Celebrating the Dream

Another ACFW conference behind us. They go by in such a whirlwind of fun, excitement, learning, fellowship, business, and sleep deprivation that it is hard to remember all that happened. I had to crawl into my cave for 24 hours to recoup, and I'm just starting to get my voice back.

One thing we've learned to look forward to, though, is when Barbour gets to encourage the unpublished authors by announcing our intent to contract one or more of them during an ACFW session. I think it may have been 2003 (the second year of the annual conferences) when Tracie Peterson started this tradition (I'll have to ask her if she remembers what year exactly). This year, as Susan noted, we surprised 3 authors with contract announcements.

It was at least a year or more ago when I started talking to Annalisa Daughety about her idea for a contemporary romance. We've gone back and forth on it, trying it in first person POV then third. Finally I took it to our team and was told that she would be a great Barbour fit. You see, her story settings are all in national parks, which fits Barbour's way of marketing. I was told to contract by August, but I put the team off so I could tell Annalisa at ACFW -- and I think it was worth the surprise. Love Is a Battlefield will be the first of 3 in the "Walk in the Park" series to release in October 2009.

Annalisa was also recognized for this book in the Genesis contest for unpublished authors, winning first in contemporary romance.

Now watch for something special from Marcia Gruver, last year's recipient of a 3-book contract, whose first book releases this October.