On Saturday, June 10, my husband and I attended the gala award ceremony in Colorado Springs for the 32nd Annual Colorado Book Awards. Joining us for moral support were my publisher Karen Wyatt of Sunroom Studios with her husband Larry and my friend and fellow writer Leigh Girvin with her partner Carl.

As the finalists and winners were announced in each of the sixteen categories I breathed a sigh of relief. The competition was stiff, too stiff. Other finalists had had works published in the New York Times, The New Yorker, The Los Angeles Times, Ploughshares, The Atlantic. No way could my debut novel compete. I relaxed and enjoyed my glass of wine.

The “Poetry” category was announced and I began to feel queasy. “Romance” would follow “Poetry.” (Hmmm that could be the title of my next novel). Then, the finalists of the “Romance” category were read off … and All the Flowers of the Mountain was declared the winner!

I am humbled to be a chosen as a winner among this amazing group of writers. And so grateful to Colorado Humanities and the Center for the Book for this honor. If only I had not looked so goofy accepting it. 🙂