Nerves

Fiorella is anxiously gearing up for the drive to Houston in a week and a half . She double-finaled in The Emily, West Houston RWA's prestigious romance contest, and February 11 is the day she finds out where she placed. She wants to win, of course, but the odds are against it so she's practicing her serene smiley face, the one that says "I'm so happy for you trouncing me and I'm being such a good sport about it," when what she'll really want to do is scream, "Gimme that certificate, bitch!" and make a lunge for the podium.

On the other hand, maybe the winner will hail from Canada or some other strange, exotic clime and won't show.

Hey, Pat, don't you have to be present to win?