In 2010 at the RNA conference in Greenwich I was talking to Tessa Shapcott and Lucy Gilmour from Harlequin over coffee and delicious chocolate-somethings and they invited me to contribute to a new series they were planning called '21st Century Bosses.' The challenge was to come up with a fresh, modern story and with the help of more chocolate I mulled it over as I wandered into the next session which was run by the fantastic Kate Harrison and called 'Not just a fairytale'. During her talk Kate invited her audience to write down a writing goal. The lady in the row behind me said she wanted to see someone reading her book on a train. I said I wanted to win a RITA, the award presented by the Romance Writers of America, named after their first president, Rita Clay Estrada.
A week ago that dream came true and it was the 'boss' book (titled Doukakis's Apprentice) I'd discussed during coffee at the Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich that won me that award. I flew to California for the RWA National Conference knowing that I was a finalist but with no expectation of winning, and was deafened by loud cheers from both RWA members and RNA members when my name was called out. It was a truly thrilling moment made all the more special by the fact that my editor Lucy Gilmour was there to share it with me!
