I've been nominated for an Emma Award

What a wonderful day!  I woke to the news that I’m a 2013 Emma Awards finalist for Debut Author of the Year.  What a tremendous honor. There are so many wonderful authors listed as finalists this year that I’m humbled to see my name listed among them.

For those who don’t know, the Emma Awards is THE premier awards event for readers and authors of Black romance and it’s held annually during the Romance Slam Jam Conference.

A serendipitous thing happened before any of this, which caused me to contacted my elderly mother and seek reassurance about the next steps in my writing career.  She listened as only she could and offered her special brand of motherly southern wisdom. She said everything I needed to hear to continue to work diligently on my writing.  It was a full circle moment for us.

She was the one that sat quietly with me every night as I fought for my life and now she cheers the loudest as the names of the Emma Award finalists were announced. What a happy day!

I sent heartfelt congratulations to all of the 2013 Emma Awards Finalists listed below:

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Suspense of the Year
A Lover’s Sin Ramsey Tesano III by AlTonya Washington
Inferno by Maureen Smith
Teach Me by Iris Bolling
Temptation Rising by A.C. Arthur

Sequel of the Year
Just One Taste by Celeste O. Norfleet
Seduction’s Shift by A.C. Arthur
Sultry Nights by Donna Hill
Surrender to a Donovan by A.C. Arthur

Steamy Romance of the Year
Any Way You Want It by Maureen Smith
Inferno by Maureen Smith
Pleasuring the Queen by Yvette Hines
Teach Me by Iris Bolling

Hero of the Year
Brent Thatcher (If I Had You by Michele Monkou)
Mike Hughes (Stolen Heart by Deatri King-Bey)
Sean Donovan (Surrender to a Donovan by A.C. Arthur)
Zachary Davenport (Teach Me by Iris Bolling)

Heroine of the Year
Diamond Lassiter (Teach Me by Iris Bolling)
Kalina Harper (Temptation Rising by A.C. Arthur)
Nikita Coles (Just One Taste by Celeste O. Norfleet)
Taylor Paige (Stolen Heart by Deatri King-Bey)

Cover of the Year
Just One Taste by Celest O. Norfleet
Pleasure Rush by Farrah Rochon
Stolen Heart by Deatri King-Bey
When Morning Comes by Francis Ray

Debut Author of the Year
Angeline M. Bishop
Daphne Douglas
Harmony Evans
Heather Rodney-Diaz
Judy Lynn Hubbard

Book of the Year
If I Had You by Michele Monkou
Just One Taste by Celeste O. Norfleet
Pleasuring The Queen by Yvette Hines
Stolen Heart by Deatri King-Bey
Teach Me by Iris Bolling

Author of the Year
A. C. Arthur
Iris Bolling
Maureen Smith
Yvette Hines