Awards

No brag too big, no award too small…

  • Judge for CWA writing contest, August, 2010. 
  • Foreign rights for Who Moved My Mouse? have sold to UK, Brazil, German, Dutch, Taiwan, and mainland China, July 2010.
  • Presented "Get Published! Learn to Write For Magazines" at The Sanctuary in Greensboro, May 2010.
  • Foreign rights for Who Moved My Mouse? A Self-Help Book for Cats (Who Don't Need Any Help) sold to UK and Brazil, April, 2010.
  • Who Moved My Mouse? A Self-Help Book for Cats (Who Don't Need Any Help) will be released October 19, 2010 by Ten Speed Press.
  • Dena will be a featured speaker at the 2010 Cat Writer's of America conference.
  • Guest speaker at Write Motivation class, Greensboro, March, 2010.
  • Two of Dena's essays will appear in the July 2010 release of Chicken Soup for the Soul: Runners
  • Presented "Get Published! How to Write for Magazines" workshop, sponsored by Winston-Salem Writers Group, February 27, 2010.
  • Invited to be Slushfest judge for Winston-Salem Writers Group, December 2009.
  • Yoga Cat and Dibbs! selected for Chicken Soup for the Soul: What I Learned From the Cat, September 2009. Dibbs! is the first story in the book. (Kinda cool...)
  • Honorable mention for fiction in Burlington Writer's Club 2009 contest.
  • Featured Speaker at CWA's 15th Annual Writers Conference Atlanta, Nov. 2008.
  • Interviewed on Talking Toastmasters podcast about Goal-Setting article that appeared in the Sept. 2008 issue of The Toastmaster.
  • September 2008: Interviewed on Pet Life Radio's PARANORMAL PETS on Ghost Cat In My House.
  • Sept 23, 2008 - Launch of new Monthly Radio Program on WLOE - "How'd You End Up Here?"
  • Sept 22, 2008 - Meet Your Local Authors night, Mayodan Public Library, 6:30 - 8 PM
  • HumorPower.com Quirky Writing Styles contest - Honorable Mention for two pieces, Dec. 2007.
  • Guest on Fox 8 Morning News to talk about Chicken Soup for the American Idol Soul, Monday, 9 am, November 19, 2007.
  • Profile piece on "Under Dawg," News & Record, November 11, 2007.
  • Dena's story "Under Dawg" published in newly released (2007) Chicken Soup for the American Idol Soul
  • Faculty Speaker at The North Carolina Writers' Network, Nov. 16th - 18th, 2007.
  • Keynote Speaker For "Women Connecting With Women" Symposium, Greensboro Public Library, Nov. 15th, 2007.
  • "Dibbs" and "The Great Cat Butt Wiping Adventure" accepted as finalists for publication in A Cup of Comfort For Cat Lovers, (Adams Media, Spring 2008).
  • New member of Blue Moon Advanced Toastmasters Club, level AC-B (Advanced Communicator, Bronze) and higher. August, 2007.
  • Awarded 3rd place in the I Love Cats! magazine essay contest, "How I'd Like To Work Like A Cat." Winning entries published in the July-August 2007 issue of I Love Cats.
  • Awarded Advanced Toastmaster (ATM) Bronze Designation, Toastmasters International, May 2007.
  • 1st Place win in Divison B Toastmaster's Table Topics Contest, April 14, 2007.
  • 1st Place win in Area #23 Toastmaster's Table Topics Contest, March 26, 2007.
  • 1st Place win in Toastmaster's Table Topics Contest, club level, March 7, 2007.
  • Awarded Competent Leader (CL) Designation, Toastmasters International, March 2007.
  • "Jingle Bell Horrors" selected as MUSE MEDALLION humor winner in the 2006 Cat Writers' Association Communications Contest - (highest award).
  • Community Accents Radio Show, "People of Passion," hosted by Dena the 4th Tuesday of every month, 8:30 - 9 AM; 1490 WLOE & 1420 WMYN.
  • "Feline Follies" humor column selected as Certificate of Excellence Winner in the 2006 Cat Writers' Association Communications Contest - Column Writing Division.
  • "Lessons In Stalking: Life With Cats" selected as Certificate of Excellence Winner in the 2006 Cat Writers' Association Communications Contest - Gift Book Division.
  • "Jingle Ball Horros" selected as Certificate of Excellence Winner in the 2006 Cat Writers' Association Communications Contest - Humor Division.
  • Awarded "Best Evaluator" for 2005-2006 year in Triad Toastmasters.
  • 3rd Place Win in Toastmasters District 37 Division B International Speech Contest - April 10, 2006.
  • 1st Place Win in Toastmasters Area 23 International Speech Contest - March 28, 2006.
  • Selected as 1 of 25 artists awarded a Wildacres Retreat Residency in 2006.
  • March 2006: Author Profile in Cats & Kittens magazine.
  • Quoted as Networking Expert, News & Record, Sunday, Feb. 5, 2006.
  • January 2006: Dena featured in author profile in Fanc-E-Mews, newsletter of the Cat Fancier's Association.
  • Faculty Speaker at NSA (National Speakers Association) University, Tucson, AZ, Jan. 5th - 8th, 2006.
  • "Can You See Me" was selected by the publishers of Chicken Soup for the Cat Lover's Soul for national release as a "promo" piece for the book.
  • "Yoga Cat" and "Morning Revelry" both selected as Certificate of Excellence Winners in the 2005 Cat Writers 'Association Communications Contest - Humor Division.
  • Featured Speaker at the SCBWI North Carolina Fall Conference, Sept. 23-25, 2005
  • Runner-up in Sea Yu Enterprises "Stinkiest Pet in America" essay contest. (This is a proud, proud moment for me...)
    • Recently approached by overachievers anonymous. (They want me for their Queen.)
  • Judge for several categories for the Cat Writers' Association 2005 annual writing competition.
  • Featured speaker at the August ABWA Greensboro Sunshiners luncheon.
  • Participated in 6-Member Writing Panel on "How To Be Published" - GSO Public Library, July, 2005
  • Presented "How To Establish Yourself As A Public Speaker" at the NC Toastmasters Leadership Institute, Summer 2005.
  • 5th place win out of over 700 entrants in Twenty Twenty Publishing and WritingStuff.com's Blogfest 2005 Writing Contest.
  • Two of Dena's humor stories: "The Creature Under The Fridge" and "Can You See Me?" will appear in the October 2005, Chicken Soup For the Cat Lover's Soul book.
  • Dena's e-book, "The Beginner's Guide to Preserving" is reviewed in Canada's "There's No Place Like Home" magazine.
  • 3rd place win for "Terror In the Designer Racks", April 2005, Burlington North Carolina Writers Group Contest (Non-fiction)
  • Workshop Presenter at the 2004 Cat Writers' Association Annual Conference
  • The International Cat Writers' Association, Inc. 2003 Communications Contest Humor Division Award for "Lessons In Stalking"
  • The Writer Gazette "Fear of Writing" contest, May 2002. Short, short story, Don't Poach The Roach
  • Toastmasters International Evaluation Speech Contest District 37, 2nd place October 2001