And that’s our coverage

This was meant to be posted last night, but it was hung up in the place
where email goes and never comes out.

—-

The most powerful RITA moment for me was Jennifer Greene, who won for Best Novella. She told us that
after the story was published, her mother asked her to read her story aloud.
Her mother’s eyesight was failing, and the story was dedicated to her as
part of a Mother’s Day anthology.

When she finished reading, her mother said that having a daughter like her
was the highlight of her life. Ms. Greene said, “I lost her three weeks
later.”

Comments are Closed

  1. Bonnie says:

    Jesus, you’re killin’ me. 

    There’s nothing like a mother.  Ever.  Girl’s best friend, even if she doesn’t realize it.

  2. Rinda says:

    Oh man, this tore me up.  Jennifer Greene was one of my biggest inspirations when I first started reading romances.  I fell in love with her flawed, quirky characters.

  3. Kimberly Van Meter says:

    Yeah…I was good until that moment. Then my eyes started to leak. Very touching.

  4. StephB says:

    Wow. My eyes teared up just reading that.

  5. Malin says:

    *sniff* Same here.

  6. ev says:

    Awwww….

  7. Barb Ferrer says:

    You should’ve seen us in the presenters/board members rows.  We were all sniffling and Terri Brisbin was pulling Kleenex from this large wad she’d stashed in her purse.  God love her.  There would’ve been some seriously smeared makeup otherwise.

  8. Jill Shalvis says:

    Moments like that are what make the Ritas for me.

  9. Julie Leto says:

    I cried like a baby.  Jennifer Greene is so classy.  I’m so glad she won.

  10. Jessa Slade says:

    Winning a RITA someday would be awesome.  Making my mom that proud…  She’d probably say I already have (‘cuz she’s a great mom) but I still trying, you know?

  11. Carrie Lofty says:

    Yes, I regretted my ill-planned decision to wear non-waterproof mascara. Me = the weepy raccoon. But I was like that last year too. Lisa Kleypas’s story about her house flood turned my sleep deprived self into a sprinkler. Damn women being all eloquent and heartfelt. No defenses against that!

  12. Chrissy says:

    Ok I have to be careful what I read at the cafe.  People stare when you cry for no visible or obvious reason.

  13. Leanna Renee says:

    Oh, I’m tearing up right now and I wasn’t even there.  Wow.  That’s incredibly powerful.  Thank you for sharing, Sarah.

  14. ev says:

    Ok I have to be careful what I read at the cafe.  People stare when you cry for no visible or obvious reason.

    Which is why I no longer travel with my Reader’s Digest in my purse for quick reading needs.

    And I only wear Waterproof Mascara.

  15. orannia says:

    Thank you Sarah. I’m lucky that my work desk doesn’t face anyone as I’ve teared up too. My mother passed away just over a year ago (and I lost my [paternal] grandmother less that 2 weeks ago). For me, Jennifer’s mother couldn’t have said anything poignant to her daughter…

    orannia

  16. Alison Kent says:

    Lisa Kleypas’s story about her house flood turned my sleep deprived self into a sprinkler.

    Oh, ditto.  It was such a gorgeous story.  I blubbered.

  17. Mary Stella says:

    At the awards ceremony, I was sitting next to a young first time attendee whose mother had accompanied her to the conference.  When Jennifer Greene told the story about her mother, my eyes didn’t just leak, they darn near flooded.  Beautiful, touching moment.  The following morning Jennifer and I wound up next to each other in the shuttle van to the airport.  I’m glad I got to personally congratulate her on her Rita win.  Everyone in the van told her how moved we were by what she said. 

    Everyone, Sarah is apparently too modest to tell you that she rocked moderating the panel with Nora Roberts, Jane Litte, and the Berkeley prof whose name I’ve unfortunately forgotten.  Great panel all around!  (Don’t forget the web widgets, Sarah!)

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