2018 Great Expectations Winners

The North Texas Romance Writers of America Chapter

is proud to announce the

2018 Great Expectations Contest Results

Congratulations to all who entered and put your work in the hands of strangers.

*denotes multiple finalist

CONTEMPORARY SERIES

Final Round Editor:  Brittany Lavery ~ Assistant Editor, HQN 

First Place: Fallen Comrade by Jillian David

Second Place: Stealing Her Heart by Tanya Agler

Third Place: Just for Kicks by Keri Kelly

Honorable Mention: Second Time Around by Danielle Haas*

FANTASY, FUTURISTIC & PARANORMAL

(Alternate Earth, Dystopian, Fantasy, Futuristic, Paranormal, Time Travel)

Final Round Editor:  Kristine Swartz ~ Associate Editor, Berkley Publishing Group

First Place: An Enchanted Superhero by Melanie McCarthy

Second Place: Breathtaking: Resurrection by Olivia Ryder

Third Place: Fated Bond by Meagan Watts

Honorable Mention: A Moment After Dark by Janet Raye Stevens*

HISTORICAL

Final Round Editor:   Elle Keck ~ Assistant Editor, Avon Books

First Place: Appetites and Vices by Felicia Grossman

Second Place: Captain of My Heart by Karla Kratovil

Third Place: To Steal a Highland Heart by Pamela Labud

Honorable Mention: The Arrangement by CK MacKenzie

INSPIRATIONAL

Final Round Editor:  Raela Schoenherr ~ Acquisitions Editor, Bethany House Publishers

First Place: Secondhand Wife by Kaylene Greenig

Second Place: Final Call by Connie Queen

Third Place: Remember Not by Barbara Ellin Fox

Honorable Mention: The Memory of Blue by Emily Blackwood

MAINSTREAM with ROMANTIC ELEMENTS  

Final Round Editor:  Marla Daniels ~ Assistant Editor, Simon and Schuster

First Place: The Map with No Names by Kristin Judy (Full Request)

Second Place: True Courage by Kathryn Barrett

Third Place: The Baby Between Us by Nicole Hohmann

Honorable Mention: Ruin of Souls by Hunter Skye

ROMANTIC SUSPENSE         

Final Round Editor:   Lexi Smail ~ Assistant Editor, Grand Central Publishing

First Place: Grounded by Danger by Danielle M. Haas*

Second Place: Trouble on Her Trail by Janalyn Knight

Third Place: Matched with Murder by Danielle M. Haas*

Honorable Mention: Prime Maple by Chess Kendle

SINGLE TITLE            

Final Round Editor:   Gabrielle Kelly ~ Editorial Assistant, Grand Central Publishing

First Place: On the Rocks by Kayla Brite

Second Place: Cole for Christmas by Janet Raye Stevens*

Third Place: The Courtship of Valentina by Rebecca Smith

Honorable Mention: The Billionaire’s Prince by Angelina M. Lopez

YOUNG ADULT 

Final Round Editor: Alice Jerman, Assistant Editor, HarperCollins

First Place: Unseen by Rachel Scott

Second Place: Below the Surface by Arel Jansen

Third Place: Our Red String by Kimberly MacCarron

Honorable Mention: All the Stars in the Ocean by Jennifer Camiccia

CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL GREAT EXPECTATIONS FINALISTS!

Fenley Grant

Amanda Byrd

Carolyn Rae

Susan Person

2017 Great Expectations Co-chairpersons

GECoordinator@NTRWA.org

NTRWAGreatExpectations.blogspot.com

www.NTRWA.org

2018 Finalists

The North Texas Romance Writers of America Chapter

is proud to announce the

Great Expectations 2018 Finalists

CONTEMPORARY SERIES

Final Round Editor:  Brittany Lavery ~ Assistant Editor, HQN 

Fallen Comrade by Jillian David

Just for Kicks by Keri Kelly

Stealing Her Heart by Tanya Agler

Second Time Around by Danielle Haas*

FANTASY, FUTURISTIC & PARANORMAL

(Alternate Earth, Dystopian, Fantasy, Futuristic, Paranormal, Time Travel)

Final Round Editor:  Kristine Swartz ~ Associate Editor, Berkley Publishing Group

A Moment After Dark by Janet Raye Stevens*

An Enchanted Superhero by Melanie McCarthy

Breathtaking: Resurrection by Olivia Ryder

Fated Bond by Meagan Watts

HISTORICAL

Final Round Editor:   Elle Keck ~ Assistant Editor, Avon Books

Appetites and Vices by Felicia Grossman

The Arrangement by CK MacKenzie

Captain of My Heart by Karla Kratovil

To Steal a Highland Heart by Pamela Labud

INSPIRATIONAL

Final Round Editor:  Raela Schoenherr ~ Acquisitions Editor, Bethany House Publishers

Remember Not by Barbara Ellin Fox

Secondhand Wife by Kaylene Greenig

The Memory of Blue by Emily Blackwood

Final Call by Connie Queen

MAINSTREAM with ROMANTIC ELEMENTS  

Final Round Editor:  Marla Daniels ~ Assistant Editor, Simon and Schuster

The Baby Between Us by Nicole Hohmann

The Map with No Names by Judy Kristin

Ruin of Souls by Hunter Skye

True Courage by Kathryn Barrett

ROMANTIC SUSPENSE         

Final Round Editor:   Lexi Smail ~ Assistant Editor, Grand Central Publishing

Grounded by Danger by Danielle Haas*

Matched with Murder by Danielle Haas*

Prime Maple by Chess Kendle

Trouble on Her Trail by Janalyn Knight

SINGLE TITLE            

Final Round Editor:   Madeleine Colavita ~ Associate Editor, Hachette Book Group

The Billionaire’s Prince by Angelina M. Lopez

Cole for Christmas by Janet Raye Stevens*

The Courtship of Valentina by Rebecca Smith

On the Rocks by Kayla Brite

YOUNG ADULT 

Final Round Editor: Alice Jerman, Assistant Editor, HarperCollins

All the Stars in the Ocean by Jennifer Camiccia

Below the Surface by Arel Jansen

Our Red String by Kimberly MacCarron

Unseen by Rachel Scott

CONGRATULATIONS
TO ALL THE

FINALISTS!

Best of Luck to the finalists as they submit their work to our final round editors.

*denotes double finalist, listed in alphabetical order by title

PERMISSION TO FORWARD is GRANTED AND ENCOURAGED

~Amanda

Amanda Byrd

2017 Great Expectations Co-chairperson

GECoordinator@NTRWA.org

NTRWAGreatExpectations.blogspot.com

www.NTRWA.org

Friends, we need your help.

We’ve sent notices to the four corners of romance. . . but we need more judges.

Would you consider judging one or two entries OR forwarding our plea to any writing organization you’re a part of?  

If you don’t feel qualified, take a look at what a first-time judge had to say:

“This is my first time judging for your contest, and I have to say that truly, this was the most positive judging experience I've had. Your resources and blog training were so helpful, and the emphasis on positivity and constructive criticism nearly brought tears to my eyes. In particular, seeing your post on all the judge comments you've received - for a book that was bought by Harlequin with no edits - really helped me as a writer. I enter a lot of contests, too, and there have been several where the judges forgot that I was a human being. One most recently was rough, but judging in this contest really vindicated that experience. Thanks for doing such a great job organizing, training, and encouraging both entrants and judges.” Brandi S.

Please send your friends here to our blog site to sign up. Or pass along our direct link: 

Sign up here: http://bit.ly/NTRWA_GE_JudgeForm

We hope you can help,

~Angi

NTRWA GE Judge Coordinator

Our judge training is posted on-line for convenience but also so the entrant can review the tips.

The training is reviewed each year.
Changes are made to the original posting.

Here are the shortcuts to all the pages:

• WHY ARE YOU JUDGING?: http://bit.ly/GE_WhyBeAJudge
• Writer Tips: http://bit.ly/NTGE_WriterTips
• INTERNATIONAL WRITING DIFFERENCES: http://bit.ly/GE_InternationalDiffrences
• LOGICAL ACTIONS: http://bit.ly/GE_LogicalActions
• PACING: http://bit.ly/GE_Pacing
• POV SHIFTS: http://bit.ly/GE_POVshifts
• WORD OVERUSE: http://bit.ly/GE_WordOveruse
• WRITING STYLES: http://bit.ly/GE_Style
• Judge Training 101-THE SCORE SHEET: http://bit.ly/GE_JT101_TheScoreSheet
• Judge Training 102-COMMENTS: http://bit.ly/GE_JT102_Comments
• Judge Training 103-THE OPENING: http://bit.ly/GE_JT103_Opening
• Judge Training 104-SETTING: http://bit.ly/GE_JT104_Setting
• Judge Training 105-STYLE & TECHNICAL SECTION: http://bit.ly/GE_JT105_Style
• Judge Training 106-PLOT: http://bit.ly/GE_JT106_Plot
• Judge Training 107-CHARACTERIZATION: http://bit.ly/GE_JT107_Characterization
• 2018 The Scoresheet...ALL Specific Sections: 
• Contemporary Series (CS) Scoresheet: http://bit.ly/GE_CS_Scoresheet
• Fantasy / Futuristic / Paranormal Scoresheet: http://bit.ly/GE_SR_Scoresheet
• Historical Romance (HR) Scoresheet: http://bit.ly/GE_HR_Scoresheet
• Inspirational Romance (IR) Scoresheet: http://bit.ly/GE_IR_Scoresheet
• Mainstream with Romantic Elements (MRE) Scoresheet: http://bit.ly/GE_MRE_Scoresheet
• Romantic Suspense (RS) Scoresheet: http://bit.ly/GE_RS_Scoresheet
• Single Title Romance (ST) Scoresheet: http://bit.ly/GE_ST_Scoresheet
• Young Adult (YA) Scoresheet: http://bit.ly/GE_YA_Scoresheet

We're always interested in articles about editing, how-to-write, constructive shortcuts or inspiration. Please feel free to send suggestions to the GEcoordinator@NTRWA.org

DEADLINE EXTENDED

THE NTRWA 2018 GREAT EXPECTATIONS CONTEST DEADLINE HAS BEEN EXTENDED TO

JANUARY 31, 2018, MIDNIGHT, CENTRAL TIME

Our Contemporary Series Romance category is ONE entry short of qualifying as a category, so we’re extending the entry deadline for ALL CATEGORIES to Wednesday, January 31, 2018 at Midnight, Central time.

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS (See website or blog for details on entry format)

·                5,000 word entry limit, instead of page count

·                NO synopsis or blurb

Finalists will be asked to include an unjudged synopsis for editors.

DEADLINES & FEES

FEES:

·       $25 for members of North Texas and DARA chapters of RWA

·       $30 for all other entrants

NEW DEADLINE:

·                WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 31, 2018-Midnight, Central Time: Entry and payment must be received

CATEGORIES & FINAL ROUND EDITORS

CONTEMPORARY SERIES ROMANCE

Brittany Lavery ~ Assistant Editor, HQN

Romantic series novels. If your manuscript is a series romantic suspense, you may enter the Contemporary Series category or the Romantic Suspense category. Please check our score sheets to see which benefits your writing. 

HISTORICAL ROMANCE

Elle Keck ~ Assistant Editor, Avon Books

Romantic novels with non-contemporary settings, including regency & gothic romances. 

INSPIRATIONAL ROMANCE

Raela Schoenherr ~ Acquisitions Editor, Bethany House

Romantic novels with an inspirational message/theme, including romantic suspense, historical, etc. 

MAINSTREAM with ROMANTIC ELEMENTS

Marla Daniels ~ Assistant Editor, Simon and Schuster

Novels that include an element of romance but in which traditional romance conventions are not followed and in which there are themes and conflicts beyond romance. Mainly women’s fiction and chick lit. 

ROMANTIC SUSPENSE

Lexi Smail ~ Assistant Editor, Grand Central Publishing
Romantic novels that include an element of mystery or suspense. Since the final round editor will be from a single title publisher, contestants may want to enter series romantic suspense in the contemporary series category.

SINGLE TITLE ROMANCE

Madeleine Colavita ~ Associate Editor, Hachette Book Group
Romantic, contemporary novels released as individual titles. 

SPECIALIZED ROMANCE

Kristine Swartz ~ Associate Editor, Berkley Publishing Group

Romantic novels of any time setting (historical or futuristic) with Alternate Earth Histories, Dystopian, Futuristic, Fantasy, Time Travel, Paranormal or Urban Fantasy. Please keep in mind that the emphasis should be on the romance. 

YOUNG ADULT

Alice Jerman ~ Assistant Editor, HarperCollins 

Novels appropriate for young adult readers. Includes young adult heroes and heroines not exceeding 18 years of age. 

Erotic Romance – Do to a continued lack of entries, we've had to cancel the Erotic Romance category. Erotic entries can now be made in any category. Please indicate EROTIC in the header and on the entry form heat level. Please review our score sheets to see if your entry will benefit from comments.

Questions? Contact our Contest Chairs at GECoordinator@NTRWA.org

For more information or to enter, go to http://ntrwagreatexpectations.blogspot.com or http://www.ntrwa.org/contest/contest.aspx