Two of five Langley authors made it to the shortlist in a national writing competition.

Of the 3,000 plus contestants who entered the first round of the Next Top Spiritual Author contest, 250 authors advance to round two.

It's a husband-and-wife team from Walnut Grove that made this cut.

Miriam Evers and Howard Staples, with their book, Feel Great Naked - One Couple's Quest for Heaven on Earth are still in the running.

"I was over-the-top excited when we got the news that my husband and I had made it to round two," Evers told the Langley Advance.

Round two of the Next Top Spiritual Author contest begins on Monday, May 24 and runs for five weeks. They previously talked with the Advance about entering the competition as a group [Writers collaborate in competition, April 30, Langley Advance].

In preparation for this next phase of competition, the local couple had two weeks to write a book proposal and a chapter, which is supposed to be posted online [http://bit.ly/feelgn] within a few days.

"Feel Great Naked is a narrative about how we, as a couple, shed years of desperate loneliness, fierce independence, and self-hatred in our quest to create a relationship so joyful and loving that it would feel like heaven on earth," Evers explained.

"We hope readers will be inspired by our willingness to laugh at ourselves in our 19 year struggle for freedom in our marriage. We write about what is possible in relationship when both partners go for what they truly want together."

Round two will again involve public voting as well as an assessment of each book proposal by a panel of experts and a significant vote from Hampton Roads Publishing.

The winner earns a publishing contract with Hampton Roads publishing, and $50,000 (US) for marketing, a prize that has all five of the Langley authors motivated to put pen to paper - or fingers to keyboard.

"I think we have an excellent chance of making it to round three," Evers said. "There are five weeks of voting in this round (starting on May 24) and I think that's plenty of time."

With their neighbours and friends Susan McFee, Daniel Lindenberger, and Lauren Plaviak from Windsong Cohousing out of the running, Staples and Evers are now collaborating with three other authors in Vancouver who made it into this round.

"Most important for me is to stay in a joyful flow," Evers said, looking forward to a camping trip to Vancouver Island.

"Mr. Lone Wolf and Ms. Fiercely Independent fought over every word," she admitted.

"Good thing we know how to laugh at ourselves and come back together. We are still arguing over the final edit of Chapter One, which will be posted in a few days."