From the department of non-sarcastic Woo Hoos! ...

Proud to announce that today, Mrs. TV Barn's labor of love was named a finalist in the nonfiction category for the William Rockhill Nelson Award, handed out annually by the Writers Place of Kansas City and the Kansas City Star.

Link: Kansas City Star | The 2007 Nelson nominees are ….

Now, you might wonder if being married to a Star employee has given Ms. Eickhoff any kind of advantage in this competition. If anything, I think it's held her back. When you consider that she spent six years on a biography assembled from the scattered writings of a woman (Clarina Nichols, pictured) who didn't keep a diary but did keep changing addresses, and produced a helluva read, Diane has probably gotten less publicity from the newspaper than she would've had she not been married to me. Newspapers are funny that way.

At any rate, Revolutionary Heart also recently was named the 2007 pick of Lawrence, Kansas, for its annual citywide read-along. Diane is making several area appearances this spring, including our first-ever co-presentation, April 15 (Sunday) at the Kansas City Public Library on the Country Club Plaza.  Check out the news page and then mark your calendar!