Hard work pays off....my story of "The Call!"

If you follow me on Twitter or Facebook, you may have seen some vague posts lately about me being super excited and celebratory. Wouldn't take a rocket scientist to guess what it was all about :)

I got THE call! Well, it was an email for me, but just as fabulous! Kinda glad it wasn't an actual phone call or I may have embarrassed myself by screaming or crying or asking, "Is this for real?"

So let's back it up a bit and start at the beginning, if you're interested in reading the whole story. :)

Summer 2012 was FULL of submitting my manuscript and waiting. Lots of interest in my newest book, Try Me On For Size. I did Twitter pitches, I did blog events, I did all kinds of stuff. I participated in a fun Twitter pitch in August, Pitch Madness, I believe. I received three requests, two from the same agency. So out of respect, I sent it to the one who'd requested first. Rejection a few weeks later :(

Jump ahead to October. I saw on Twitter that the other agent who requested the MS was no longer with that agency. Sooooooo I Tweeted and asked if she remembered me and if it was okay to submit to her. She said yes! So I did. The next week was a flurry of emails. She loved the partial...wanted the full. Loved the full, but had a couple suggestions. If I was interested in making the changes, I could resubmit. The changes, in my opinion, were minimal and I thought they were a good suggestion, so I made them. Took me about a week. Sent it back and she confirmed. And then I waited.

And waited.

And waited.

It felt like forever.

I checked up mid December. I hated doing it. I hate looking clingy and impatient. I know how the publishing industry is. I know it takes time and there is always waiting. But I guess since our first few interactions had been so quick, the two months that had passed seemed r e a l l y long. But she was great and said she had been really busy the last few weeks before (she opened her own agency in November!) but she had some free time so she was definitely getting to it soon.

So then Christmas week came and I posted this post on December 19th. I remember writing it and wondering if the finding an agent thing was ever going to happen for me. I knew this was not something Santa could bring me.

The holidays were great. It was really a wonderful week for our family. And then on January 2nd, I sat down to work on my newest WIP. Checked my email and there was a reply from her. The dread set in. So many other emails over the last 6 years have all said the same thing....NO. My gut told me this was just another to add to the pile. I clicked on it....to get it over with. It didn't start the same as the others and my brain wouldn't let me read it one word at a time. It skimmed it quickly find out what the email actually said. And it wasn't a no. It was a yes! Tears flooded my eyes and my heart beat a million beats a minute.

I replied right away with a couple questions, forcing my fingers not to type out, "I love you!"

And then I waited.

And waited.

Almost a week went by with nothing. I got really nervous. What if she changed her mind? So again I sent a message to check in. And as I'd hoped, she'd never gotten my email reply...lost somewhere in cyber space! Why does that only happen on important emails? LOL!

My agent (SQUEE!) is Brittany Booker of The Booker Albert Literary Agency. Everything was made official and I'm now even listed as a client on her website!!

So so excited!! HUGE thanks to everyone who has supported me over the years and helped me become the writer I am now!! Onward and upward from here!

What do you want most for Christmas??

My mom still asks for a gift list. I am 35 years old. I always make one for her though. I know how much they enjoy giving us gifts. (and I do enjoy receiving them too!) I just wish she could give me what I really want this year :)

No one can give it to me. It's something I have to get on my own, but it seems no matter how hard I work, it's just not happening. This year my wish list really only has one thing...the same thing that's been on the list for years: an agent.

I know an agent is not the be all and end all and having one doesn't necessarily guarantee success, but it sure would help.

So what's on your list this year? Is it something someone can physically buy you...or something less tangible?

Where's cousin Eddie when I need him...to go to an agent's house and deliver them to mine with a big red bow wrapped around?

New York....concrete jungle where dreams are made.....

Alicia's Keys' voice played through my head as we walked around Manhattan this past Saturday. The city is really as gorgeous and fantastic as movies, music, and books make it sound. And embarrassingly, I've been a NY state resident my entire life and this is really my first time in NYC.

The main purpose of this weekend whirlwind trip was a luncheon hosted by the Long Island Romance Writers. They do it every year, bringing together lots of agents and editors to chat with and pitch your book to. It's all casual and relaxed.....or as relaxing as one can be coming face to face with the people who can make or break your publishing dreams! LOL!!

Today's post will focus just on the luncheon..and later in the week I'll post about the fun me and my family had and all we squished into one day!

Our weekend started with a 2:30 am alarm, and we backed out of our driveway at 3:10...ten minutes off schedule. But really that didn't matter. We made it to Long Island around 10, after being stuck in a little bit of traffic. I had been worried about a lotta bit of traffic...but I'd worried for nothing. Better safe than sorry. Hubby dropped me off at the inn where the luncheon was held at about 11:30 and he took the kids to lunch and to see Madagascar 3. 

I sat and waited, since the luncheon didn't start til 12. A few people trickled in and finally we could go in. But of course there was a snag...they didn't have a lanyard and badge for me. I was on the list, but no tag. While they looked, I went into the room and was immediately handed a glass of champagne. Soooo needed that! I snagged a seat at a table next to one of the agents I wanted to talk to, then went back out to the lobby. They found my lanyard and I felt more relaxed. 

I kinda stood around...not sure what to do. I am not very outgoing all on my own and sometimes it takes a little bit for me to relax and find the courage to just start talking to people. Then my friend Nicole Zoltack arrived. Yay! A friendly face! We chatted and the editor from Ellora's Cave came up to talk to us. Unfortunately, neither of us write erotic romance, but it was still nice to chat with her. Another writer came up and introduced herself to us, then introduced us to one of the agents she had talked with. SUPER nice. I knew beforehand she was not really a great fit for me and my book, but she said to send it anyway...it might be good for someone else in her agency. 

I split from my friend..as she wanted to talk to someone, so I chatted with the editor from Entangled. I just wanted to introduce myself. I did a pitch with the Romance University for Entangled last week and they requested it. So we chatted about that a little bit. Then lunch was announced. Food was tasty!! In between courses I got to chat with the agent sitting next to me. She thought my book sounded interesting, so she asked me to send it to her. YAY!! While waiting for dessert, I got up and mingled around, and chatted with another agent...another request!

Now I do know that agents often request material at these things....it's far harder to say no to someone's face....so I do take all this with a grain of salt. 

Anyway, the keynote speaker was great- Angela James from Carina Press. After she finished, the luncheon was pretty much done, but agents and editors mingled more and there was another opportunity to talk to them. I chatted with another agent who I knew was not exactly right for me, but while she did her introduction before lunch, she mentioned that other agents in her agency were looking for romance..and to come chat with her to find out more info. So I did. She referred me to another agent!! YAY!! 

And lastly I chatted with the editor there from Sourcebooks...who happens to also be the editor of one of my RWA chapter mates! Told her about my book and she said to send it over, though it might not be quite right for her. 

Overall, it was a really great event. I chatted with everyone I wanted to and had a decent number of requests. Fingers are crossed that one of these requests leads somewhere!!

This is why I love that man....

My husband said something so wonderful the other day...and I just had to share.

We were walking through Barnes and Noble and he said to me:

"There's so many books in here. There's no way every single one of them is more talented than you. I just don't get it."

He sees me struggle and get frustrated...he's frustrated too. Just doesn't understand why I can't find an agent like every book in B&N has.

Tuesday Tips: Queries- Part 2!

Hello! And welcome to Queries, Part 2! If you missed it, be sure to go back and read last week's post first!

#6: Hook them as simply and fast as possible. We're talking main character, main plot here. No need for subplots and details on the character's second cousin's wife's sister. But leave them hanging and wanting more. Do not give the whole thing away. That's what a synopsis is for.

#7: Bio is a must. But keep it to pertinent info only. No one cares what writers group you belong to. No one cares if this is your first and eightieth novel you've written. List your publishing credits including anthologies and online contests, but if there are many, choose only the most recent. And list only contests you have placed well in. Do not include blog posts or letters to the editor for your local newspaper. If you have nothing for a bio...well...maybe you should try and get something before you query. There are tons of fiction contests online, magazines, etc... My favorite listing is Duotrope. They list all kinds of magazines that publish works of all lengths, including flash fiction, which can be a great way to get a few pub creds under your belt. My first ever published work was a flash fiction contest through WOW! Women on Writing. I didn't win, but I placed top 10. My story was published on their website and it was a great start. I placed in a couple more of their contests after that. There was a fee, but it was minimal and well worth being able to type it into my bio!

#8: End it with a simple "Thank you for your time." Sad but true, you'll be lucky if they even make it that far.

#9: If you're sending snail mail queries, first of all, make sure the agent is open to them. Many agencies are going green and prefer email queries. But if you find an agent who does want a paper submission, make sure to include a self-addressed stamped envelope if you'd like a response.

#10: Don't stalk/email them for status updates. Agents get hundreds of submissions. I read lot of agent blogs and often they will comment on how full their inboxes are and how hard it is to get to them. Their priorities, first and foremost, are with their current clients. I wouldn't expect anything less. That's how I would want to be treated if I were their client. Again, it's an issue of respecting them. If you're constantly bugging them for an answer...guess where their respect for you goes?? Some agents will list a response time frame on their websites and will ask that you contact them if you have not heard back after that time frame. Then it is okay to send a quick email.

#11: Sit back and brace yourself for the rejections. They WILL come. It is a part of this business. Most times it's nothing personal. You're just not a right fit. They may already have a client with a similar story. They may just want something different. Will they tell you this?? Most likely not. Usually it's a plain form rejection. Under no circumstance email them after the rejection. They don't have time to explain. Even a "thank you" email just clogs up their inbox.

#12: Do not requery unless A- a significant time period has passed (I say at least a year) and B- you have made significant changes to the story.

Hope these tips help!!

Tuesday Tip: Queries- Part 1

I know how often authors struggle with the dreaded query and I am no exception. Not even in the tiniest bit. I wish I was. I wish I knew how to craft the perfect letter. But I don't.

I do know some dos and don't though. And as I wrote this, I realized how long the post was and decided to break it up into two! Be sure to stop by next Tuesday for part 2!

#1: Don't query too early. I have definitely done this. I was so green back then. I thought my first book was awesome and I felt so accomplished just having written it. I had no writer friends back then, only the opinions of my five closest girlfriends (who, of course, loved it!) I hadn't taken a grammar class in many many years. Looking back now, I can see how horrid that story was. But I didn't know it at the time. I sent the query out and luckily one agent gave me some honest feedback, telling me I was not ready to query at all. I was a little taken back at the time, but so grateful later on when I realized she was so so right. Don't query until you've gotten lots of honest critique on the book...not just friends who've adored it. Join a writer's group, online or in real life, put in your time by critiquing other's work and learning from it. Be very well read in your genre so you're aware of the cliches and can avoid them. You have to know what's already been done. I truly feel no story is completely original, but you need to make sure your book has a different take.

#2: When you're finally ready, do your research. Visit every agent's blog. Never rely on info on Publisher's Marketplace, Agent Query, or any other place ACCEPT the actual agent's website. The info can be outdated or just plain wrong. And check their background too. My favorite site is Predators and Editors. They're all listed alphabetically. Just because an agent looks professional online does not mean a thing. There are plenty of bad agents out there.

#3: Follow their guidelines to the tee! There's nothing more aggravating than having instructions written out in plain English and receiving everything else under the sun. Why turn them off before they've even read your blurb?

#4: Don't be gimicky. Just tell them what your story is about. Hook them. Don't try to be funny or witty or play games. Show your voice, yes, but don't be weird.

#5: Be professional. It's a business letter and should be treated as such. These agents are not your friend or even an acquaintance. A simple "Dear Ms. Smith" is appropriate. They are professionals and deserve respect. Get their name correct, get their gender correct.

Okay, that's it for now! Stop back next week for the rest!!

What is more terrifying....knowing or not?

I am quite the Nervous Nelly over here.

I went to The Write Stuff conference back in March. I was lucky enough to snag a pitch session with Kim Lionetti from Bookends, LLC. She was super nice and I enjoyed talking with her, as nervous as I was. She asked me to send her a partial! YAY!! I ended up seeing her afterward too...she sat at our table for lunch so I tried my best to chat her up there too...about things other than my book, of course. I figured she was sick of hearing book pitches!

According to their website, partials have a 10-12 week response time and it specifically say to drop them an email if that amount of time has passed and you haven't heard from them.

Well......it's been 14 weeks since I emailed it to her. I know she got it...I received an email confirmation. So I sit here debating on what to do. Part of me really wants to send that email and ask for a status update. But the other half of me is terrified for the answer.

The Waiting Game

Life seems to be a waiting game. Every day. You wait in lines, wait for food to be ready, the laundry to be dry. In this day and age we've come to want everything immediately- an instant gratification society. I can't say I enjoy waiting, but I do try to make the most of my time. Hate to rush life by.

But I do hate waiting to hear from an agent. Man that is excruciating! Not so much the query letters...but a partial. It's step one in the journey. It may be the only step you get. It's excruciating to sit back and just wait to see if you'll be moving your career forward...or not.

My partial has been with the agent I met with at The Write Stuff conference for over a month now...close to 5 weeks. Her website says 10-12 weeks for partial requests...so I know I need to sit back and chill. But it's so hard!!

Conference Report- Day 2!!!!

Okay, let's pick up where we left off!

Day 2, Part 1: Woke at 5:30 a.m., unable to fall back asleep. It had been an awful night. I never sleep well the first night in a new place, but this was horrible. The heater was sooooooooooooo loud and seemed to click on every 5 minutes with a whoosh so loud that it felt like I woke every single time. The night before, when Sarah and I were on our laptops on our beds, the heater was on my side, and if it was on and she said soemthing to me, I had to ask her to repeat it louder. I could not hear her...and she was only about 5 feet away from me!!!

So we got dressed, primped and preened, then headed to breakfast, after dropping off my entries for the flash contests. I wrote a couple things to enter, fiction and non-fiction, 100 word max. That was incredibly tough!!

Breakfast was typical continental fare- muffins, danishes, bagels, fruit, juice, coffee, tea. But it was tasty! We chatted with some writers while we ate then went our separate ways.

Sarah and I ended up at only two sessions together...we write different genres, so there were sessions that appealed to each of us differently.

At 8:50 was the Agent Panel. It consisted of Kim Lionetti, Michelle Humphrey, Eddie Schneider and Jessica Papin. The moderator led off with some questions and each agent answered, stuff like trends and demystifying the publishing industry. The floor was then opened to the rest of us and there were some great questions. It was quite informative.

Next at 9:50 was The Power of Knowing Your Premise by James Frey. This was quite interesting. He is very entertaining and basically he tells it like it is. I guess I had never really given thought to my premise...I mean, I know what my books are about, but to simplify it into a few words.....seemed impossible. He really seemed to resonate with me when he said "Shit doesn't just happen." Something leads to something that leads to something. Our characters need to be dramatic, extreme of type. They need to have a grueling passion, but it can change. There needs to be a dramatic change in your character, a struggle, high stakes, whether it be love, relationships, honor, money, family.

In the end, I discovered my premise for A Bitch Named Karma is this: Selfishness leads to self discovery and true bliss.

For Spellbound, it's this: Love defeats family loyalty.

I had to miss the last 15 minutes of this session to make it to my pitch appointment on time. It was set for 10:30. I left, arms and legs shaking with fear, and took my place outside the meeting room with a few other writers waiting for their 10:30's with their selected agent. One of the women asked who I was seeing- I told her. She was also seeing Kim...at the same exact time. Yikes! We were escorted in, informed the moderator of our problem and she approached Kim and told her of the mix-up. She agreed to meet with one of us immediately and the other, right after, even though pitch sessions were over for the morning. The other woman went first, leaving me 10 more minutes to freak out inside. I decided to get my mind off of it for at least a few minutes and went to the table displaying the flash contest entries and made my votes. I headed back and waited, insides churning. I went in and shook Kim's hand, hoping she didn't hear my thundering heart. I introduced myself then fumbled with my bag and yanked out my notebook with the notes I had prepared. I started talking and didn't once glance at my notebook. I did relax after that first sentence and Kim was easy to talk to. I felt like I was jumping around in the book, but it was more of a casual conversation so I didn't think too much of it. Kim asked a few questions, the resolution of course, and also how my MC's mother felt about the events that were transpiring. Then she asked me who's work I compared myself too. I was never so thankful in my life than I had been in that moment for taking a minute to ponder that simple question the night before. I was 100% prepared and that feeling felt GREAT!! I'm hoping my confidence shined then though I did honestly tell her that I had been prepared from the moment she mentioned it in her pitch workshop the night before. I told her I compared my writing to Emily Giffin's and her ability to write characters that the reader can't help but root for and want to know more about. She smiled and seemed pleased with the answer (Kudos for me!!) She asked to see a partial and slid her business card across the table!! I thanked her, said my goodbyes, and tried not to skip out of there.

The rest of the day, I floated through. The weight had been lifted and I felt great. I thought my pitch went decently well and I was pleased with how relaxed I did feel when I went in there and just let it flow from my mouth. I didn't try to organize it and I hope my passion for the story shined through.

I met up with Sarah and another writer we had met, Nicole. There was a short break before the next sessions started. I relayed my experience then parted ways with them to attend Seducing Your Reader!

Check back tomorrow!!!

The Write Stuff Conference Report!!!!

First off, let me just say, the people over at GLVWG are FANTASTIC!!! They put together a really great conference!! Definitely go and check them out!!!!

Day 1: I left my house about 8:30, just after my daughter got on the bus for school. I picked up my writing friend Sarah, aka Sadie Worth (check her out too!!) After a stop at Tim Horton's for bagels and beverages, we were on our way. The weather was beautiful, great day for driving. We had no troubles and the five hour drive seemed to fly by....I'm sure our constant gabbing made that happen!

We checked in at 3 ish and got settled in the room. We had 'til 7, so we took a trip to Target down the street. Came back and started to get ready. I went to the lobby to print up my synopsis to have just in case (there was a community computer and printer there), and in walks Evan Goldfried, a Literary Agent. I had a moment of "OMG"...like a celebrity had walked into the hotel. Made me wonder if they know that we writers sometimes look at them like that! They hold our future writing careers in their hands!!!

After that, we got ourselves all glammed up and the conference officially began!



We met up in the lobby with Renee and Frank Rocco from Lyrical Press, my publishers for A Bitch Named Karma. This was my first time meeting them outside of cyber space, and let me tell you, they are the sweetest people I have ever met!!!!!! I immediately felt at ease with them, as if I had known them forever, and knew without even the most minuscule smidgen of doubt, that my book had landed in THE BEST hands ever!!! I also met Ann Simko, a fellow Lyrical author. Fantastic lady!! We all chatted for a few minutes, then Renee and Frank had to jet off for a session called Page Cuts, where authors had submitted the first page of their manuscript, anonymously, and it was read to the room and critiqued by a panel.

The first event we attended was the Pitching Dos and Don'ts workshop led by Kim Lionetti from Bookends LLC, who happened to be the agent I had an appointment with the next day. I was super excited for this session...hoping to calm my nerves about actually being face to face....a few feet away from an AGENT! Kim was fantastic and the session showed me that as god-like as they appear to us, agents are actually human and they are real and down to Earth! She gave some fantastic advice and I took notes:

#1: Don't do too much. Keep it short and to the point. Choose the strongest concept of your story and make that the focus, 2-5 sentences. Think of your pitch as the blurb that would be on the back of your book.

#2: Focus on what makes your book different than everything else that's out there.

#3: Know your audience. Publishing is a business, you absolutely must know who will want to read your book. If an agent takes you on, the publishers will need to know where your book would fit in the publishing world.

#4: Don't be nervous. As hard as it is, try to relax. She actually suggested a glass of wine, even at 10 in the morning! LOL!

#5: Don't try to memorize your pitch. Let your story flow. You know your story and agents want to see your enthusiasm, not a paragraph that has been studied and then just spewed out. It's okay to have some index cards as a reminder, but it's best if you can just let it flow!

#6: Do your research. Know what the agent represents, the past books they've sold.

#7: Ask questions! Show enthusiasm!

#8: Know the market and what author your work is similar to. Yes, they want something new and different, but they also need to know what is out there that's similar and where they can place your book. (Take my advice on this one......I am soooooooooooooooooo glad I took a minute to ponder this question...cause guess what..she did ask me!!!! So glad I had an answer ready and not a blank stare and "Ummmmm.")

#8: Concentrate on the book and if there's time at the end, then list your publishing credits.

I learned a lot during the session, including one point that Kim didn't make herself: there is such a thing as too much courage. During the session, a woman raised her hand and asked if she could stand and read her pitch to the room. Kim was respectful and tactful, and of course, gave her the okay. But the rest of us....we thought it was rude. It seemed that this woman had not been lucky enough to snag a pitch appointment with Kim and had taken it upon herself to interrupt the session to make sure Kim heard it. Not sure what this woman expected, but throughout the conference, we experienced this type of behavior with this woman again. Not cool.

The session ended and I walked away with a bit more confidence than I had before, but in all honesty, it didn't curb the nerves too much! I made some notes in a notepad...up until that point I still had no clue what I was going to say. I hoped I would get in there and it would flow freely. Winging it seemed like the best plan for me :)

The Welcome Reception started and we found our way to the cash bar, where Renee and Frank were. They insisted on buying us a drink! We talked for a bit then separated to mingle around the room. I met up with another Lyrical Author, Rebecca Rose and some other writers too. It was so amazing to be in a room COMPLETELY filled with writers!!

We then started walking around, hoping to meet some of the agents. It's kind of an awkward thing. The agents were usually in a group, surrounded by other writers, talking about various things, writing related and other. You just kind joined the circle and waited to be acknowledged or when a lull allowed you the chance to jump in. First we joined the circle around Michelle Humphrey, a agent who represents YA and the agent my friend Sarah had her pitch appointment with. She was very pleasant and asked what we wrote and how we liked the conference so far. Again, it was such a relief to see that agents are real people and easy to talk with! Sarah made most of the conversation with her, as I really didn't have much to say, YA not being my genre and all, but I enjoyed the conversation.

Then we found Kim Lionetti. Hopefully I didn't sound like a complete dweeb when I told her I enjoyed her session and how down to Earth I thought she was. We talked for a bit then gravitated toward Renee and Frank again. I wanted Sarah to get the chance to talk with them more, as she hoped to snag a pitch session with them for her adult novel. So while we're talking, Renee tells me that my debut novel, A Bitch Named Karma, that hasn't even been released as an ebook yet (June 7th), WILL BE RELEASED IN PRINT in January!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! A little birdie had already mentioned it to me but I would not allow myself to really tell anyone...fear of jinxing it!!! But now I have heard it straight from the horse's mouth!!!!! YAY!!!!!!!!!

So needless to say, we had a great time talking with them and also experienced many tears...from laughing so hard!

It was about 10:30 at that point, so we headed back to the room for email checking, showering and an attempt to get as much sleep as possible before a big day of workshops and pitch sessions!!!

Stay tuned for more!

I'm registered for the conference and got the agent I wanted!!

YAY!! I am going to The Write Stuff Writer's Conference in March and mailed my registration right on the 15th, first day it could be postmarked. It was super important for me to do this for one reason and one reason only: the agent meeting.

An agent meeting is part of the conference and I am very excited to get this opportunity. But, unfortunately, this is a pretty small conference (good for a first timer, I think!) and there are only 5 agents going. And out of those, only 2 represent romance, and only one of them contemporary romance. The other only does suspense and paranormal romance, which is not what I write at all. So, basically that means there is only one agent that I can pitch to. And I had to make sure I got my registration in as early as possible to guarantee I got my 10 minutes with her!!

And I did! Got the confirmation email that listed Kim Lionetti from Bookends as the agent I have an appointment with! Yay!

The first night of the conference, Kim will be hosting a lecture on pitching dos and don'ts. I will be there and taking notes, hoping I don't make a complete fool out of myself when I actually sit with her!!

****And a reminder!!! PLEASE don't forget to sign up for my first ever Blog Contest!! Please pass it on too!!***

Another fabulous contest!!

@ Nathan Bransford's blog

I entered!! Lots of fun and FANTABULOUS prizes!!

A 5-page Partial Request

The partial request. This is step two in the query process. Step one is piquing their interest with my one-page letter...a mere 200 words about my entire story....a short blurb that is supposed to convince them they want more. Then, an extreme rarity, they actually ask for more. This is my foot in the door....my big chance to "wow" the agent in a few pages.

So far, I have only sent out three queries for Spellbound. I wasn't ready yet for a full on query blast. All three were online forms I filled out...simple, easy and quick. One was for an agent who I have queried before. I like her. She's very nice and each time she's given me a non-form letter rejection after reading a 5-page partial. Today I checked my e-mail and sitting there in my inbox was a request from her to read my first five pages.

So now I will send them off...and sit..and wait...and wish...and pray...and wish some more...and pray some more....that this time will be different...this time will be right...this time I will impress her enough that she will offer me representation.