Kay Hudson

When I got home from work this evening, I found a small box in my mailbox, from the RWA® National office.  It contained my invitation to the RITA® and Golden Heart® Finalists reception on Juy 27th, the Friday afternoon of the RWA conference, and my Golden Heart finalist pin.

The pin isn’t all that impressive as jewelry goes, just a little gold heart-shaped lapel pin suitable for wearing on a badge holder.  Pretty much like this one.  But receiving one is a Big Thrill.  And receiving a second one is, well, validating.

When my historical manuscript Paper Hearts made the Golden Heart finals last year, I was stunned.  For weeks, I went back to look at the list on the RWA site, sure that sooner or later someone would realize there’d been some gigantic mistake, and my name, title, and picture would disappear.   But I stayed on the list, went to the conference in New York City, and had a wonderful time, made just that much better by that little gold heart pin and the Golden Heart Finalist ribbon attached to my badge.

When I got The Call this year I was excited, delighted, thrilled, but not quite so stunned as last year.  First Times are hard to match in some areas of life.  This year I didn’t wake up in the morning thinking “Oh, wow, I’m a Golden Heart Finalist.”  Well, maybe once or twice.  But in another way this second time has been even better.  I’m a seasoned veteran now.  I know, mostly, what to expect.  My finalist this year, Bathtub Jinn, is a paranormal romance, and I feel more comfortable in that category.

Most of all:  Once might have been a fluke.  Twice is real.