Mar 26 2008
2008 RITAs and Golden Heart Finalists Announced
2008 RITA for Best First Book Finalists
- Dead Girls Are Easy by Terri Garey
HarperCollins Publishers, Avon Books – (978-0-06-113615-3)
Erika Tsang, editor - Graffiti Girl by Kelly Parra
Simon & Schuster, MTV Books/Pocket – (141653461X)
Jennifer Heddle, editor - Prime Time by Hank Phillippi Ryan
Harlequin Enterprises, Harlequin NEXT – (9780373881352)
Ann Leslie Tuttle, editor - Prom Dates From Hell by Rosemary Clement-Moore
Random House Publishing, Delacorte Press – (978-0-385-73412-7)
Krista Marino, editor - Silent in the Grave by Deanna Raybourn
Harlequin Enterprises, MIRA – (978-0-7783-2410-2)
Valerie Gray, editor - Snow Angel by Jamie Carie
B&H Publishing Group, B&H Fiction – (978-0-8054-4533-6)
Thomas Walters, David Webb, editor - Thief With No Shadow by Emily Gee
BL Publishing, Solaris – (978 1 84416 469 1)
Mark Newton, editor - Treasure by Helen Brenna
Harlequin Enterprises, Harlequin Superromance – (0373714033)
Johanna Raisanen, editor
2008 RITA for Contemporary Series Romance Finalists
- Always a Bridesmaid by Kristin Hardy
Harlequin Enterprises, Silhouette Special Edition – (0-373-24832-6)
Gail Chasan, editor - Fall From Grace by Kristi Gold
Harlequin Enterprises, Everlasting Love – (0-373-65404-9)
Beverley Sotolov, editor - Make-Believe Mom by Elaine Grant
Harlequin Enterprises, Harlequin Superromance – (0373714459)
Victoria Curran, editor - Night Mischief by Nina Bruhns
Harlequin Enterprises, Silhouette Nocturne – (0373617720)
Natahsya Wilson and Tara Parsons, editor - Sleeping Partner by Kelly Hunter
Harlequin Enterprises, Sexy Sensation – (978 0 733 58182 3)
Joanne Carr, editor - Snowbound by Janice Johnson
Harlequin Enterprises, Harlequin Superromance – (0-373-71454-8)
Laura Shin, editor - The Mile High Club by Heidi Rice
Harlequin Enterprises, Mills and Boon Modern Extra – (9780263854008)
Bryony Green, editor - The Tycoon’s Princess Bride by Natasha Oakley
Harlequin Enterprises, Harlequin Presents – (978-0-373-12667-5)
Jenny Hutton, editor
2008 RITA for Contemporary Series Romance: Suspense/Adventure Finalists
- High-Risk Affair by RaeAnne Thayne
Harlequin Enterprises, Silhouette Romantic Suspense – (0-373-27518-8)
Gail Chasan, editor - Midnight Prince by Dani Sinclair
Harlequin Enterprises, Harlequin Intrigue – (13:978-0-373-69270-5)
Natashya Wilson, editor - Sara’s Son by Tara Taylor Quinn
Harlequin Enterprises, Harlequin Superromance – (0373714289)
Paula Eykelhof, editor - Stranded With A Spy by Merline Lovelace
Harlequin Enterprises, Silhouette Romantic Suspense – (978-0-373-27553-3)
Gail Chasan, editor - The Medusa Affair by Cindy Dees
Harlequin Enterprises, Silhouette Romantic Suspense – (978-0-373-27547-2)
Patience Smith, editor - The Medusa Seduction by Cindy Dees
Harlequin Enterprises, Silhouette Romantic Suspense – (978-0-373-27564-9)
Patience Smith, editor - Treasure by Helen Brenna
Harlequin Enterprises, Harlequin Superromance – (0373714033)
Johanna Raisanen, editor - Untouched by Samantha Hunter
Harlequin Enterprises, Blaze Extreme – (978-0373793037)
Birgit Davis Todd, editor
2008 RITA for Contemporary Single Title Romance Finalists
- Blame It On Cupid by Jennifer Greene
Harlequin Enterprises, HQN – (0373771770)
Melissa Jeglinski, editor - Catch of the Day by Kristan Higgins
Harlequin Enterprises, HQN – (0-373-7724-6)
Tracy Farrell and Keyren Gerlach, editors - Coming Undone by Susan Andersen
Harlequin Enterprises, HQN – (0-373-77213-0)
Margo Lipschultz, editor - Sexiest Man Alive by Diana Holquist
Grand Central Publishing, Forever – (0-044-61798-9)
Michele Bidelspach, editor - She’s No Angel by Leslie Kelly
Harlequin Enterprises, HQN – (0373772157)
Brenda Chin, editor - Tangled Up In You by Rachel Gibson
HarperCollins Publishers, Avon Books – (978-0-06-117803-0)
Lucia Macro, editor - Tempt Me Tonight by Toni Blake
HarperCollins Publishers, Avon Books, Red – (978-0-06-113609-2)
Lucia Macro, editor - The Sleeping Beauty Proposal by Sarah Strohmeyer
Penguin Group USA, Dutton – (9780525950189)
Julie Doughty, editor
2008 RITA for Historical Romance Finalists
- And Then He Kissed Her by Laura Lee Guhrke
HarperCollins Publishers, Avon Books – (978-0-06-114360-1)
Erika Tsang, editor - Beloved Warrior by Patricia Potter
Penguin Group USA, Berkley Sensation – (9780425215739)
Wendy McCurdy and Christine Zika, editors - Lessons of Desire by Madeline Hunter
Bantam Dell Publishing Group, – (9780440243946)
Shauna Summers, editor - Mine Till Midnight by Lisa Kleypas
St. Martin’s Press, – (0-312-94980-4)
Jennifer Enderlin, editor - Surrender to a Scoundrel by Julianne MacLean
HarperCollins Publishers, Avon Books – (0-06-081936-7)
Erika Tsang, editor - Tempted Tigress by Jade Lee
Dorchester Publishing, Leisure Books – (0-8439-5690-9)
Chris Keeslar, editor - The Leopard Prince by Elizabeth Hoyt
Grand Central Publishing, Forever – (0446618489)
Melanie Murray, editor - The Perfect Kiss by Anne Gracie
Penguin Group USA, Berkley Sensation – (9780425213452)
Wendy McCurdy and Christine Zika, editors
2008 RITA for Inspirational Romance Finalists
- A Touch of Grace by Linda Goodnight
Harlequin Enterprises, Steeple Hill Love Inspired – (978-0-373-87426-2)
Allison Lyons, editor - Autumn Blue by Karen Harter
Center Street, – (1-931722-61-7)
Christina Boys, editor - Pursuit of Justice by Pamela Tracy
Harlequin Enterprises, Steeple Hill Love Inspired Suspense – (978 0 373 44236)
Krista Stroever, editor - Rainbow’s End by Irene Hannon
Harlequin Enterprises, Steeple Hill Love Inspired – (0-373-87415-4)
Melissa Endlich, editor - Ransomed Dreams by Amy Wallace
Random House Publishing, WaterBrook Multnomah – (9781590527474)
Julee Schwarzburg, editor - Splitting Harriet by Tamara Leigh
Random House Publishing, WaterBrook Multnomah – (1590529286)
Julee Schwarzburg, editor - Taming Rafe by Susan May Warren
Tyndale House Publishers, – (1414310188)
Karen Watson, editor - When the Morning Comes by Cindy Woodsmall
Random House Publishing, WaterBrook Multnomah – (9781400072934)
Shannon Hill, editor
2008 RITA for Novel with Strong Romantic Elements Finalists
- A Gentle Rain by Deborah Smith
BelleBooks, – (978-0-9768760-7-6)
Debra Dixon, editor - High Noon by Nora Roberts
Penguin Group USA, Putnam – (978-0-399-15434-8)
Leslie Gelbman, editor - Learning to Breathe by Karen White
Penguin Group USA, NAL Accent – (978-0-451-22034-9)
Cindy Hwang, editor - Odd Mom Out by Jane Porter
Grand Central Publishing, 5 Spot – (0446699233)
Karen Kosztolnyik, editor - See No Evil by Allison Brennan
Ballantine/Ivy, – (9780345495037)
Charlotte Herscher, editor - Silent in the Grave by Deanna Raybourn
Harlequin Enterprises, MIRA – (978-0-7783-2410-2)
Valerie Gray, editor - Sugar Daddy by Lisa Kleypas
St. Martin’s Press, – (0-312-35162-3)
Jennifer Enderlin, editor - Thief With No Shadow by Emily Gee
BL Publishing, Solaris – (978 1 84416 469 1)
Mark Newton, editor
2008 RITA for Paranormal Romance Finalists
- Dead Girls Are Easy by Terri Garey
HarperCollins Publishers, Avon Books – (978-0-06-113615-3)
Erika Tsang, editor - Demon’s Kiss by Maggie Shayne
Harlequin Enterprises, MIRA – (0-77832497-4)
Leslie Wainger, editor - Games of Command by Linnea Sinclair
Bantam Dell Publishing Group, Spectra – (978-0-553-58963-4)
Anne Groell, editor - He Loves Me, He Loves Me Hot by Stephanie Rowe
Grand Central Publishing, Forever – (0446619019)
Melanie Murray, editor - Lover Revealed by J.R. Ward
Penguin Group USA, Signet, Onyx – (978-0-451-41235-5)
Kara Ceseare, editor - Prince of Magic by Linda Winstead Jones
Penguin Group USA, Berkley Sensation – (978-0-425-21448-0)
Christine Zika/ Wendy McCurdy, editor - Raintree: Haunted by Linda Winstead Jones
Harlequin Enterprises, Silhouette Nocturne – (0-373-61764-X)
Leslie Wainger, editor - Touch of Darkness by Christina Dodd
Penguin Group USA, NAL – (0451221842)
Kara Cesare, editor
2008 RITA for Regency Historical Romance Finalists
- Blackthorne’s Bride by Shana Galen
HarperCollins Publishers, Avon Books – (978-0-06-112497-6)
May Chen, editor - Claiming the Courtesan by Anna Campbell
HarperCollins Publishers, Avon Books – (978-0-06-123491-0)
Lucia Macro, editor - Lord of Scandal by Nicola Cornick
Harlequin Enterprises, HQN – (9780373772117)
Kimberley Young, editor - The Secret Diaries of Miss Miranda Cheever by Julia Quinn
HarperCollins Publishers, Avon Books – (0061230839)
Lyssa Keusch, editor - Untouched by Anna Campbell
HarperCollins Publishers, Avon Books – (978-0-06-123492-7)
Lucia Macro, editor
2008 RITA for Romance Novella Finalists
- "Angel and the Hellraiser" in Demon’s Delight by Vickie Taylor
Penguin Group USA, Berkley Sensation – (978-0-425-21381-0)
Cindy Hwang, editor - "Born in My Heart" in Like Mother, Like Daughter by Jennifer Greene
Harlequin Enterprises, Harlequin NEXT – (0-373-88134)
Melissa Jeglinski, editor - "Christmas Cravings" in Holiday with a Vampire by Maureen Child
Harlequin Enterprises, Silhouette Nocturne – (0-373-61776-3)
Melissa Jeglinski, editor - "Christmas Day Family" in A Western Winter Wonderland by Cheryl St. John
Harlequin Enterprises, Harlequin Historical – (0373294670)
Ann Leslie Tuttle, editor - "Eternity in Death" in Dead of Night by Nora Roberts
Penguin Group USA, Putnam – (978-0515-14367-6)
Leslie Gelbman, editor - "Fallen Angel" in A Western Winter Wonderland by Jenna Kernan
Harlequin Enterprises, Harlequin Historical – (0-373-29467-1)
Ann Leslie Tuttle, editor - "Mischief and the Marquess" in Perfect Kisses by Sylvia Day
Kensington Publishing Corp., Brava – (075820941X)
Kate Duffy, editor - "On the Fringe" in Dead of Night by Mary Kay McComas
Penguin Group USA, Berkley Jove – (978-0-515-14367-6)
Cindy Hwang, editor
2008 RITA for Romantic Suspense Finalists
- Die for Me by Karen Rose
Grand Central Publishing, Vision – (0446616915)
Karen Kosztolnyik, editor - Ice Blue by Anne Stuart
Harlequin Enterprises, MIRA – (0778324788)
Margaret O’Neil Marbury, editor - Ice Storm by Anne Stuart
Harlequin Enterprises, MIRA – (0778325008)
Margaret O’Neil Marbury, editor - Prime Time by Hank Phillippi Ryan
Harlequin Enterprises, Harlequin NEXT – (9780373881352)
Ann Leslie Tuttle, editor - Speak No Evil by Allison Brennan
Ballantine/Ivy, – (9780345495020)
Charlotte Herscher, editor - Traceless by Debra Webb
St. Martin’s Press, – (0312942222)
Jennifer Weis, editor - White Heat by Cherry Adair
Ballantine/Ivy, – (978-0-345-47644-9)
Charlotte Herscher, editor
2008 RITA for Young Adult Romance
- Girl at Sea by Maureen Johnson
HarperCollins Publishers, HarperTeen – (978-0-06-054144-6) - Graffiti Girl by Kelly Parra
Simon & Schuster, MTV Books/Pocket – (141653461X)
Jennifer Heddle, editor - Leaving Paradise by Simone Elkeles
Llewellyn Worldwide, Flux – (978-0-7387-1018-1)
Andrew Karre, editor - Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr
HarperCollins Publishers, HarperTeen – (978-0-06-121465-3)
Anne Hoppe and Nick Lake, editors
GOLDEN HEART
2008 Golden Heart for Contemporary Series Romance Finalists
- Borrowed Stilettos by Rebecca Clark
- Hide and Seek Love by Paula Keller
- Redefining Mr. Perfect by Melissa Ann James
- Saving the Rich Man by Greta MacEachern
- She’s Just Right by Diane Stoddard
- The Italian Solution by Greta MacEachern
- Too Late for Love? by Jacqueline Floyd
- Trust in Me by Priscilla Kissinger
- Under a Harvest Moon by Joleen Wieser
2008 Golden Heart for Contemporary Series Romance: Suspense/Adventure Finalists
- Hot Pursuit by Lynn Harris
- Kitty’s Fire by Kelly Ann Riley
- Long Shadows by Donna Meier
- The Midnight Effect by Pamela Fryer
2008 Golden Heart for Contemporary Single Title Romance Finalists
- Beauty and the Geek by Sarah Castleberry
- Better Late Than Never by Theresa Ragan
- Love on the Rocks by Mary Sullivan
- Money, Honey by Susan Seyfarth
- Public Relations by Amy Atwell
- Summer Storm by Patricia Brayton-Winter
- The Lost by Shelley Coriell
- The Princess Project by Susan Seyfarth
2008 Golden Heart for Historical Romance Finalists
- Breath of Honor by Courtney Milan
- Earth’s Only Paradise by Cynthia Eernisse Chase
- Lily’s Outlaw by Tatia Talbot
- Moss Square by Kathryn Parker
- No Greater Glory by Cindy Nord
- The Kinds Of Wanting by Kris Kennedy
- The Lightkeeper’s Wife by Christine Johnson
- Through the Fire by Beth Trissel
- Wanting Finian by Kris Kennedy
2008 Golden Heart for Inspirational Romance Finalists
- Addie’s Choice by Keli Gwyn
- Love in Bloom by Keli Gwyn
- Running from Trouble by Kit Wilkinson
- This Time Forever by Denise Meinstad
- Wyndermere House by Susan Mason
2008 Golden Heart for Novel with Strong Romantic Elements Finalists
- Alternate Ending by Julia Whitby
- Evil Eye by Elizabeth Heiter
- Flaherty’s Crossing by Kristina Y. McMorris & Linda Yoshida
- Heads Up, St. Anthony by Liese Sherwood-Fabre
- In The Money by Bev Pettersen
- Secrets of the Blackwood by Christine Johnson
- The Devil You Know by Christa Selnick
- The Professor by Cathy Perkins
- To Dance With My Father by Constance Gillam
2008 Golden Heart for Paranormal Romance Finalists
- Bedknobs & Broomsticks by Kelly Gay
- Haven by Donna Pruneau
- Lilith’s Child by Margie Roland
- Night’s Cold Kiss by Tracey Lee-Anne O’Hara
- Soul Provider by Annette McCleave
- The Magic Knot by Helen Taylor
- The Sextant by Jennifer Satterfield
- Wish List by Kerry Allen
2008 Golden Heart for Regency Historical Romance Finalists
- A Talent for Sin by Lavinia Klein
- Glorious by Darcy Burke
- Haunting James by Emily Dennis
- Lost in Love by Pamela Bolton-Holifield
- Midnight Promises by Anne Barton
- Mistaken By Moonlight by Susan Gee Heino
2008 Golden Heart for Romantic Suspense Finalists
- Beyond the Borders by Helene Young
- Dying To Remember by Cherilyn Redwine
- Finding Kate Huntley by Theresa Ragan
- Murder in Situ by Rachel Grant
- One Shot, Two Kills by Kimberley Howe
- Safe In Enemy Arms by Joan Swan
- Sweet Deceit by Julie Stevens
- Truth and Consequences by Robin Perini
2008 Golden Heart for Young Adult Romance Finalists
- Blighted by Kelly Gay
- Party Like It’s 1899 by Amanda Brice
- The Cinderella Society by Kay Cassidy
- Wishing You Were Here by Catherine Chant
Congratulations to all the finalists. Good luck. For commenters, let’s keep this thread for congratulations or explanations about the RITA process. I promise to open a thread later where we can complain about the process, the picks, and the whole OMG -WTF-ery. I am interested in gauging how many people would be interested in us running the Reader Rita contest again where the readers pick who they think will win the RITAs.
Related posts:
Mar 26, 2008 @ 09:24:49
Congratulations to all the finalists!
And I’d love another Reader Rita contest.
Mar 26, 2008 @ 10:38:15
Wow, four of the finalists are represented by my agent. I’ll say she’s doing pretty darn good. :-)
Mar 26, 2008 @ 10:42:31
And I know I sound like a broken record but I really don’t get the division between historical romance and regency historical romance and it’s not as if the regency historical romances don’t have sex or have a different length or anything.
Nuts.
Mar 26, 2008 @ 10:59:35
A Big Hearty Congratulations to all the finalists – I’ve read quite a few of these books.
Mar 26, 2008 @ 11:01:40
Wow, pretty cool – I’m going to have to check out some of these.
Notice they all have editors – hellooooooo, New Concepts, are you paying attention?! ;)
Mar 26, 2008 @ 11:20:54
Dang, there goes my TBR pile back up to the roof!
Congrats to all the nominees!
Mar 26, 2008 @ 12:10:19
Congratulations to hard working authors on those great lists. I’ve read quite a few of the books on the RITA list and will hunt up some of the other authors I haven’t read yet. Good job!
Mar 26, 2008 @ 12:47:02
CONGRATS TO ALL!
And hurray to my pal, Terri Garey, for finalling in the RITA in both Paranormal and Best First Book!
Mar 26, 2008 @ 13:08:40
Congrats to all!!
I’m with Sherry. Why parse out the historical category like that but then lump a bunch of genres into the paranormal category (urban fiction, futuristics, otherworldly and time travel)? Very confusing. Almost as confusing as what the criteria for “Novel With Strong Romantic Elements” are… Hmmmm.
Mar 26, 2008 @ 13:09:51
I had to go order the Emily Gee book posthaste! Had never heard of it!
Mar 26, 2008 @ 13:10:09
Whoops!! Sorry if that violated the “congrats only” policy of this thread. Ignore my second paragraph and stick with: Congratulations to the finalists!!!
Mar 26, 2008 @ 13:23:48
Congrats to all the finalists- I’m going to run out and buy a pile of books now.
Special congrats to all the Seattle Finalists – Christina Dodd, Julia Quinn, Cherry Adair, Joleen Wieser, Jane Porter, and Janice Johnson!!!
Mar 26, 2008 @ 13:42:08
Oops, didn’t see that it was a congrats only thread either. Well, I guess there’s some positive to dividing up the historicals. More books get the recognition!
And congratulations to all the nominees.
Mar 26, 2008 @ 14:30:37
LOL – I read Jane’s little bit at the end about it being congratulations only this time round and had to do a wee bit of backspacing.
Mar 26, 2008 @ 14:34:41
Curious and ignorant…when do they announce the winners? At the RWA convention?
Mar 26, 2008 @ 15:08:09
Oh, and I would LOVE to do a reader RITA. :) I have a whole lotta books I would love to nominate.
Mar 26, 2008 @ 15:18:33
Interesting selections. I read quite a few of the nominees and agree with some but am rather surprised at others.
Mar 26, 2008 @ 16:02:10
Congrats to Kristan Higgins for her Catch of the Day nomination. I loved that book.
Mar 26, 2008 @ 16:09:55
Me too, Vicky! Catch of the Day was one of my absolute favorite reads from last year, along with Nora’s High Noon.
Congrats to all of the finalists. Some great reads in there!
Mar 26, 2008 @ 16:47:35
Clearly I am the last person on the planet to read Catch of the Day. Off to Amazon…
Mar 26, 2008 @ 17:44:31
Congratulations to all the finalists!
Mar 26, 2008 @ 22:29:50
Just read “Dead Girls are Easy” and had to double check a few times to make sure it was a first book- very much deserves the kudos
Mar 27, 2008 @ 05:57:35
No matter how rubbish I am, I’d be interested in another go around of pick the Rita
Congrats to all the nominees! There’s some great reads in there!