Harlequin Letterhead...

So I got my first peice of Harlequin letterhead the other day and it's really pretty. A good weight, expensive paper, matching envelope. I held it in my hands thinking 'this is really very light, a single piece. It has to be a rejection'.
It wasn't!
Back in November I sent two query letters and they've asked to see a partial! I can't tell you how stupid I looked dancing around the living room, trying to avoid killing myself and cutting short a prospective career in romance on the kids toys. Doug's constant threat of a hidden camera didn't even occur to me as I jumped up and down and squealed like an idiot.
So now the real hard work begins. The letter didn't actually specify which of the two queries they requested so I'm going to send them both. Yay! So I'm busy polishing and getting the advice of my crit group and driving myself mad with worry that they won't be up to scratch. In the meantime, I sent my historical off to Dorchester, full MS, so I'm going to be balanced on a knife's edge for the next few months. I just keep thinking how awesome it would be to get a contract or an offer before my birthday this year. It would make up for the totally crappy and eventless 2009. Not that I'm saying it will definitely happen. I know how fickle this business is but I'm a few steps closer than I was a few steps back and it makes me soooo excited, I can barely sleep.
On the competition front, I have two in the Chicago North, Fire and Ice, a chicklit and my historical. Also two in the RWA, Little Gems comp too. At least with all the other bruhaha, I haven't had to stress about the Emerald, which I'm thinking I didn't final because I probably would have heard by now. But it's okay. With all the other news, the disappointment will barely register.

Now I can't wait for the new year to go away and February to arrive. I miss the monthly meetings with SARA (South Australian Romance Authors) and I can't wait for May when the Roadshow comes back to Adelaide with the talented Miss Anna Campbell one of the presenters. Then there's the conference in Coogee Beach as well. It's going to be a cracker of a year and I'm looking forward to every second of it!