My contract came yesterday. Yea! Getting it makes the sale more real. Luckily I have a hubby and agent who negotiate contracts, because legal-speak is seriously above my head! I signed and sent it off today. Whew!
I'm also e-mailing back and forth with a web designer. The site I have needs a serious overhaul! We will eventually incorporate and redesign this blog style to go with the new site. I'll post when that is up and running!
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Saturday, August 22, 2009
The Call!
Okay, so Friday, March the 13th, was a lucky day for me. New agent, renewed excitement to get the book finished. So over the course of the next 7 weeks, I busted my tail, got high blood pressure for the first time in my life (no kidding), no sleep, the works. Kevan made some suggestions for revisions and I typed away until we were both satisfied with the results. A query went out and we got 7-ish requests for the manuscript right before RWA National in D.C.
Since I had the opportunity for face time at the conference, I stalked (G), ah, sought out all the editors on our list for face-to-face introductions. What I didn't know at the time was one of the editors already planned to make an offer, but wasn't quite ready to do so. So a few days after returning from D.C., July 29th at 11:11 am, I got "The Call"! It involved lots of crying and jumping up and down. Truthfully, I think I cried through the entire call. Sadly, I was so busy freaking out that it took about a half hour after the call to realize Kevan said "book(s)". I had to confirm that little detail a couple hours later when she called to tell me we'd accepted the offer. It was for a two book contract! After many, many years of writing, rejections on other manuscripts, and getting close to making a sale or two, I was flying! I have the world's best agent!
About a week later, I talked to my new Berkley editor on the phone. She is so nice! The books will be part of a series! Now I'm waiting for the contract and for the revisions to begin. I won't be posting regularly, but will post through the next year and a half. Since the books won't come out until early 2011, it will be a long process. But if you want some insider scoop on what happens from sale to book release, please come along for the ride! Cheryl
Since I had the opportunity for face time at the conference, I stalked (G), ah, sought out all the editors on our list for face-to-face introductions. What I didn't know at the time was one of the editors already planned to make an offer, but wasn't quite ready to do so. So a few days after returning from D.C., July 29th at 11:11 am, I got "The Call"! It involved lots of crying and jumping up and down. Truthfully, I think I cried through the entire call. Sadly, I was so busy freaking out that it took about a half hour after the call to realize Kevan said "book(s)". I had to confirm that little detail a couple hours later when she called to tell me we'd accepted the offer. It was for a two book contract! After many, many years of writing, rejections on other manuscripts, and getting close to making a sale or two, I was flying! I have the world's best agent!
About a week later, I talked to my new Berkley editor on the phone. She is so nice! The books will be part of a series! Now I'm waiting for the contract and for the revisions to begin. I won't be posting regularly, but will post through the next year and a half. Since the books won't come out until early 2011, it will be a long process. But if you want some insider scoop on what happens from sale to book release, please come along for the ride! Cheryl
Thursday, August 20, 2009
The Agent
Okay. Part two. I'm typing as fast as I can on my historical novel for about a week, freaking out truthfully, when I received an e-mail rejection off another book from an agent. She liked my voice, writing, pretty much everything about the book. Unfortunately, the type of book (romantic comedy with mystery elements) wasn't selling well right now. But if I ever had anything else, feel free to submit. Well, I'm clearly never one to let an unfinished manuscript stop me, so I fired off a thank you with a short note about my other full request. And yes, I did tell her the book wasn't finished! She asked to see a partial, so I sent 58 pages (3 chapts) and a couple line high concept pitch.
Approximately 7 hours later the phone rings. I have caller ID so I saw the name and was a little freaked out. It was the agent. She had questions, asked me how long the book would take to finish, about the plot, those things. She said a couple times she doesn't usually offer representation off a partial but she LOVED the book. Within one day I was rejected, requested, and signed with my wonderful agent.
Approximately 7 hours later the phone rings. I have caller ID so I saw the name and was a little freaked out. It was the agent. She had questions, asked me how long the book would take to finish, about the plot, those things. She said a couple times she doesn't usually offer representation off a partial but she LOVED the book. Within one day I was rejected, requested, and signed with my wonderful agent.
The pitch session
I thought it would be fun to document my road to publication. This will be a long post while I catch up. It started in San Francisco at the RWA conference in July 2008. I has a pitch appointment with an NY editor. I pitch a completed manuscript and she was sort of lukewarm on the concept. Since we had extra time, I pitched a new book that was 6 pages long. She was very excited about that one, and requested partials of both. When I got home I whipped up a full partial with synopsis of the second book and sent both off. Since the editor was with a house that has a huge historical market niche, I never expected anything to come from it.
Fast forward, to March of 2009. Out of the blue, I get an e-mail from the editor passing on the first book and requesting a full of the second. Yikes! I'd only written about 125 pages of the book, since I'd never expected she actually request it. I'd been working on other projects. Bad!
I sent her off a thank you and told her I'd send it ASAP. Then proceeded to panic. How in the heck was I to get another 275 pages finished in a timely manner?
Fast forward, to March of 2009. Out of the blue, I get an e-mail from the editor passing on the first book and requesting a full of the second. Yikes! I'd only written about 125 pages of the book, since I'd never expected she actually request it. I'd been working on other projects. Bad!
I sent her off a thank you and told her I'd send it ASAP. Then proceeded to panic. How in the heck was I to get another 275 pages finished in a timely manner?
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