In Honorable Company: The RWA Anthology

Ever sit in a meeting or stand at a party, look around you, and wonder how you came to be among such wonderful company?  That was my experience last week, when Romance Writers of America announced the authors whose stories were chosen for inclusion in the professional organization’s first short story anthology. 

RWA had sent out a call for submissions last summer.  The idea was to develop an anthology that showcased what romance writers have to offer in the various subgenres, including contemporary, erotic, historical, inspirational, paranormal, romantic suspense, and young adult. To get our creative juices flowing, RWA requested that we submit a story around the theme of “wrong number” (for example, wrong phone number, wrong e-mail address including numbers, etc.).  The set of chosen stories would be edited by former RWA President and number one New York Times best-selling author, Sylvia Day. 

Wrong number, I thought.  How would that work in my historical romances?  No phone numbers and certainly no e-mail addresses.  But there was one wrong number that sent chills through the heart of any nineteenth century society hostess.

Wrong numbers at table. 

Some Society ladies prided themselves in having an equal number of women and men at their dinner parties.  What would happen if a hostess at a Christmas house party found herself at odd numbers and had to enlist the aid of her recluse brother, a hero from the Napoleonic wars?  And what would happen if the woman he had to sit beside was the one woman he’d ever loved, who’d once rejected him before he set off to war?

Thus was born “A Light in the Darkness,” a Regency-set Christmas story, which I am honored to announce will be included in RWA’s anthology. 

And I am shivering with delight over my sister authors who will also be included:

Lila Bell

Allison Brennan

T.L. Costa

Sylvia Day

Cindy Gerard

Sabrina Jeffries

Joan Johnston

Laura Kaye

Diane Kelly

Amber Lin

Courtney Milan

Monica Murphy

Katy Regnery

Erica Ridley

Harper St. George

Vicki Lewis Thompson

Lex Valentine

If a lady is judged by the company she keeps, I have reached the very heights of good Society.  Please join me in congratulating all the wonderful authors who will represent the romance industry.