From the RWA National Website:

2007 Golden Heart Romantic Suspense Finalists

To see all the finalists, click here.

Have I ever mentioned how much I hate having my picture taken? If not, let me say it clearly:

I hate having my picture taken!

I have to have this Golden Heart picture turned in to the RWA office by Monday. Needless to say, it’s been a major headache. (I know, poor me. But really, this is tough.) First of all, between my DH’s work schedule, baseball practices and life in general, finding time to get my picture taken either professionally or by the DH has been a nightmare. Add to that the fact my hormones chose this week to wig out on my face and the fact I had to wait to get an appt to get my hair done, oh and that I’ve been watching my nephew which means an added kid around the house – and you can see my frustration. Not fun.

So today, since DH was working from home and the weather was cooperating, I had the hubby snap some photos of me while the kids were napping. Let me just say…DH has no photographic skills whatsoever. He’s a great guy, but the camera is not his friend (or mine when it’s in his hands). We went outside. He took a bunch of photos in the park behind our house. All turned out like crap. I decided to change my clothes because maybe it was the shirt and not his skills. No go. The next set was equally (if not more) awful. Seriously. Heinous pictures of me. Must be that whole blinded-by-love thing because in every photo I have a stupid look on my face. Definitely not GH photo-material.

So, in a moment of despair, when I sent the DH back to his office and said “yeah, whatever, I’ll make due,” I handed the camera to my four year old and said, “Here. Snap some photos of mommy.” And guess what? Turns out HE has photographic skills!!! (Unlike his dad).

So, without further ado….here’s the photo (taken by my four-year-old) that I’m planning to send in for the GH:

What do you think? Joan’s going to photoshop it up for me and make me look pretty. I’m hoping she can take about ten years and ten pounds off. Wishful thinking? Probably.

So let’s see…how did I celebrate my GH final placement? I got sicker than a dog. Yup, lucky me. Just before I got the call I was starting to feel rather ill, and was hit full-force with the worst case of food poisoning on the planet just after I hung up the phone. That spilled into Monday, where I laid in bed all day and begged my DH to just put me out of my misery. It was that bad. He, of course, said no, he wouldn’t slit my wrists for me (as I had no energy to do it myself), because that would leave him alone with the three Gremlins. And he wasn’t doing the single parenting thing alone just because I ate some bad fish. Men. They never do what you want them to do.

Aside from getting well, I’ve been dealing with conference “stuff”. Stuff like…oh, trying to find a room in Dallas. The conference hotel filled up nearly three weeks ago (don’t even get me started on how stupid that is. I’m pretty sure it didn’t fill up until some time in April or May last year. Does early March strike anyone else as excessively early?!). Seems like every other hotel in downtown Dallas is also filling up unusually fast. I’ve been checking airfare, finding out which of my chapter mates are really going to Dallas after all. Did I mention it’s spring break here and my Gremlins are all home? Oh, and that DH had a procedure on his back yesterday so he’s home too? Yes, lots going on.

I also got my GH “official” packet in the mail yesterday. Complete with my little gold heart pin. To which my mother (who was here at the time) looked at it and said, “Hm. It’s not real gold.” (That’s me just shaking my head). Of course, I bit my tongue because since I wasn’t planning on going to Dallas this year and now am, I need her to babysit during the day while DH is working. So yesterday I was trying to butter her up for that. And do you know what the woman did? She got smart. Resorted to blackmail. I think her exact words were, “Okay, I’ll babysit for you if you finally let me read this book. No book. No babysitting.” Argh…I have hedged this whole mother-reading-my-book thing for quite some time, but now I think I’m really stuck. Crap. I have to print it for her now!

In addition to all the conference stuff (and mother stuff), I have to get a picture turned in to RWA by Monday April 9th. Which means I have to get my hair done (hate going to do that) sooner than I’d wanted. And I have to find someone who has patience to take my photo. (I really hate having my photo taken.) Because I am the photographer in the family, there are no recent photos of me. I may have to take Piper up on her suggestion to come take my picture.

All grumbling aside, I really have to say I’ve been so amazed at the number of people who have mentioned my finaling in their blogs or who sent me personal congrats emails. Each and every one of your comments meant so much to me. And a big, huge, special thank you to my wonderful CP, Joan, who revamped the home page of my website to include news of my 2007 GH Final. J, you truly are da bomb. I love you!

Okay…I’ll stop rambling now. I obviously need more coffee. Hope your day is well.

I just got the call that my manuscript – Make Me Believe – finaled in the Romantic Suspense category of the Golden Heart!!!!