Gateway To the Best Contest

[ Gateway To the Best Contest ] [ Gateway Official Rules ] [ Gateway To the Best Score Sheet ]

2008 Gateway To the Best Contest Winners!

Contemporary Series**

• Final Round Judge—Laura Barth, editorial assistant for Harlequin Books, Harlequin American, and Harlequin Blaze

First Place— Julie Opdyke, Mr. Perfect’s Best Friend ★ †

Second Place—Jeanne M. Dickson, His Nutcracker Sweets ∆ †

Third Place—Kimberly Wegner, Where There’s A Will †

First Honorable Mention—Anita Mae Draper, Charley’s Saint †

Second Honorable Mention—Sarah Elizabeth Davis, Room for Two †

 Historical

• Final Round Judge—Hilary Sares, editor for Kensington Publishing.

 First Place—Chi Nguyen-Rettig, Silk and Shadows ★ †

Second Place—Anna Clevenger, The Beekeeper and the Spy* ★ †

Third Place—Jodie Pearson, A Scandalous Wife †

 Paranormal

• Final Round Judge­—Latoya Smith, editorial assistant for Grand Central Publishing

 First Place—Nina Roth Borromeo, Sweet Inspiration †

Second Place—Cynthia Arends, Unleashing Your Inner Sex Demon †

Third Place—Clarissa Ellison, Touch of Twilight †

 Single Title***

• Final Round Judge—Allison Brandau, editorial assistant for The Berkley Publishing Group

First Place—Diane O’Brien Kelly, Death, Taxes, and a French Manicure ★

Second Place—Diane O’Brien Kelly, Busted ★

Third Place—Virginia McCullogh, The Jacks of Her Heart

Honorable Mention—Virginia McCullogh, Greta’s Grace

 Suspense

• Final Round Judge—Margo Lipschultz, associate editor for HQN Books and LUNA

First Place—Melinda Leigh, Where There’s Smoke †

Second Place—Anne-Marie Carroll, The Gavel’s Echo †

Third Place—Elizabeth Pina, Stealing Best in Show †

 Erotic Romance

Cancelled due to lack of entries. Although our contest received 167 entries, we received only 5 in erotic romance. This would have required more than 50% to go to the final judge. Entries were tallied with the author’s second choice of category or, if the entrant didn’t choose a second choice category, the single title category as a default.

★ Final Judge requested full manuscript

∆ Final Judge requested full manuscript if her suggested edits were made

† Final Judge gave feedback on her impressions of the entry

* Winner of the Grand Prize for highest overall first round score.

** Five finalists due to a three-way tie for third place.

*** Four finalists due to a two-way tie for third place.