I hadn’t even looked at the list of nominees  on the RT Bookclub Magazine website until this morning–and then was surprised and delighted to see that both MURDER AT GRANITE FALLS (4/2011)  and DUTY TO PROTECT  (12/2011)  are nominated for Best Love Inspired Suspense of 2011.  What happy news!

I could sure use it, today.  Yesterday, I found my favorite barn cat, a pretty little calico, dead in the horse trailer, and my heart just broke.  And we’ve had our vet out twice recently, to assess our 35-year-old AQHA palomino gelding, Smokey.  Despite six scoops of grain a day (the other, younger ones receive a half-scoop and are still too fat!) he is emaciated–just skin and bones.  Even with his winter coat, he has almost no insulation, and the vet feels he is very likely to go down from hypothermia over the winter, even if we keep blankets on him.  The choice?  Risk him suffering, unable to get up, and having to put him down in the bitter cold of winter, or avoid that potential suffering and take care of him now.  He’s had a very long, wonderful life with big pastures and the best of care, the  past ten years in complete retirement. But what a sad and awful decision to make.  What would you do?   🙁