This site is no longer associated with North Texas Romance Writers of America or the current Great Expectations Contest.
For Judge Training Purposes...it is under re-evaluation.
Wednesday, January 8, 2020
Wednesday, May 29, 2019
Great Expectations 2019 Results
PERMISSION to FORWARD is GRANTED and ENCOURAGED
North Texas Romance Writers of America
is proud to announce the
2019 Great Expectations Winners
Congratulations to all who entered and put your work in the hands of strangers.
Best of Luck to the finalists as they submit their work to our final round editors.
CONTEMPORARY SERIES
Final Round Editor: Brittany Lavery ~ Assistant Editor, HQN
FIRST ~ Debauchery by Kristine Charles
SECOND ~ Love on the Books by Betsy Gray
THIRD ~ Love by the Numbers by Lucy Lanier
HONORABLE MENTION ~ Teach Me by Kat Turner
HONORABLE MENTION ~ Teach Me by Kat Turner
FANTASY, FUTURISTIC & PARANORMAL
(Alternate Earth, Dystopian, Fantasy, Futuristic, Paranormal, Time Travel)
Final Round Editor: Kristine Swartz ~ Associate Editor, Berkley Publishing Group
FIRST ~ Deal With The Devil by Melissa Shirley
SECOND ~ Suspended in Silk by Kyra Dusk
THIRD ~ Tremors by Anastasia Abboud
HONORABLE MENTION ~ 2033: Ancestor Resurrection by Deborah DeHaemer
HISTORICAL
Final Round Editor: Elle Keck ~ Assistant Editor, Avon Books
FIRST ~ How to Steal a Kilt by Gina Conkle
SECOND ~ Fallen For The Earl by Amy Mackey
THIRD ~ The King’s Secret by Blake Ferre
FOURTH ~ The Sapphire by Courtney Scalo
HONORABLE MENTION ~ A Wild and Wooly Texan by Katie Barrett
SECOND ~ Fallen For The Earl by Amy Mackey
THIRD ~ The King’s Secret by Blake Ferre
FOURTH ~ The Sapphire by Courtney Scalo
HONORABLE MENTION ~ A Wild and Wooly Texan by Katie Barrett
INSPIRATIONAL
Final Round Editor: Raela Schoenherr ~ Acquisitions Editor, Bethany House Publishers
FIRST ~ Remember Not by Barbara Ellin Fox
SECOND ~ Abounding Hope by Cindy Stewart
FOURTH ~ Upon a Hearth of Steel by Amy Grochowski
MAINSTREAM with ROMANTIC ELEMENTS
Final Round Editor: Cat Clyne ~ Editor, Sourcebooks
FIRST ~ Stand-Up Guy by Miranda Darrow
THIRD ~ False News by Joan Koster
HONORABLE MENTION ~ Crocodile Tears by Kilby Blades*
THIRD ~ False News by Joan Koster
HONORABLE MENTION ~ Crocodile Tears by Kilby Blades*
ROMANTIC SUSPENSE
Final Round Editor: Lexi Smail ~ Associate Editor, Grand Central Publishing
FIRST ~ Spy Vs. Spy by P.A. DePaul
SECOND ~ Deadly Aim by Tracy Brody
THIRD ~ Hardwired by R.R. Taylor
HONORABLE MENTION ~ We Can’t Be Friends by Eliza Fyre
SINGLE TITLE
Final Round Editor: Cristina Lupo ~ Editorial Assistant, Forever and Forever Yours / Grand Central Publishing
FIRST ~ Love In An Elevator by Kilby Blades*
SECOND ~ Played by Melanie Bruce
THIRD ~ Under the Ice by Katherine A. Olson
HONORABLE MENTION ~ Opposites Attract by Jacqueline Lee
THIRD ~ Under the Ice by Katherine A. Olson
HONORABLE MENTION ~ Opposites Attract by Jacqueline Lee
YOUNG ADULT
Final Round Editor: Alice Jerman ~ Associate Editor, Forever / Grand Central Publishing
FIRST ~ Attractive Forces by Jackie Rutherford*
SECOND ~ When I Found Her by Allison Marlo Hay
THIRD ~ Periodic Attraction by Lana Pattinson
HONORABLE MENTION ~ The Other Brother by Jackie Rutherford*
HONORABLE MENTION ~ Types of Triangles by Jackie Rutherford*
HONORABLE MENTION ~ The Other Brother by Jackie Rutherford*
HONORABLE MENTION ~ Types of Triangles by Jackie Rutherford*
CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL GREAT EXPECTATIONS FINALISTS!
~Angi Morgan & Fenley Grant
2019 Great Expectations Co-coordinators
GECoordinator@NTRWA.org
NTRWAGreatExpectations.blogspot.com
www.NTRWA.org
Tuesday, February 26, 2019
2019 Great Expectations Finalists
Great Expectations
Finalists
PERMISSION
to FORWARD is GRANTED and ENCOURAGED
North Texas Romance Writers of America
is proud to announce the
2019 Great Expectations Finalists
Congratulations to all who
entered and put your work in the hands of strangers.
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
CONTEMPORARY SERIES
Final Round Editor: Brittany Lavery ~ Assistant Editor, HQN
Debauchery by
Kristine Charles
Love by the Numbers
by Lucy Lanier
Love on the Books
by Betsy Gray
Teach Me by Kat
Turner*
FANTASY, FUTURISTIC &
PARANORMAL
(Alternate Earth, Dystopian, Fantasy, Futuristic,
Paranormal, Time Travel)
Final Round Editor: Kristine Swartz ~ Associate Editor, Berkley
Publishing Group
2033: Ancestor Resurrection
by Deborah
DeHaemer
Deal With The Devil by Melissa Shirley
Suspended in Silk by Kyra Dusk
Tremors by Anastasia Abboud
HISTORICAL
Final Round Editor: Elle Keck ~ Assistant Editor, Avon Books
A Wild and Wooly Texan by Katie Barrett
Fallen For The Earl by
Amy Mackey
How to Steal a Kilt
by Gina Conkle
The King’s Secret by Blake Ferre
The Sapphire by
Courtney Scalo
INSPIRATIONAL
Final Round Editor: Raela Schoenherr ~ Acquisitions Editor,
Bethany House Publishers
A
Singular Truth by Loraine Nunley
Abounding
Hope by Cindy Stewart
Remember
Not by Barbara Ellin Fox
Upon
a Hearth of Steel by Amy Grochowski
MAINSTREAM with ROMANTIC
ELEMENTS
Final Round Editor: Cat Clyne ~
Editor, Sourcebooks
Crocodile Tears by Kilby Blades*
False News by Zara West
The Guardian’s Mark by Victoria Mencio
Stand-Up Guy by Miranda Darrow
ROMANTIC SUSPENSE
Final Round Editor: Lexi Smail ~ Associate Editor, Grand Central
Publishing
Deadly Aim by
Tracy Brody
Hardwired by R.R.
Taylor
Spy Vs. Spy by P.A.
DePaul
We Can’t Be Friends by
Eliza Fyre
SINGLE TITLE
Final Round Editor: Gabi Kelly ~ Editorial
Assistant, Forever and Forever Yours / Grand Central Publishing
Love In An Elevator by
Kilby Blades*
Opposites Attract by
Jacqueline Lee*
Played by Melanie
Bruce
Under the Ice by
Katherine A. Olson
YOUNG ADULT
Final Round Editor: Alice Jerman ~ Associate
Editor, Forever / Grand Central Publishing
Attractive
Forces by Jackie Rutherford*
The
Other Brother by Jackie rutherford*
Periodic
Attraction by Lana Pattinson
Types of Triangles by Jackie Rutherford*
Types of Triangles by Jackie Rutherford*
When
I Found Her by Allison Marlo Hay
CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL GREAT
EXPECTATIONS FINALISTS!
~Angi Morgan & Fenley Grant
2019 Great Expectations Co-coordinators
GECoordinator@NTRWA.org
NTRWAGreatExpectations.blogspot.com
www.NTRWA.org
Monday, February 25, 2019
Saturday, February 2, 2019
WE NEED JUDGES
The entries are out to the judges.
ALL CATEGORIES !!
Didn't receive any? CONTACT ANGI directly.
Haven't signed up?
We can use your help.
Sunday, January 27, 2019
Tuesday, January 22, 2019
The 2019 GE ~ Open through January 27th
We might have had a rough start in 2019...but don't give up on us.
We have seven categories and seven great final-round editors.
Send in the first 5,000 words of that RWA Golden Heart entry for some feedback. At least three judges will read your entry and give you their opinions. ALL for just $30.00 !!
Check out our individual pages tab with all the information you need. Deadline for entry is Sunday January 27th (ish).
If you have any trouble, don't hesitate to send the coordinators an email: GEcoordinator@ntrwa.org.
We have seven categories and seven great final-round editors.
Check out our individual pages tab with all the information you need. Deadline for entry is Sunday January 27th (ish).
If you have any trouble, don't hesitate to send the coordinators an email: GEcoordinator@ntrwa.org.
Tuesday, January 1, 2019
Tips & Articles for the Writer
In no particular order...we have tried to group by subject.
NTRWA does not endorse or benefit in any way from the purchase of any material. The resource materials have been collected by members, judges and contestants to help writers improve their craft.
BOOKS
~ ~ ~
NTRWA does not endorse or benefit in any way from the purchase of any material. The resource materials have been collected by members, judges and contestants to help writers improve their craft.
BOOKS
- The Chicago Manual of Style
- Scene and Sequel by Jack Bickham
- The Emotional Craft of Fiction by Donald Maass
- Goal, Motivation, Conflict by Debra Dixon
- The Power of Point of View by Alicia Rasley
- The 38 Most Common Fiction Writing Mistakes (And How to Avoid Them) by Jack M. Bickham
- The Lie That Tells a Truth by John Dufresne
- Elements of Fiction Writing: Scene and Structure – by Jack M. Bickham
- Elements of Fiction Writing: Conflict, Action & Suspense by William Noble
- Self-Editing for Fiction Writers: How to Edit Yourself Into Print by Renni Browne and Dave King
- The Emotion Thesaurus: A Writer’s Guide to Character Expression – by Angela Ackeerman and Becca PuglishA sample of the book can be found here.
ON-LINE RESOURCES
- The Editor's Blog (super resource)
- Fiction University
- Writer's Digest
- Seekersville (archives on lower right-hand side)
- Romance University
- The Editor's Blog (Full Archives)
- Purdue On-Line Writing Lab
- Editor Rent (list of subjects in lower right corner)
- Writers Helping Writers
- Romance Tropes by Mindy Klasky
- Writing 4 Success by Marg McAllister
- Writers Helping Writers Thesaurus Collections
- Writer's Tools ~ free downloads available for example:
Character Arc Progression Tool (PDF)
Setting exercises (PDF)
Character Profile Questionnaire (PDF)
FORMATTING
SCENES & SETTING
- Master scene types for Page-Turning Plots
- Unforgettable Writing All 5 Senses
- Setting Thesaurus
- Hooking Your Reader by Cami Tang
- Secrets of Story Structure by K.M. Weiland
- Dealing with passage of time by Janice Hardy
AUTHOR INTRUSION
- Author Intrusion Pitfalls by RITA winner Roni Loren
- Author Intrusion -- Writers.com
- Deep POV by Barbara Wallace
BACK STORY
- Back Story on Seekerville by Janet Dean
- Back Story by Jane Friedman
- Back story with a dump by Janice Hardy
- Early Hints of Backstory by Kathryn Craft
BASIC WRITING MISTAKES
- 8 Basic Writing Blunders by Jerry B. Jenkins
CHARACTERS
- Introducing Characters
- Whose Story Is It? by Marg McAllister
- Unforgettable Writing All 5 Senses
DESCRIPTION
- Setting Thesaurus
- Helping or hurting the story? by Janice Hardy
- Mapping Your Story’s Setting by Sara Letourneau
DIALOGUE, DIALOGUE TAGS / ATTRIBUTIONS
- Dialogue
- Use & Misuse
- Another Take on Dialogue Tags
- Common Writing Mistakes
- Don’t Explain
- Using Italics to Show Thoughts by Marg McAlister
- Dialogue and Tension | Bringing Scenes To Life by Marylee MacDonald
EDITING
- As,said and doing, knew, because, things started or began #2
- Debbie’sediting checks
- Take a book from good to sold
- Master scene types for Page-Turning Plots
FILTER WORDS & WORD CHOICE
- An Introduction to Filtering by Michael R. Emmert
- Keep Readers Close To Action
- Grammar Slammer
- Names in fiction
- 1000 Strong Verbs
- Weak words
NON-VERBALS
POV
- Passive Voice
- Deep POV: What's so Deep About It?
- Deep POV
- MalePOV
- Bring out emotion in first person POV
- Choosing a POV Character
- How to Choose POV
- Becoming Your POV Character
- Reading minds(as if, as though)
SHOW vs TELL
- Why show don’t tell is a myth
- Show and tell--Not just a Game we Play
- Show Don't Tell
- Show (like Sherlock Holmes)
GE JUDGING TIPS
Here are the shortcuts to all the pages:- WHY ARE YOU JUDGING?: http://bit.ly/GE_WhyBeAJudge
- 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
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
Please feel free to send suggestions to the GEcoordinator@NTRWA.org
~ ~ ~
Most of the opinions on judging and interpreting the questions’ intent are my own words. I’ve been in the business over 15 years and have spoken to many authors, gathering information. A lot of the time when a question is asked, I go to authors who publish in that genre for advice. Please use your own expertise and experience, but keep our humble interpretations in mind.
~Thanks, Angi Morgan
Contributions and edits by Fenley Grant.
Saturday, May 12, 2018
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*
(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*
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
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
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
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
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
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
Sunday, March 4, 2018
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
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
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