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Wednesday, August 6, 2008

What's Up Wednesday


Exciting news! I'm a finalist in the PASIC Book of Your Heart contest! I'd entered the contest in May of this year, then promptly forgot all about it when I got my agent about a week later. I received the call yesterday that Knight's Curse made the finals and will be going on to the editor judge who'll make the final determination of the winner. Yes!

I don't enter contests very often, so this was a huge surprise. The contest is for romance novels and my book is urban fantasy with a romantic subplot, so all the more reason for my surprise. The final judge is Heather Osborn, editor with Tor, and she happens to be on my agent's submission list anyway. So my agent now has a nice segue already in place. Nice.

Knight's Curse is also being considered by a handful of other large publishing houses, so the waiting begins. Thank heavens I'm not a nail-biter. And I have Mystic Taxi to keep me busy.

Speaking of Mystic Taxi, here's a tidbit about New York City's turn-of-the-century past. You've heard the old-fashioned term "the joint is jumping," yes? Back in the late 1800s, early 1900s, people needing extra cash would often host rent parties, which featured entertainment like music and dancing for a small admittance fee. The apartments that held these parties were called "Jump Joints." I love that term! I'm definitely using it in the book. Ha!

6 comments:

Margay Leah Justice said...

Congratulations! That's awesome news.

CalicoKelsey said...

Congrats!
And 'rent parties' aren't a thing of the past, I went to one last week! Music, and a bowl of chips, all in order to make rent XD

Jolie said...

Hey, congratulations!

If you don't recognize me, that's because I just found you through Paperback Writer's LB&LI workshop links. I like your blog. :)

Liana Brooks said...

Great news! I'll keep my fingers crossed for you.

Esther.Jade said...

Well done Karen!

Karen Duvall said...

Thanks, guys! It was an awesome surprise. I don't care so much about winning as I do about getting a publishing contract. My agent just asked me if I'd started writing the second book in the series yet, and I haven't. It's plotted (what's plotting for me, anyway, which is pretty dicey) but not a word has been written of it. My plan was to make sure Knight's Curse sold first. Now I'm thinking I should get that second book going. Decisions, decisions! I'm so jazzed about Mystic Taxi that I don't want to set it aside.

Hey, Kelsey, thanks for letting me know rent parties are still happening. Are they still called Jump Joints, too?