Delayed Celebration!

Wow, it's been a crazy couple of weeks! I spent most of last week in sunny Southern California (which wasn't so sunny at the time, but hey, hotel had a hot tub, so I'm not complaining!) for a work conference. And, okay, for some play as well... You know,

Eying the pretty fishies...

And then nomming the pretty fishies...

And in the midst of all this enjoyment, I received some even more exciting news...

I made it to the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award semifinals!!!!

Also I was in the middle of a crowded exhibit hall with a bunch of customers when I found out, so I couldn't scream and jump up and down because customers were busy asking me questions about overweight important books like Rocks for Dummies.* So I contained my squeeing, and saved it all up for you guys today.

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!

Phew. I'd been saving that up for a while. Especially since I read the Publisher's Weekly review of my novel...

"This exciting manuscript features a likeable, well-developed protagonist, a vividly drawn setting, and an action-packed plot in a short but engaging science fiction novel. Set in 2101 in a New York City built over the global-warmed flooded original, the protagonist is Darlene/Darryl, a homeless girl living as a male in a city where homelessness is outlawed. Framed for the murder of the mayor, she is on the run from the police and the mob. In desperation she turns to a stranger for help. Adita turns out to be the daughter of a senator and another target of the mob. Moving through the city at 100 mph and never knowing whom she can trust, Darryl soon realizes that her only hope lies in solving the mayor’s murder on her own. To do that she will have to enter the criminal underworld and the feared State Houses, concentration-camp like facilities where the homeless are sent. Darlene/Darryl is a complex and sympathetic character as is Adita. The story starts fast and never slows down, providing a non-stop thrill ride.The author paints a detailed image of a future New York, complete with sights, sounds, smells, and textures-- a remarkable achievement."

HOLY CRAP. I CAN DIE HAPPY NOW. Though, you know, maybe I'll try and wait to croak until after I get published first... :)

The semifinals brought the 5,000 of us who entered the YA category down to 50, so the competition's really heating up now. The next round will bring us down to 3 finalists, and then a vote determines the winner. Yikes. So odds are against me making it to the finals, but hey! Just making it this far has made me smile. Especially because this is my pet novel, the one that went through at least 10 different agent-requested revisions. Even though in the end, none of those agents offered on the novel, despite professing their love, I am grateful. Without their suggestions and input, I'm sure I never would've gotten such a great PW review.

So thanks to them, and thanks to all my readers, and my crit group, and yeah. Keep your fingers crossed for me? I'll be dying of anticipation until the finalist announcements in mid-May... :D

* Okay, so they're a bit higher level than that. Probably more like "Giant Encyclopedic Tome of BigWordBigWordBigWord Rocks for Super Intelligent Geologist People (Not You Ellen)"