I will modestly tell you that I recently won a Career Achievement Award for Innovative Historical Romance from Romantic Times last month. It was one of those really surprising moments–the sort of “I won? No way!” stunning shock, and the next moment where you either a) feel you must be really old to have a career that deserves recognition or b) that you actually have a career that someone could point out. Then you get to the real important part: gratitude and appreciation for being recognized by some of the nicest and kindest reviewers out there. I mean you, Kathe Robin!

Now after I got the email, I also received a phone call to ask me if I was coming to the RT Convention in Pittsburgh. And for about a wild half an hour I considered dropping everything and going. Then I did little travel searching online and realized it would cost me about $1823 to go. Yikes. Okay, then there was the second bit of shock. Sticker shock.

Really, truly, a woman of my “apparent career worthy” age can’t deal with too much shock in one day. But there it was. One Thousand, Eight Hundred and Twenty Three Freakin’ Dollars. All to hear a luncheon room full of applause and get my statue. Not even I, in my apparent declining years or state of shock, could justify spending that much money to get a statue. I mean really, who could?

So I didn’t go. Because besides being Innovative, I am also practical and sensible. Darn it.

But then last night I was writing in the cafe at my local B&N and as I went to leave, I wandered by the magazine racks and there was the conference issue of Romantic Times, with the winner’s names all listed, including mine. So of course, for $4.99, I snapped it up. Besides, it had a picture of my statue inside, as you can see from the scan above. Now I tried to get the sales clerk to applaud as I opened the page up and showed it to her, but she looked more inclined to call security over than put her hands together for a local celebrity. If I’d had the real statue in hand she might have been impressed.

So being the “Innovative” sort of gal that I am, I decided to make my own. A scan, some scissors, a little self adhesive lamination later and voila, I have my very own Career Achievement statue. I paraded it around the house and was met with applause wherever I went. Now that was worth it. Thank goodness the hometown crowd always loves you.

But my poor humor aside, Thank You to the reviewers and staff of Romantic Times. It is truly an honor and I do appreciate very much your kind and generous recognition.

Oh, and one last photo. I call this the Big Girl Meets the Man of Her Dreams.

Rita, may I introduce you to Charles Achievement.

Why yes, he does have a very big star, how astute of you to notice.

No, no. Really, no need to thank me. Some applause will do nicely though.

And one other thing, Rita, don’t manhandle him too much, he’s a bit fragile. Rather like your pen that broke off years ago.