When you discover you're a 2 x RWA RUBY award finalists

You know one of those days you just don’t want to get out of bed…

The rescue cat has thrown up on the floor.

The dog has done a runner down the street.

The kids can’t find the massive milk bottle in the fridge.

The washing machine is on the blink, walking across the tiles doing the shake rattle and roll, again.

All of your favourite macaroons and secret chocolate stashes that keep you sane have disappeared. (That’s probably where the milk went!)

Oh, and we’re in the middle of a snap 5-day COVID lockdown after only receiving 90 minutes to prepare.

And dare I mention it’s also school holidays too!

via GIPHY

Until that ding, alerting of an incoming email grabs my attention through all of the rabble.

So far, the emails have been news from friends, some fabulous readers and family checking to see if we’re safe and sound during this surprise lockdown. Oh, and of course there’s the usual spam clogging up the filters.

And then the Email landed to read:

CONGRATULATIONS, MEL, YOU’RE A WINNER!

Instantly you think it’s one of those emails. You know the kind, where you get that heart-rendering plea where you too can enjoy the splendours of a five-star resort to lay back on a plush velvet chaise overlooking a sunset across the desert sands…Or help me get out of jail free if you send them your bank account details or we’ll deposit some ridiculous amount of money so you can book your flights to meet your prince.

Er, no.

This wasn’t that kind of email.

It was…

Hi Mel

It is my absolute pleasure to let you know that your book ‘Xmas Dust’ is a finalist in the Contemporary category of this year’s Ruby – and your book ‘Caked In Dust’ in the Romantic Elements category!

So champagne corks bounced across the room, hitting the fan to then rebound across to the other side of the room while we, the amazingly responsible adults, were bouncing up and down on the couch like a couple of teenagers.

While the teenagers stared at their phones typing in: ‘How do I disinherit my crazy mother!’

via GIPHY

Well, how could they get excited when they didn’t even know what the Ruby was.

The Ruby is:

Ruby is kind of like an acronym for the Romantic Book of the Year award. I don’t know the history of how or where the name came from, but I do know this…

The Ruby is managed by the Romance Writers of Australia Association. It’s their premier award and the only one of its kind in Australia! Which makes this a big deal down under, or like me in the Top End.

And I have TWO BOOKS in the finals!! (Yes, I shouted that and I’m not ashamed to say so.)

So, fingers and toes crossed, I’ll have two absolutely gorgeous awards to keep me company by my desk that I’ll probably talk to like a couple of desk gnomes while I write my many future characters to come. So please do celebrate with me, without your support for flipping a page, this never would have happened without you. Thank you, dear reader, and hang tight, because the next book in the series is coming sooner than you think!

Haven’t read the series yet? Well, find out what the fuss is all about by starting the Elsie Creek Series here.

And I’ll…