2009 Divas - 2010 Linda Howard Award of Excellence

Sorry to be so late adding these names to the Contest Divas listing, I'll be doing catch-up in the next few days.

 

Series Short/Long Contemporary
Final judge Susan Litman, Editor, Silhouette Special Edition

First - THE TYCOON'S MARRIAGE DEAL by Louise D Cobb & Karen Daughtry
Second - SECOND CHANCE MOM by Jennifer Moening w/a Jenna Rutland
Third - LOVES FUGITIVE by Kathy Hind w/a Kaily Hart
Fourth - HEAD GAMES by Denise Cychosz
Fifth - COMING HOME by Jennifer Lou Harris

Romantic Suspense (series & single title)
Final judge Megan McKeever, Associate Editor, Pocket Books (Simon & Schuster)

First - THE LAST MAGICIAN by Linda Baxter and Ann Fischer w/a E.J. Brighton
Second - DEATH OF AN ISLAND TART by Janice Croom
Third - GAMES OF TRANCE by Sherrie Super
Fourth - THE YARD MAN by G. Jillian Stone
Fifth - THE GAVEL'S ECHO by Anne-Marie Carroll

Single Title
Final judge Latoya Smith, Editor, Grand Central Publishers

First - VERDICT by Jean Mason
Second - PASSION by Jeanell Bolton
Third - NONI'S VISION by Shelia Tenold
Fourth - AND HE COOKS, TOO by Barbara Kroon
Fifth - A DIFFERENT BEAT by Susan Breeden
Honorable Mention - GETTING LUCKY by Katie Graykowski

Unique Genres (Paranormal, Futuristic, Fantasy, and Time Travel)
Final judge Heather Osborn, Acquisitions Editor, Tor

First - DEAR HEART by Alison Leake
Second - RED MOUNTAIN by Heather Leonard
Third - DEMONS IN DIXIE by Alexandra George
Fourth - SHADOW WORLD by Rashda Khan
Fifth - MOONLIGHT by Lisa Kessler

Historical Romance
Final judge Alicia Condon, VP, Editorial Director, Dorchester

First - WHEN A HEART DARES by Kathleen Bittner Roth
Second - THE BLACK DAGGER by Barbara Huddleston
Third - THE SPY ON THE ORLEANS ROAD by Elizabeth McCord
Fourth - DEFENSIVE MEASURES by Alyssa Fernandez
Fifth - THE STORM AFTER by Gina Hooten Popp

Inspirational
Final judge Tina James, Editor, Steeple Hill

First - HOPE FOR THE FUTURE by Pam Mantovani
Second - FAITH, FAMILY AND THE GIRL NEXT DOOR by Susan Johnson
Third - BEACH RENTAL by Grace R. Greene

Young Adult
Final judge Natashya Wilson, Senior Editor, Harlequin Teen

First - MAGIC SCHOOL DROP-OUT by Liese Sherwood-Fabre
Second - LOVE AND SALT by Elizabeth Langston
Third - SUGAR HIGH by Bethany Cunningham
Fourth - REAL GUYS LIKE PINK by Micki Gibson
Fifth - MAIL ORDER BOYFRIEND by Denise Hale

Romantic Sensual and Sizzling (Erotica)
Final judge Raelene Gorlinsky, Publisher & Editor, Ellora's Cave

First - THE SILKIE'S SALVATION by Laura L. Webb
Second - THE VISCOUNT'S PLEASURE HOUSE by S.N. Webb
Third - THE LOVING OF LORD LOXLEY by Madeline Smyth


The Write Magic (For Southern Magic Members only)
Final judge Sara Megibow, Associate Agent, Nelson Literary Agency

First - RED MOUNTAIN by Heather Leonard
Second - SHADOW WORLD by Rashda Khan
Third - DEMONS IN DIXIE by Alexandra George

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Contest Diva Leaders:
Advancement from one final upward is highlighted in blue:
.
Fifteen Finals:
Nancy Evertz
.

Thirteen Finals:

Kathleen Bittner Roth

.
Eleven Finals:
Diane O'Brien Kelly
.
Ten Finals:
Anne-Marie Carroll

Kelly Fitzpatrick
Donna Meier

Gail Zerrade
.
Nine Finals:

Deborah Gross

Christine E. Johnson - SOLD!

Jean Mason

Cat Schield
Tracy St. Hilaire

.
Eight Finals:
Constance Gillam

Gabrielle Luthy

Laura Williams
.
Seven Finals:

Jeanell Bolton

Keli Gwyn

Yvonne Harris
Barbara Longley

Patricia Patton

Elizabeth Pina - SOLD!
Michal Scott
.
Six Finals:
Barbara Binns

Meredith Clark

Louisa Cornell

Denise Cychosz

Kelly Fitzpatrick
Barbara Cool Lee

Elaine M. Powell
Lisa Desrochers 

S. G. Shellabarger
Beth Watson
Robin Weaver
.
Five Finals:
Deborah Blake

Linda Bond

Susan Breeden

Melanie Card

Susanne Frost

Katie Graykowski

Grace R. Greene
Tiffinie Helmer

Kay Hudson

Lisa Kessler

Jeannie Lin

D'Ann Linscott-Dunham

Meghan Murphy

Susan Newman
Allison Pang

Cathy Perkins

Cathryn Pritchard
.
Four Finals:
Tina Joyce Butts

Sharon Calvin
Deanna Carlyle
Jeanne Dickson
Martha Ferris

Jessica B. Hunt
Julie Johnstone

Linda Lovely

Heidi Luchterhand

Mary Manners

Sylvia McDaniel
Brenda Nelson-Davis

Angi Platt - SOLD!

Madeline Smyth

G. Jillian Stone

Tatia Talbot
Sandra van den Bogerd
Laurel Wanrow

Beatriz Chantrill Williams

Sharon Wray
.
Three Finals:
Maree Anderson

Sheila Athens

Sara Avellino
Anne Barton

Jennifer Beane

Elizabeth Bemis

Amanda Berry - SOLD!

Jennifer Bray-Weber

Kelsey Browning
Dianne K. Burns

Carol Burnside

Sheryl Carpenter
Jennifer Conner

Ally Cowee 

Laura Higdon Cumbie

Donna Cummings

Wenda Dottridge
Leslie Duvall

C. J. Ellisson

Sharon Fisher
Sherry Foley
Kate Freiman
Abby Gaines

Alexandra George

Deborah Gilbert

Bernadette Hearne

Jennette Heikes

Alison Henderson

Beverly Irwin

Susan Diane Johnson

Joan Kayse

Rashda Khan
Dee S. Knight

Barbara Kroon 

Maggi Landry
Kathy Lane

Kim Law

Alison Leake
Virginia McCullough
Kaylin McFarren

Crista McHugh

Janet Periat

Gina Rosavin

Jennifer Stroka
Quinn Tellier

Sheila Tenold

Laurie Thompson
Ami Weaver
Ellen Wehle

Gina Welborn

.
Two Finals:
Sheri Adkins

Veronica Alderson

Drue Allen
Marjorie Allen

Robyn Anders
Rylee Andrews
Alison Atwater

Stefani Catenzaro Baltar
Patricia Barletta
Hanna Rhys Barnes

Joyce Barton
Tamra Baumann

Jennifer Beckstrand
Mary A. Behre
TJ Bennett

Jenny Bernard

Romily Bernard

Robin Bielman
Ann Bleakley
Kara Bonnevie
Kelley Bowen
Jude Brown

Marie Campbell
Sarah Castleberry

Elise Chand

Kathleen Cherry
Zita Christian

Louise D Cobb

Robin Constantine

Janice Croom

Karen Daughry

Beth Davis
Laurie DeMarino
Tracey Devlyn - SOLD!
Kate Diamond
Alleyne Dickens
Ella Drake
Cheryl Draycott

Cat Dubie
Lee Rhuday Duncan
Carol Dunford

Kendra Elliot

Nikki Enlow

Tracy Falenwolfe
Gloria Ferguson

Louise D. Foster
Joe Fraser

Bethany Cunningham Gabbert
Laurie Green

Lottie Green
Anne Greene

Anna Hackett
Ashley Henderson
Molly Herwood

Laura Hirneisen

Celesta Hofmann

Jennifer Holden

Kinsey W. Holley

Sharon Houdek 
Sandy James

Christine Johnson - SOLD!
Suzanne Kalb
Chris Keniston

Jeffe Kennedy
Sandra Kerns
Marge Knudsen

Sara LaBudda
Corrina Lavitt
Suzanne Lazear - SOLD!

Sherri Lee
Melinda Leigh

Heather Leonard
Jennifer Litteken
Mary Lindsey - SOLD!
Kate MacArthur
Greta MacEachern

Kate MacEachern
Jennifer Mackin

Sarah Marshall
Carolyn Martin

Dale Mayer
Dora Mekouar
Maureen McGowan

Jamie Michele
Imani Miller

Judy Mills
Gwen Mitchell

Jean B. Newlin
Laurel O'Donnell
Mary Oldham
Sally Orr

Tara Owens
Kathleen Irene Paterka
Alison Pritchard

Connie Queen

Dawna Rand
Jodi Redford
Shellee Roberts
Cate Rowan

Lynn Rush

Lateia Sandifer
Pamela Scheibe
Jan Schliesman

Catherine Marie Scott

Liese Sherwood-Fabre
Merry Simmons

Arianna Skye - SOLD!
Dina Sleiman

Coreene Smith
Heather Snow 

Susan Speers
Lori Dillon Stacy
Morgan Taylor

Jean A. Therkelsen

Linda Trout

Tracy Truman

Jan Warren

Holly Watson
Kayla Westra
Hailey Williams
Teri Wilson
Kevin Wolf
Marilyn Yarbrough

Rebecca Zanetti 

.
SOLD!
Amanda Berry
Tracey Devlyn

Christine E. Johnson

Mary Lindsey

Suzanne Lazear
Elizabeth Pina
Angi Platt
Tina Radcliffe

Arianna Skye
Liz Talley
Penny Watson
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