This has been the craziest, best spring of my life. As I prepared to indie publish The Six Train to Wisconsin, I got “The Call” from Harlequin.
Except I was editing and didn’t hear the phone ring. LOL. So it went to voicemail. But she immediately sent an email to contact her. When I got in touch with her, it was awesome. She really liked Reckonings, my first YA novel.
She had revisions she wanted, but she wanted to make an offer on it!
I almost fell over. This was my first novel. The one I wrote in 2006. The one I cut my writing teeth on. The one I workshopped and submitted to critiques for years. The one I’d revised from 120k to 67k because I loved it so much. The one I feared I’d never sell.
And I’d almost given up on it. I’d submitted to 192 agents and 15 publishers over the years. The last publisher had a lovely editor who gave me a page of feedback, saying I could revise and resubmit to her. I taped her email over my desk. It was the kindest rejection I’d ever received. It buoyed my spirits.
She recommended I submit to this Harlequin editor.
I did. Eight weeks later I got the editor call!
But I knew nothing about negotiating book contracts. I talked to my mentors Jenna Bennett and Paige Shelton who advised trying to get an agent to help. So I went through my spreadsheet of agents and contacted the ones that gave me great feedback on the full manuscript to see if they might be interested in working with me.
ICM Partners expressed interest. ICM Partners!!! Agent Lyndsay Hemphill devoured my revised book in a day and we set up a call. She offered to represent me. She was super enthusiastic about the book and she patiently answered all my questions about everything. I immediately wanted to work with her. I signed with her last week.
So I’m delighted to announce Lyndsay Hemphill of ICM Partners will be representing my YA novel and negotiating the offer from Harlequin.
I still can’t quite believe this is all happening. And I am so thrilled to work with such a top notch agency and such a publishing giant!
Yay congrats!! So happy and excited for you woo hoo!!
Thanks Victoria. 🙂 It’s been a long road. But I can see how every rejection propelled me to be a better writer and a stronger person. Hindsight can sometimes be a good thing. 😉
Great news! Congratulations! (We knew you could do it!)
Thanks Marc! Aw, your support means so much! Helped me keep going when I would have given in.
Wow! And many congratulations! What an exciting spring you’re having. 🙂
Thanks Kathi! I never ever imagined 2013 would turn out this way. Just goes to show perseverance does pay off. You just never know when or how. 😉
Oh, Kourtney, this is wonderful news!!!!! I’m thrilled for you. Congratulations.
Thanks Jenny! I still can’t quite believe it’s all happening to me. Sometimes I whisper, “I have an agent,” and grin to myself. It’s just unreal. And thank you for all your support. I wouldn’t have kept going without it.
It’s a fantastic story. Congrats, again! You’ve definitely earned it.
Thanks Gwen. And to think in November all hope felt lost. I really doubted anything would happen with my writing. But my blog buddies and my crit partner believed in me and helped me through that rough patch. You guys truly are the best!
Congratulations! That is so amazing! Good luck!
Thanks Lyra! It was the coolest calls I’ve ever gotten. Hearing that two industry people really love your story and believe in it was awesome. Realizing that you were right to be stubborn and keep at it even when things felt impossible. All I can say is never ever give up. 🙂
WooHoo! This is fantastic news. 🙂
You’ve certainly been persistent with this book and the hard work is paying off. I’m really happy for you 🙂
Thanks Pete! I dug my heels in and refused to give up on it. Though I did take breaks to work on other things. I really loved this concept and wanted to share it with readers. Still have revisions ahead but I’m thrilled to make the story better. 😉
That’s so incredible, Kourtney! You must be over the moon. Goes to show you what not giving up can get you! Congratulations.
Thanks Kathryn! I’m so so happy. Exactly. And I almost gave up a few times. It’s because I had such a great support network (bloggers like you especially) that I stuck it out. 🙂
Congratulations 🙂 again and again 🙂 🙂 🙂 xo
Is it red shoe time? 🙂 Thanks Catherine! 🙂
do you have the red shoes ? u can grab mine off fb 🙂 🙂 🙂 Congrats 🙂 xxo
LOL. I should get a pair to keep. 😉 Thanks! LOL. Big hugs!
That is insanely fantastic!!! CONGRATULATIONS!!! You must keep us updated on every step of this journey 🙂 Otherwise I suspect I shall perish of extreme curiosity. Oh man. This is so cool!!! Congrats!!!
Thanks Michelle! That’s exactly how it feels–insanely fantastic. 🙂 Will do! LOL. I would never ever want that to happen. 🙂 Thanks!!!
Congratulations, Kourtney! You’d better believe I’ve shared your wonderful news 😀
Aw thanks Rich! Really appreciate all your support. 🙂 Looking forward to being on your blog too!
WOW! WOW! WOW! That is great news. I wish you all the best. Seems like 2013 holds great promise.
2013 is turning out to be the best year of this century. 😉 Thank you. *Fingers crossed* this wave of wonderfulness continues into Six Train’s book sales.
Oh, Kourtney, I’m so happy for you! Just goes to show how true it is to never give up no matter how many rejections one gets. Your hard work and dedication have always shined, so I’m not surprised in the slightest to see this happen for you. But I am delighted!!
Carrie, thank you! You’ve been a big supporter of my blog and me and I’m so glad I can finally share some great author news! When you’re slogging through it’s impossible to believe that it will only take one yes, but it is really true. 🙂 Aw thanks. I’ve always believed if you work really hard and you don’t give up, you can do anything. Sometimes I questioned if it applied to being an author, glad I kept at it and the universe proved it’s true. 😉
Absolutely!
🙂
Woo hoo! Congrats, Kourtney! Aren’t those the most surreal moments? I still look back on my phone call days (2 in a row, which was inSANE) as though they were half-drunken dreams. 😉 So glad that your talent and hard work are being recognized. GOOOO YOU!
Thanks August! I can’t believe it’s finally coming together. 🙂 During each call I kept thinking, “Pay attention, take notes.” Otherwise I might have squealed and fallen out of my chair. 😉 *Blushing* Thanks. I still can’t believe this is all real. 🙂
Congrats! I am so happy to hear that you are getting published. I am so happy for you! 🙂
Thanks Jennifer! Can’t believe it all started back in 2006 with the germ of an idea. I’ve read it takes 10 years to get published. That seems to be about right. I’ve had friends get an agent fast and spend years looking for the right editor. I’ve seen others query forever and then bam it all comes together. 🙂 So many different ways to the same goal.
What is the best advice to give someone getting ready to pitch to an agent?
LOL. I’ve done lots of these. Biggest lesson? Keep it simple. It’s really hard to take in everything you hear.Make sure the main plot thread and conflict are laid out clearly. Don’t name more than two characters. Refer to other characters by their role like the teacher or the police officer, but don’t throw lots of character names at the agents. And practice so it rolls off your tongue so you can make eye contact and aren’t reading it. And be ready to answer the question: what’s the stakes?
Sounds like a riddle. I would have been stumped on that question. LOL
Did you take samples of your blog? Did you give out your blog address along with your manuscript?
Did you get to ask the agent questions?
It stumped me the first time. 🙂 No, don’t bring anything to hand to them unless the organizers specifically tell you to do so. Otherwise, that’s a big no-no. If they like your book, they will either give you their business card or tell you their email and what they want you to send to them–so have a notepad and pen handy. It’s good to have your own business cards to network with other writers but I’ve never given one to an agent at a pitch session. After the pitch, the agent generally asks you questions and you might have time to slip in a question or two if you have them.
Wow, Kourtney! Congratulations! Your persistence has paid off in a big way. I’m so happy for you!
Thanks Jeannette! It’s hard to believe it happened! Sometimes you have to keep at something even when everyone tells you the smart thing to do is quit. 😉
Totally awesome! And when I tell people about “The Six Train to Wisconsin,” I’m also telling them about this novel finding a home. Everyone thinks “Six Train” sounds like a cool book, and I know “Reckonings” will be every bit as good! 🙂
Aw thanks JM! It’s pretty wild that they are both finding their places at the same time. 🙂 That’s awesome to hear. Reckonings is a fun time travel adventure. 🙂 And after revisions it should be quite good. 😉
Dancing. Dancing! Now’s the time for dancing! Persistence, patience and talent wins! (would chat more, but DANCING!)
LOL. You can’t help twirling around when something like this happens. And it’s such a rush of satisfaction to realize that it can happen with a good dose of PPT. 😉
192 agents and 15 publishers… since 2006… I think this qualifies you as an “overnight success” 😉 So happy for you. Congratulations.
LOL. Just about. 😉 Thanks EllaDee. It was a long windy path here. I never realized how close I was until it actually happened. 🙂
Congratulations! Great Work!
Thanks Carol! I’ve often read the perseverance pays off. I think if the talent is there and you keep developing your craft and working at it and trying, eventually something’s gotta give somewhere. 😉
What fantastic news! Thanks for sharing your experience with us!
Thanks Patricia! It was quite an experience. The worst part was missing the call and wondering, was that “The Call”? Why else would a publisher call? This can’t just be feedback, right? The agony of uncertainty. Completely worth it, but a total nail biter.
I am so, so, insanely happy for you!!! It’s a GREAT BOOK and you are a GREAT WRITER and this is FANTASTIC news!!!!!
Aw thanks TL! There were times I doubted the book and me. I’m so happy I stuck to my guns. Thanks for reading it, giving me your feedback and believing in me! 🙂
Happy, happy, happy, happy, so happy for you!!! Can you tell?
Jennifer, I’m not sure, but I sorta get the feeling you might be happy for me? ;P Thanks so much! I don’t know how I’d have gotten here without your promotional genius and your lovely ears letting me vent and talk through things. 🙂
Late to the party as always, but my congratulations are truly heartfelt. And I am definitely inspired by the number of submissions you made before getting a bite. I, too, will keep going!
Aw latecomers are just as welcome as early birds. 😉 Thank you Audrey. We’ve been slogging along together for a while now. It seems like it will never happen but it will. As long as we keep at it, there is always a possibility. Seriously, I kept thinking am I the only one who can’t do this in 50 rejections or less? But I read that Laurel K Hamilton’s topped out over 200 before the Anita Blake series found a home. Not that I think I’m as amazing as her, just that it’s nice to know other writers had triple digit rejections and went on to success. 🙂
That’s amazing news all at once. Congratulations Kourtney!
LOL. My mentors always told me to enjoy the before because the after is a whirlwind. 🙂 It’s very true. Aw, thanks so much Catherine!
Kourtney, Kourtney, Kourtney!!!!!! I am so happy for you!!!! And so proud of you too. You are an inspiration. This is so exciting, and such a lesson to us all. Never, never, never, never give up! Best wishes for great success in all your writing endeavors.
Thanks Naomi! There were days I thought it would never happen. Your inspiring blog posts and gorgeous photos re-energized me and made me want to keep trying. 🙂 That lotto saying is so true “You can’t win if you don’t play.” So I kept on playing even when it felt like it wouldn’t happen. 🙂 Aw thanks so very much!
EEEEEEEEEEEEE! I’m so happy for you, Kourtney. Looks like you might do more than one guest post on my site…one for each book! Congratulations. Your hard work is paying off.
Thanks Kelly! 🙂 Aw, I’d love to do more than one guest post. I wasn’t sure it would for a while there. 😉
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Congrats, Kourtney!! That’s amazing news! 🙂
Thanks Coleen! Still pinching myself. 🙂 It’s crazy how long you can go without any good news and then it all comes flying in at once. 🙂
Oh my gosh! Congratulations, Kourtney! This is amazing.
Thanks Elizabeth! It’s been a crazy spring. I had no clue everything would come together like it has. 🙂
Congratulations!
Thanks! 🙂
Congratulations! Terribly exciting stuff 🙂 Hope it all goes swimmingly.
Thank! It’s a carnival of goodness. Trying to savor it all. 🙂 Me too!
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Very exciting! Congratulations!
Thanks. 🙂
🙂
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