August 2010

I'm back from the RWA National Conference in Orlando and -- YAY! -- I can share this now: My debut novel, According to Jane, which had been a double finalist in the Booksellers' Best Awards, won for "Best Single Title" novel!! It was very exciting news, especially given the high caliber of authors in the contest this year. And I returned home to get word that the same book is a finalist in the Heart of Excellence Readers' Choice Awards, too! What an honor ;). Looking forward to finding out those results at the end of September and keeping my fingers crossed...

In other fabulous happenings, I recently found out that my upcoming second novel, Friday Mornings at Nine (see Books for more info), has been chosen to be one of the featured alternate selections for October 2010 for both the Doubleday Book Club & the Book-of-the-Month Club/BOMC2!! To say that I'm thrilled is an understatement!!!!! Just a few days after its release, I'll be taking part in a fundraising event I've been long looking forward to in St. Louis: "Wine, Wit & Lit" -- the brainchild of my friend, fabulous women's fiction and YA author, Susan McBride! Proceeds will benefit Casting for Recovery, a post-treatment program for breast cancer survivors. Jen Gauvain, Anne Milford, Sharon Shinn, Angie Fox, Jody Feldman and Bobbi Smith will also be participating. Take a look at our cool new logo:

I'm gearing up for some other really fun events this fall to kick off the release of my latest novel, so expect more to come soon... The most up-to-date news is usually found on my Blog -- plus, there are often author interviews, contests and drawings going on there as well. FYI, I'm hosting a YEAR of contests on Fresh Fiction with LOTS of giveaways. Please visit -- I love it when my readers win things!

Here's hoping mid-summer is going well for you and that you have plenty of time to relax and spend the extra-long days in the company of those you love...

Best wishes to you all!
~Marilyn

"Seldom, very seldom, does complete truth belong to any human disclosure; seldom can it happen that something is not a little disguised, or a little mistaken."
~Jane Austen