Holy poop - I'm a RITA winner!

by Laura Drake

This stuff does NOT happen to me. Seriously. I keep thinking that this is the BEST kind of dream, and I'm going to wake up. I find myself staring at 'The Lady' like she's going to disappear.

The Sweet Spot double finaled - but I knew with a crowded field (including huge names like Jill Shalvis and Nora) that I had no shot. I had such an incredible conference, that I thought it would be greedy to want to win, too. I was living on adrenaline all week, and the Best First Book was the very last category. I was zoned out, seeing my headshot and my book on the jumbo screen when Nora (yes, THE Nora) announced the winner. I screamed, my agent, Nalini, screamed and hugged me. I screamed more, and she told me I had to 'get up there'. Oh, yeah.

Shaking, dreading a wardrobe malfunction, I walked to the stage. Some friends of mine who know me were discussing in the bar the night before, how I was likely to trip on my dress, fall, and knock my front teeth out (they know me well). So I took my time, and made it up the stairs without mishap.

They handed me the statue - damn, she's heavy! (6.2 lbs - not like I weighed it or anything) Then I walked to the podium, where NORA HUGGED ME!!!  I pulled my index card out of my cleavage and everyone laughed. Hey, the dress was pocket-challenged . . . where was I supposed to keep it?!

I stumbled through my speech with only a couple of notable screw-ups. Not bad, considering I was breathing like a buffalo!

I'm so incredibly grateful, to RWA, as well as all the people who've congratulated me, many of whom I didn't even know.

Here's a link to my amazing, spastic moment in the spotlight.

Now I'm home, and 'The Lady' has a place of honor. 

Cinderella has returned to cinders. I'm doing laundry and cleaning kitty litter. Sigh.

All I can do now is try to 'pay it forward' by encouraging others.

Oh yeah, and try to write a better book.