Whitney Awards and Cover Reveals!

On Saturday night, Esther the Queen won the 2013 Whitney Award for Best Historical. I was so surprised, and you might find it strange since I actually had 4 books as finalists. But in the historical category I was up against amazing historical fiction writers Carla Kelly, Gale Sears, Phyllis Gunderson, and Jennie Hansen. It was quite a shock.

Here's a pic of me and my hubby:

 

And also very exciting was that Jeff Savage, a member of my critique group, won the Whitney for Best Speculative (beating out my Heart of the Ocean). His book Dark Memories is extremely creepy. Also, a shout out to two others in my critique group, Sarah M. Eden and Robison Wells, whose books were finalists as well.

And this is just a random picture from the LDS Storymakers conference with me and my former editor, Eliza Nevin.

Now, for the 2 new book covers I got last week. First, it was really fun to see the cover for the 9th and Final book in the Newport Ladies Book Club series. It's four-authored by all of us (Josi S. Kilpack, Annette Lyon, Julie Wright, and me)... and it has all of the characters featured in it. Coming this summer!

And, finally, the cover for our next romance anthology, Summer in New York Collection, is ready. Featuring Janette Rallison, Me, Luisa Perkins, Sarah M. Eden, Annette Lyon, and Lisa Mangum. Coming July 2014:

Cover Reveal! ESTHER THE QUEEN

Coming April 2013:

Queen Esther… the legendary Jewish woman who became the Queen of Persia in the 4th century B.C., reaches across time and inspires as she teaches. Esther sacrifices living her religion in order to follow the Lord’s will and marry a man not of her faith. In turn, Esther becomes the greatest heroine of the ages, saving her people from destruction.