Today I learned that The Black Hour has been nominated for the Mary Higgins Clark Award. This is huge to me. I’m so thrilled and overwhelmed and all the big emotions. Upon further reflection, I also realized that I was getting nominated for an award named after Mary Higgins Clark that is for books written in the manner of Agatha Christie, in the year that Lois Duncan is receiving her Grand Master status from the MWA.

Those three women are the reason I am me, the reason I’m the reader and writer I am today. I can’t wait to attend the ceremony. A win would be tremendous, but I already feel like I’ve won something very special, and if I get to meet Lois Duncan (I’ve already met Mary Higgins Clark!!), then you know I will have won the prize I really want. What if Mary is there, too?

*fans self*

In other news, The Black Hour also happens to be up for the Best First Mystery Lovey Award at Love Is Murder in a couple of weeks. I have to wait until APRIL to hear about the Higgins Clark. How ever will I pass the time?

Oh, right. My agent, who called to congratulate me today, is waiting on 50 pages of my next project. That should keep me busy.