WHITNEY AWARDS GALA

At the Whitney Awards Gala this past Saturday several outstanding authors were given special recognition in their genre. Today however, I wanted to mention the OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT Award that went to RICK WALTON.

I met him years ago at a week-long writing workshop. He is nice, friendly, and unassuming for someone who has published over 80 books. I have only six or seven of his picture books in my bookshelf, but I love each one. They’re classic and fun-filled tales such as: Bertie Was A Watchdog, about a midget dog who saved the day; Bullfrog Pops! Is a crazy western about a hungry bullfrog. The book has a surprise each time you turn the page; Mrs. McMurphy’s Pumpkin is about a haunted pumpkin; and Suddenly Alligator, is an adverbial tale that’s full of fun. The man is a creative genius.
I hadn’t known who was getting this award when I bought tickets for the gala, but I was sure glad I was there to cheer him on.

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT Award went to SUSAN EVANS MCCLOUD, who I don’t know and have never met, but who gave us the wonderful hymn, “Lord, I would Follow Thee” and, “As Zion’s Youth in Latter Days.”

Susan's biography and numerous achievements are listed in Wikipedia.
Susan magnified her calling as a writer and poet while raising her family—something that’s not easy to do. Finding that fine line is hard; the line between total absorption in the creative process and spending enough time with your husband and children to make them feel important and appreciated.
For the first sixteen years of my married life, I was totally absorbed in motherhood, and it wasn’t until years after that when my desire to write was re-born. It’s been a gradual process for me, the emergence from total motherhood to wife-mother-writer-hopeful author. I look up to people like Susan and Rick, people who knew their talent and calling in life from the very beginning and not only made it work, but made it look easy.

LDStorymakers Conference

I recently attended the LDStorymakers’ conference for writers and authors. It was fab! While I was there I was finally able to check something off of my “to do” list. As Mormons, we’re supposed to have a year’s supply, and I can smile with satisfaction now, because no matter what disaster strikes, I’m prepared with my year’s supply of books. (I bought 13 at the conference—4 to give away, and another 2 today at an author signing.)

All kidding aside, I made a bunch of new friends at the conference and learned some great stuff to improve my chances of being published. I know how to write a better query letter, and I know what LDS publishers want and what they don’t want as far as sex, violence and language are concerned.

Even though I have self-published two children’s stories, I don’t yet count myself among the ranks of published authors—the reason being because I only published a small amount for friends and family. However, I have a growing list of friends who have made it there ahead of me. My friend Liz Adair won a Whitney award for best Romance. (I reviewed her book, Counting the Cost right here on this blog.)

My friends Marsha Ward (right), who founded ANWA, and Tristi Pinkston were there—Tristi is one of my new BFF’s and she let me take her picture. *grins* I bought Tristi’s book Agent in Old Lace, and can’t wait to read it.

David Wolverton or David Farland—whichever—depending on whether you’re talking to him in person or reading one of his books won the Outstanding Achievement Award. Or rather I should say he earned it. He also won Best Novel of the Year for his book, In the Company of Angels.
I love how personable our superstars in the literary world are.

Those who aren’t Sci-fi fans will perhaps recognize Gerald Lund who earned the Lifetime Achievement Award (The Work and the Glory series). My favorite quote of the night, “I’m just a storyteller. The power in these stories is the power in the lives of real people,” Gerald Lund.






I had two friends who won in their genre for the First Chapter contest. Tamra Passey and Cindy Williams.

The Whitney committee knows that some day I’ll be a VIPA (very important published author) because they insisted that I sit at a table for generals. I thought that I should possibly sit with Gerald Lund or David Wolverton, or even Dan Wells who won Best New Author of the Year, but they insisted that I sit here…

Last but not least by any means, here is our group of ANWA sisters who were able to make it to the event (minus our current president, Aimee Morgan).

Kudos to Robison Wells, Kerry Blair, and all of the LDStorymaker Authors

What a wonderful weekend! Two days of instruction from published and enthusiastic authors was a building and fulfilling experience. I entered, Fairy Dust, my current pre-novel in the LDStorymaker’s first chapter contest and won second place in the sci-fi /fantasy division. Having your work validated by published authors is also building and fulfilling.

I was able to get to know Aimee Morgan, the ANWA president, and Valerie Ipson better, as we drove to Provo and back together. I was proud of fellow ANWA members, Marsha Ward, Joyce DiPastena, and Sarah Eden—they did excellent jobs in presenting their knowledge to the masses of hopeful authors in attendance. And I felt especially honored to be present when Kerry Blair received the Lifetime Achievement Award for her contributions to the writing world and the LDS fiction market. She is an inspiration to all who know her—and is a beautiful person who makes instant friends of everyone she meets.

So, needless to say, I’m anxious to put into action all of the things I learned, and to make full use of my prize. What prize, you ask? As a second place winner, I received a “Get out of the Slush Pile Free” card that is good at Deseret Book, Covenant, or Cedar Fort. I also received a pack of pens, a steno pad, The Believer by Stephanie Black, and Plot and Structure by James Scott Bell—all very good prizes and I’m eager to make use of them all, but as you can imagine, it’s the “Get out of the Slush Pile Free” card that I’m especially excited to use.

A hearty congratulations goes to all of the category winners of the Whitney--my heartfelt appreciation to all of the authors who received nominations and even those of you who worked hard, got your novel published, but didn’t get nominated--for sticking it out, for braving the storm, and for listening to your heart and following your dream. You are all inspirations to those of us who are still wondering if our dreams will come true.

I was sad to hear that Robison Wells was stepping down as Whitney Awards President. Congratulations to him for his new college degree--MBA, and my good wishes to him. He was one of the first authors to inspire my writing style—I should have gone up and introduced myself, but I was just as happy to see him there and take his picture from across the room. After all, I’m too old to be a screaming, swooning fan.

This is Robison Wells.

I wasn't afraid to ask Kerry Blair for a picture. From the left, Aimee Morgan, Tina Scott, Kerry Blair, Valerie Ipson.

Me with my award.

Me, Marsha Ward, Valerie Ipson.