daughety
Tiffany Kinerson
Sara Richardson
Lynda Schab
Erica Vetsch

Contemporary Fiction:
Christina Berry
Dan Case
Lynne Gentry
Jennifer L. Griffith
Jim Rubart

Contemporary Romance:
Annalisa Daughety
Kathleen Haynes
Cara Slaughter
Sandra van den Bogerd
Linda Yezak

Historical Fiction:
Yvonne Anderson
Lori Benton
Mona Hodgson
Christina Miller
Rachel Moore

Historical Romance:
Patty Smith Hall
Myra Johnson
Allison Studer
Erica Vetsch
Karen Witemeyer

Mystery/Suspense/Thriller:
Ed J. Horton
Melanie L. Jones
Janice Olson
Donna Alice Patton
Jane Thornton

Romantic Suspense:
Dani Pettrey
Kelly Ann Riley
Julie Scudder
Jane Thornton
Jenness Walker

Sci-Fi/Fantasy/Allegory: (there are six finalists because there was a tie for the 5th finalist spot)
Lynda K. Arndt
Valerie Comer
John W. Otte
Jim Rubart
Chawna Schroeder
Stuart Stockton

Women’s Fiction: (there are six finalists because there was a tie for the 5th finalist spot)
Heather Goodman
D’Ann Mateer
Sara Richardson
Linda Rondeau
Cynthia Ruchti
Kristian Tolle

Young Adult:
Kasey L. Heinly
Stefanie Morris
Susan Miura
Janet Rubin
Carla Stewart

This is my favorite part of coordinating this contest. Now the finalists have two days to revise their entries and get them back to us before we send them to the final round judges:

• Contemporary Romance: Tamela Hancock Murray, Hartline Literary Agency, and JoAnne Simmons, Barbour Publishing

• Historical Romance: Melissa Endlich, Steeple Hill, and Rebecca Germany, Barbour Publishing

• Romantic Suspense: Joyce Hart, Hartline Literary Agency, and Emily Rodmell, Steeple Hill

• Women’s Fiction: Beth Jusino, Alive Communications, and Stephanie Broene, Tyndale

• Chick/Mom/Hen/Lady Lit: Rachelle Gardner, Wordserve Literary Group, and Ahna Phillips, Eames Literary

• Suspense/Thriller/Mystery: Susan Downs, Barbour Publishing, and Kelly Mortimer, Mortimer Literary Agency

• Contemporary Fiction: Janet Grant, Books and Such Literary Agency, and Chip MacGregor, MacGregor Literary

• Sci-Fi/Fantasy/Allegory: Steve Laube, the Steve Laube Agency, and Andy Meisenheimer, Zondervan

• Historical Fiction: Sue Brower, Zondervan, and Charlene Patterson, Bethany House Publishers

• Young Adult: Barbara Scott, Zondervan, and Annie Tipton, Barbour Publishing

The winners will be announced at the 2008 ACFW Conference in Minneapolis, Minnesota!
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Comments

Lynda Lee Schab said…
WOO-HOO! I'm so thrilled and honored to be included in the list of finalists. Thanks, Cami, for everything you do! You do such a fantastic job as coordinator.
Now it's off to make those changes before returning my ms for final round judging. Yikes! :-)
Tue Apr 08, 06:15:00 AM 2008
Anonymous said…
Thanks, Camy, for ALL you do to encourage writers and for ACFW.

Blessings and more.
Tue Apr 08, 09:13:00 AM 2008
Myra Johnson said…
Camy, I agree, you are truly amazing! Thanks for your dedicated efforts to make the Genesis the outstanding contest it has become. I'm so proud to be counted among the finalists! Congratulations to all!
Tue Apr 08, 10:33:00 AM 2008
Christina Tarabochia said…
And it's back into cyberspace. Eight hours early, too! :-)

I'd like to thank Camy for letting me pretend to be her friend, for always believing in me and the other 1499 members of ACFW, and for inspiring us all to greater knitting and card stamping.
Wed Apr 09, 05:02:00 PM 2008
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