2010 Enchanted Words Finalists

Congratulations, Enchanted Words finalists!

Enchanted Words Winners 2002

2002 Enchanted Words Contest Winners

Historical

• First Place: Lady Donovan’s Daughter by Glenna Box
• Second Place: Untouched by Karen Statzer*
• Third Place: Beltane Fire by Elizabeth Gregory
• Honorable Mention: The Expedition by Geri Hawthorne

Long Contemporary

• First Place: All in the Game by Elizabeth Gregory
• Second Place: Yesterday’s Child by Theresa Monsey
• Third Place: Mills Point by Elizabeth Slawinski
• Honorable Mention: A Ring Around the Heart by Laura Copland

Paranormal

• First Place: Ravyn’s Flight by Patti J. Olszowka
• Second Place: Talisman by Amy L. Tolnitch*
• Third Place: The Athena Project by Elizabeth Slawinski

Short Contemporary

• First Place: In Murphy’s Eyes by Peggy Anderson
• Second Place: Don’t Trust a Man with Your Bra in His Hand by Chris Fletcher
• Third Place: Cursed by Love by Jacqueline M. Floyd*

Enchanted Words Winners 2003

2003 Enchanted Words Contest Winners

Historical
judged by Christina Boys of Pocket Books

• First Place: The Hanging Tree by Carol Arens
• Second Place: The Outcast by Terry Irene Blain
• Third Place: Irish Dreams by Claire Fried Huffaker

Long Contemporary
judged by Martha Bushko of Berkley/Jove

• First Place: Shadow of the Butcher Boy by Tanya Taliese Holmes
• Second Place: The Agreement by Debra C. Andrews
• Third Place: Secret Agenda by Amy L. Davidson

Paranormal/Fantasy/Time Travel
judged by Chris Keeslar of Dorchester

• First Place: The Secret Citadel by Adrienne Ross
• Second Place: Devil’s Choice by Linda Mikulski
• Third Place: The Turlock Amulet by Patrice Michelle

Short Contemporary
judged by Julie Barrett of Silhouette Books

• First Place: Chicken Soup Sex by Sarah Hankins
• Second Place (tie): TV Bride by Esther Erman
• Second Place (tie): Glory Days by Debra Conrad

Enchanted Words Winners 2004

2004 Enchanted Words Contest Winners

Historical

• First Place: Angel in the Rain by Irma Sams
• Second Place: The Wrong Husband by Robyn Ratliff
• Third Place: Heart of a Cat by Misti Adams-Barnes*

Long Contemporary

• First Place: The Devil’s Eyes by Linda Steinberg
• Second Place: Ask Molly by Linda Kearney
• Third Place: These Darn Heels by Julie Stone

Paranormal/Fantasy/Time Travel

• First Place: The Sword of Midnight by Jessica Trapp   **REQUESTED**
• Second Place: Remember Me by Beth Morrow
• Third Place: Unseen Voices by Natalie Eggeman

Short Contemporary

• First Place: Her Cup of Tea by Tawny Weber   **REQUESTED**
• Second Place: Indulging Ian by Vonda Ogle   **REQUESTED**
• Third Place: Privileges Granted by Janice Lynn

Single Title

• First Place: Stealing Caroline by Nora Wynne Jamski
• Second Place: Love is in the Air by Beth Watson
• Third Place: Arizona Sky by Stacy Lynn Riemer

Enchanted Words Winners 2005

2005 Enchanted Words Contest Winners

Historical

• First Place: Destiny’s Promise by Sheila-Rae Z Mohs
• Second Place: The Education of Mrs. Brimley by Donna MacMeans
• Third Place: Savage Lady by Linda Chalk*

Long Contemporary

• First Place: Betting the Farm by Misti Adams-Barnes*
• Second Place: Wolf Island by Cheryl Gorman
• Third Place: Cursed by Love by Jacqueline Floyd*

Paranormal/Fantasy/Time Travel

• First Place: Game Time by Mary Ann Chulick
• Second Place: Dangerous Enchantment by Jewellan Butler
• Third Place: Legacy by Misti Adams-Barnes*

Short Contemporary

• First Place: Under a Chateau by Mona Risk*
• Second Place: Gifts of Love by Jill Nutter*
• Third Place: Bluegrass Reunion by Jan Scarbrough

Single Title

• First Place: Die Again by Annie Oortman
• Second Place: Guarding Julia by Babette de Jongh
• Third Place: Finding Trouble by Laurie Kellogg

Enchanted Words Winners 2006

2006 Enchanted Words Contest Winners

Historical
judged by Tessa Woodward of Avon Books

• First Place: Into the Fire by Carol Joyce Cottrell
• Second Place: Letters from Home by Kristina Y. McMorris
• Third Place: Give me the Knight by Jenai Black

Short & Long Contemporary
judged by Esi Sogah of Avon Books

• First Place: Black Bayou by Deborah McMartin
• Second Place: Venus in Blue Jeans by Margaret Batschelet
• Third Place: First Light by Tina Pennica

Paranormal/Fantasy/Time Travel
judged by Kristi Studts of Triskelion

• First Place: Wolfstalker by Misti Adams Barnes*
• Second Place: Dyad Quest by Ann Hinnenkamp
• Third Place: Legacy by Misti Adams-Barnes*

Single Title
judged by Laura Cifelli of NAL

• First Place: Dreams for Stones by Ann Warner*
• Second Place: Close to Home by Su Kopil
• Third Place: Take a Chance on Me by Debbie Swanson

Enchanted Words WInners 2007

2007 Enchanted Words Contest Winners

Historical
judged by Toya Smith of Grand Central Publishing

• First Place: Reclaiming Love by Angela Johnson   **REQUESTED**
• Second Place: The Compromise by Victoria  Whitaker
• Third Place: Honor Bound by Jenn Stark*
• Fourth Place: Spoil of War by Phoenix Sullivan

Contemporary
judged by Leis Pederson of Berkley Books

• First Place: Love and Oreos by Elizabeth Bemis*
• Second Place: For Love or Ravioli by Laurie DeSalvo
• Third Place: Take a Chance on Me by Debbie Swanson

Paranormal/Fantasy/Time Travel
judged by Laurie Rauch of Samhain Publishing

• First Place: Forgotten Truth by Amber Holland  **REQUESTED**
• Second Place: Machine Slave by Jennette Heikes*   **REQUESTED**
• Third Place: Blood Marriage by Regina Richards

Winner of First Chapter Critique
from NYT Best-selling author Elizabeth Bevarly

• The Cost of Love by Vannetta  Chapman

Enchanted Words Winners 2008

2008 Enchanted Words Contest Winners

Historical
judged by Deb Werksman of Sourcebooks

• First Place: Upon a Moonlit Sea by Jennifer Bray-Weber  **REQUESTED**
• Second Place: Decoding Deception by Julie Johnstone
• Third Place: Aztec Dawn by Christine DePetrillo

Contemporary
judged by Katie Gilligan of St. Martin’s Press

• First Place: Love on the Rocks by Mary Sullivan  **REQUESTED**
• Second Place: Her Sister’s Husband by Suzan Dickinson
• Third Place: Confessions of a Housewife: The Untold Story of Meredith Green by Marian Stevens

Paranormal
judged by Margo Lipschultz of Harlequin/Silhouette

• First Place: Dinah of Seneca by Corrina Lavitt
• Second Place: Cat’s Cradle by Misti Adams-Barnes*
• Third Place: Fallen by Amanda Berry

Enchanted Words Winners 2009

2009 Enchanted Words Contest Winners

Historical
judged by Leis Pedersen, Berkley and
Emmanuelle Alspaugh, Judith Erlich Literary Agency

• First Place: Touch the Flame by Marie Patrick
• Second Place: Highland Magic by Alexis Walker
• Third Place: Secrets of a Spy’s Heart by Julie Johnstone

Contemporary
judged by Tracy Bernstein, NAL and
Kevan Lyon, Marsal Lyon Literary Agency

• First Place: His Obsession by Rosie Murphy* (requested)
• Second Place: Dangerous Attraction by Leah James
• Third Place: Ruby Stiletto Blues by Becke Martin*

Paranormal
judged by Margo Lipschultz of Harlequin/Silhouette and
Alexandra Machinist, Linda Chester and Associates Literary Agency

• First Place: Stone Kissed by Keri Stevens*
• Second Place: The Vagrant by J.M. Fraser
• Third Place: A Soul for Trouble by Crista McHugh

About Enchanted Words

“The Perfect Pitch” 2010
Electronic entries only
Featuring second-round judging by both an editor and an agent 

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ENTRIES MUST BE RECEIVED BY November 1, 2010

Entries received after November 1st will be deleted unread.

Enchant us with your submission packet, and send us your query letter, synopsis (up to 7 pages), and the first five pages of your unpublished romance novel. Published authors may enter, provided they have not had a work of 40,000 words or longer published by an RWA-eligible publisher in the past three years.

Categories and final judges:

• Contemporary (includes category length books)
  • Editor judge: Jhanteigh Kupihea, NAL
  • Agent judge: Lois Winston, Ashley Grayson Literary Agency
• Historical
  • Editor judge: Tina James, Silhouette Love Inspired
  • Agent judge: Laura Bradford, Bradford Literary Agency
• Paranormal/Fantasy/Sci-fi/Time Travel
  • Editor judge: Margo Lipschultz, HQN/Luna
  • Agent judge: Laurie McLean, Larsen-Pomada Literary Agents

TO ENTER: Please combine your query, synopsis, and manuscript pages into one document, in either Microsoft Word (.doc) or .rtf format, formatted in traditional manuscript format. Complete the online electronic entry form, once it becomes available, and indicate whether you’d like to pay with Paypal or mail us a check. Entry fee is $20.00 in US funds.

Enchanted Words scoresheet coming soon!

JUDGING: All elements of each entry will be judged by three experienced RWA members, with a judging panel made up of published and unpublished writers. The three entries in each category with the highest combined scores in the first round will be judged by an editor and an agent, whose scores will determine the first, second and third place manuscripts. In cases where an entry has a difference of 15 points or more between the highest and lowest scores in the first round, and that entry would have a chance to final with a higher score in place of the lowest, a fourth judge will review the entry and the lowest score will be dropped.

Judges are encouraged to make written comments on the query letter, synopsis and manuscript pages and score sheets.  Any category with fewer than ten entries may be combined or dismissed.

AWARDS: Finalists will be notified in February, 2010. Winners will be announced in April, 2010. Winners of each category will receive $20.00. Finalists names (or pen names, if provided) and manuscript titles will be published in RWR.

RETURN OF ENTRIES: All entries and score sheets will be emailed following the announcement of finalists. Editor judges’ comments, if any, will be forwarded to finalists after the announcement of winners.

ELIGIBILITY: You must be a RWA member in good standing, not contracted or published in book-length (40,000 words or longer) romantic fiction by an RWA-eligible publisher in the last three years. A list of RWA-eligible publishers is available on the RWA National web site (requires login).

For questions, contact the Enchanted Words Contest Coordinator