Cycling, Wine, and Men Honored as Book Award Finalist

Most days I hope for good things to happen and settle for the every day world continuing on. Today was different. This morning I had the BEST news ever in my email box!

I am writing with great news! Your book has been named a Finalist in the Memoirs (Other) category of the 2011 Next Generation Indie Book Awards.  Congratulations!

And not only was my book a finalist in the Memoir category but also the Travel category. Wow! My book a finalist in a book award contest? Now, I’ve won many awards in my life: age group medals in t-shirt races, trophies in speech contests, even a plaque from the SBA as Small Business Media Advocate. Yet, writing is something that is so dear to my heart, something I aspire to do well.

Years ago when I took a writing class with a particularly harsh teacher, she would review my drafts and send them back with red marks everywhere and harsh comments for me when she told me how flawed my writing was. I was a much more fragile writer at the time, and her words stung me deeply. I remember after one class I felt so badly about my writing that I thought I should drop the class and not write anymore.

More than any other pursuit, writing is close to my soul. So achieving finalist status in a book contest is an honor that is deeper than a medal or a sticker on my book. It validates that maybe I have a little bit of talent at this after al.

I feel very humbled and so grateful for this opportunity and exposure. I’m headed to New York City to a reception at the Plaza Hotel later this month. I feel a little like Cinderalla getting to go to the ball. Thank you to all my friends and fans for your support of me. I appreciate all of you.