The Wenches are happy. Joanna is happy. Joanna's publisher is happy. The Black Hawk is happy. Yesterday, Joanna won a RITA for her 2011 historical romance, The Black Hawk. The announcement was 
made yesterday at the Romance Writers of America annual conference. Joanna was so sure she wouldn't win that she hadn't even left room in her suitcase for the RITA. We suspect Joanna has now found room for that little statuette in her luggage! Big congratulations, Joanna. Couldn't happen to a nicer person!
Congratulations, Joanna! The Black Hawk is a fabulous book, and definitely deserving of the award.
Posted by: Margot | Sunday, July 29, 2012 at 03:08 AM
Definitely deserved! The Black Hawk was a wonderful book.
Posted by: Jane O | Sunday, July 29, 2012 at 06:52 AM
Well Deserved,Congratulations!!
Posted by: Kathleen Henderson | Sunday, July 29, 2012 at 07:43 AM
Congratulations.
Posted by: Beth Elliott | Sunday, July 29, 2012 at 02:00 PM
Congratulations to you, Jo!!! LOL on the suitcase mishap. Gee, I'd take it in my carry-on bag, pulling it out ahead of time to show the TSA folks. (Of course it probably weighs a ton!)
One of the Olympians just talked about losing his gold medal on the return trip home after Beijing. He'd taken it out of a special pouch while going through security. When he put it back, he just stuck it in the side pocket of his carry-on and, as the plane took off, it rolled back 4 rows on the plane, but he didn't realize that till he got home. Luckily, the person who recovered it lived just a few blocks away from him in Austin and returned the medal to him. Can you imagine the frantic search he made of his bags when he got home?
Posted by: MJ | Monday, July 30, 2012 at 08:04 AM
A very well deserve accolade. I loved the book.
Posted by: Lyn S | Monday, July 30, 2012 at 09:26 AM
Thank you so much. So much.
I am beyond happy to win the RITA. This is the brass ring for Romance writers. There's no higher honor.
Hi MJ -- I DID make the RITA my carry-on bag. Unlike certain athletes, I kept an eye on it. (He was so very lucky to get it back. Yeah!) In fact, I watched it obsessively.
The TSA people, for some reason, ignored it when it went through the X-ray machine.
Here's my comment on the ceremony, btw.
http://www.jobourne.blogspot.com/2012/07/the-rita-i-haz-it.html
Posted by: joanna bourne | Monday, July 30, 2012 at 04:09 PM
Congrats! A well deserved win. :)
Posted by: theo | Monday, July 30, 2012 at 05:28 PM
HUGE congratulations. Like a greedy child with chocolate, I read the entire spymaster series in one sitting. Extremely well done books, and I am eagerly waiting for the next one! Love your writing!
Posted by: Donna | Wednesday, August 01, 2012 at 03:49 PM
A well deserved honor for a great book, congratulations from another fan!
Posted by: Karin | Monday, August 06, 2012 at 07:41 PM