The North Texas Romance Writers of America chapter is proud to announce that the

2018 GREAT EXPECTATIONS CONTEST is open!

EARLY BIRD FEES END AT MIDNIGHT, CENTRAL TIME
DECEMBER 31, 2017!

The Great Expectations Contest is for unpublished material, to include works from unpublished authors as well as unpublished works from published authors (if you are a published author, please see the 2018 Rules for details.)

Now in its 17th consecutive year, North Texas RWA can help you receive unbiased opinions from three qualified judges on the first 5,000 words of your story. The top four scoring entries (or five, in the event of a tie) will progress to the finalist stage of the contest, where top editors from leading publishing houses will determine the winners.

THE ENTRY!

• 5,000 word entry limit instead of page count
• NO synopsis or blurb (finalists will have the opportunity to include an unjudged synopsis for the editors)

DEADLINES AND FEES

Early Bird Dates and Fees:

November 30, 2017 to midnight (Central Time) December 31, 2017

FEES:  

• $20 per entry for North Texas and DARA Chapter Members of RWA
• $25 per entry for all other contest entrant

Early Bird Pricing Options

1 GE entry -Early Bird ALL WRITERS $25.00 USD 2 GE entries -Early Bird ALL WRITERS $50.00 USD 1 GE entry -Early Bird NT & ARA $20.00 USD 2 GE entries -Early Bird NT & DARA $40.00 USD

Regular Dates and Fees:
January 1, 2018 to midnight (Central Time) January 27, 2018

FEES:

• $25 per entry for North Texas and DARA Chapter Members of RWA
• $30 per entry for all other contest entrants

Midnight, Central Time, Wednesday, January 27, 2018 

the Contest Closes for Entries!

Polish up your manuscript and enter today! 
Questions? Contact GECoordinator@NTRWA.org

2017 Winners!

--PERMISSION TO FORWARD GRANTED AND ENCOURAGED--

The North Texas Chapter

of Romance Writers of America is proud to announce …

The 2017

Great Expectations Contest Winners!

Denotes Request for Partial Manuscript *

Denotes Request for Full Manuscript **

CONTEMPORARY SERIES ROMANCE

Final Editor:  Brittany Lavery, Assistant Editor, HQN

First Place:                    Take Me Away by Jessie Gussman     

Second Place:                How a Heart Beats by Stacie Kaye   

Third Place:                   Discovering Serenity by Haley Burke

Honorable Mention:      What He Wants by Jessie Gussman

HISTORICAL ROMANCE

Final Editor:  Elle Keck, Assistant Editor, Avon Books

First Place:                    The Runaway Bride by Elizabeth King

Second Place:                Love’s Redemption by Jeanine Englert

Third Place:                  The Art of the Deal by Suzanne Turner

Honorable Mention:     The Seduction of Mrs. Smith 

                                      by Elizabeth Everett

                                   

INSPIRATIONAL  ROMANCE

Final Editor:  Raela Schoenherr, Acquisitions Editor, Bethany House

First Place:                    Fresh Brewed Love by Amanda Wen

Second Place:                At Bealtaine's Bidding 

                                      by Mary-Teresa Heath

Third Place:                   Stolen Vows by Darlene L Turner

Honorable Mention:      A Texas Lady by Elizabeth Lukinuk

MAINSTREAM WITH ROMANTIC ELEMENTS

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

First Place:                     Simple Acts of Grace by Adriana Allegri 

Second Place:                What Would Ginger Do? 

                                       by Kimberly MacCarron 

Third Place:                   The Nine Lives of Eric Merry 

                                       by Aubrey Wynne 

Honorable Mention:      Soul Song by Rayn Ellis

ROMANTIC SUSPENSE

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

First Place:                    Lovely Digits by Jeanine Englert *

Second Place:                Hit and Run by Lori Matthews

Third Place:                   Forbidden Paradise by Barbara Forlenza *

Honorable Mention:      Emerald:  Drone by Alan Chaput

SINGLE TITLE ROMANCE

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

First Place:                    Take the Lead by Alexis Daria

Second Place:                Hit Me with Your Best Shot by PJ Ryley

Third Place:                   Tame My Racing Heart by Kelly Duff

Honorable Mention:      Miracle on Tenth Avenue 

                                       by Gabrielle Luthy

SPECIALIZED ROMANCE

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

Final Editor: Kristine Swartz, Associate Editor, The Berkley Publishing Group

First Place:                    Bless Your Heart, 

                                      and Other Southern Curses 

                                       by Heather Leonard *      

Second Place:                Praetorian Rising by Lisa Knight *

Third Place:                  Burn for Me by Christal Murphy

Honorable Mention:     Leap of Fate by Kimberly MacCarron

YOUNG ADULT

Final Editor:  Alice Jerman, Associate Editor, HarperCollins

First Place:                    Loving Outside the Lines 

                                      by Kimberly MacCarron        

Second Place:               Mouthful by C.R. Grissom

Third Place (tied):        All the Feels by Kimberly MacCarron

                                     Unconditional by Kimberly MacCarron     

Honorable Mention:    Covenant Park by Christine Gunderson

Congratulations to our winners and good luck on your road to publication!

2017 Great Expectations Finalists

PERMISSION TO FORWARD GRANTED AND ENCOURAGED

The North Texas Romance Writers of America Chapter is proud to announce the

2017 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

Discovering Serenity by Haley Burke

How a Heart Beats by Stacie Kaye

Take Me Away by Jessie Gussman*

What He Wants by Jessie Gussman*                                   

HISTORICAL

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

The Art of the Deal by Suzanne Turner

Love’s Redemption by Jeanine Englert*

The Runaway Bride by Elizabeth King

The Seduction of Mrs. Smith by Elizabeth Everett

INSPIRATIONAL

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

At Bealtaine’s Bidding by Mary-Teresa Heath

Fresh Brewed Love by Amanda Wen

Stolen Vows by Darlene L Turner

A Texas Lady by Elizabeth Lukinuk

MAINSTREAM with ROMANTIC ELEMENTS  

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

The Nine Lives of Eric Merry by Aubrey Wynne

Simple Acts of Grace by Adriana Allegri

Soul Song by Rayn Ellis

What Would Ginger Do? by Kimberly MacCarron*

ROMANTIC SUSPENSE         

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

Emerald:  Drone by Alan Chaput

Forbidden Paradise by Barbara Forlenza

Hit and Run by Lori Matthews

Lovely Digits by Jeanine Englert*

SINGLE TITLE        

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

Game On by PJ Ryley

Miracle on Tenth Avenue by Gabrielle Luthy

Take the Lead by Alexis Daria

Tame My Racing Heart by Kelly Duff

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

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

Awaken the Dragon by Christal Murphy

Bless Your Heart, and Other Southern Curses by Heather Leonard

Leap of Fate by Kimberly MacCarron*

Praetorian Rising by Lisa Knight

YOUNG ADULT 

Final Round Editor: Alice Jerman, Associate Editor, HarperCollins

 All the Feels by Kimberly MacCarron*

Covenant Park by Christine Gunderson

Loving Outside the Lines by Kimberly MacCarron*

Mouthful by C.R. Grissom

Unconditional by Kimberly MacCarron*

CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL GREAT EXPECTATIONS FINALISTS!

Fenley Grant

2017 Great Expectations Contest Chair

GECoordinator@NTRWA.org

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