So after everything that happened last year, The Girl Who Ignored Ghosts has a new publisher! It’s a small press called Beckett Publishing Group.
They will be publishing The Girl Who Ignored Ghosts in August 2015!
It’s the first manuscript I ever wrote and I started working on it back in 2006. After years or workshopping and revising, it sold to Harlequin in 2013. But in 2014, Harlequin shut down the imprint that was publishing my novel and the rights reverted back to me.
At the time, it felt like my entire world was imploding. Luckily, I have some amazing author buddies and blog friends who reached out and and supported me. My parents and my friends were also there to cheer me up. They all kept me going when giving up would have been the logical thing to do.
And now, I have a new publisher! Sometimes you just have to stay in the game no matter how unlikely it feels that things will turn around. Because that’s usually five minutes before they do.
I’ve been hard at work on line edits. Despite the editorial revisions I already completed with Harlequin, we had massive work to do to get the book through line edits. I think I’ve read this book more than any other book I’ve worked on. We’re wrapping up the copyediting phase now.
Stay tuned for updates on the back cover summary and the cover reveal. I’ll also have a limited number of ARCs to give away in May!
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In Six Train news, The Chocolate Expo went well! I sold 21 books in 4 hours and had two online purchases from the event. Met a ton of cool people and handed out lots of bookmarks so it was a very successful event!
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In other news, we have been bombarded with snow in CT. The goldens still want to play ball. The new game is find the ball in the snow pile. We have piles that are easily 5-6 feet high. And this week we are bracing for major snow again. Because of the chronic below freezing temperatures, our driveway is a skating rink.
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I signed up for the NESCBWI Spring Conference. Super excited to spend a weekend with children’s book authors. The panels look amazing!
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I am also in my last week of this teaching term. I taught basic keyboarding and business writing skills. It’s been challenging and exciting. I’ve gotten invested in my students and I really want to see them do well. Class prep and correcting tests and quizzes has taken up a good chunk of time, but hopefully I’ll get some of the same courses next term so that I’ll have the materials ready to go.
Congratulations on the new publisher. That’s wonderful to hear! Shows how hard work and perseverance pays off. Of course, good writing helps too. 🙂 And August isn’t too far away. Summer and a newly published book. What could be better? 🙂
Thanks! I was lucky too. The book was in great shape from editorial revisions and my friend passed it along to an editor she knew. It really isn’t. If I hadn’t done so much work already with Harlequin the publication date would have probably been 2016.
Ahh, and I knew her when… 🙂 Congrats!!!
LOL. Thanks Jenny. I can say the same about you! 🙂
Kourtney, I am so happy for you! You are such a talented, hard-working author and deserve all good things.
Thanks for the update!
Thanks Kelly! That means so much coming from you–you’re writing blows me away. Hugs!
Congratulations, Kourtney! What a testament to keeping going and hanging in! You are an inspiration to me.
Thanks Hollis. When everything fell apart, several people told me their publishing horror stories and I realized that the bad stuff happens to everyone. It’s what we do afterward that really determines how successful we can be. 🙂
That is true. I know it. I am in a slump now, have to get out of it and move! So unlike me to be in a rut! But you are right!
Slumps are an important part of the process. We have to doubt ourselves and our dreams. We have to question why we are doing something and why we should take one more step. Because then it becomes a choice and we can commit so much more to a choice than something that is forced on us. So slump on. Wade into the murky stuff. You’ll find your way through. Hugs!
Kourtney. I needed that. Thanks!
Happy to help. I’ve been there too. You’ll work your way to where you need to be. 🙂
Hurrah! Congratulations! That must have sucked to get Harlequin and then lose it, but now it’s back in the saddle!
Please can we have some of that lovely snow you’ve got over here? I’m desperate for it, I keep asking every blogger who talks of big snowfalls where they are, and they all say I’m welcome to it, but so far…
Vanessa, it was emotionally devastating. To work so hard for so long to finally get the agent and the publisher and then it all went away. Poof. I wasn’t sure I would be able to come back from that. But I’m glad I kept trying. LOL. I would love to send it you’re way. We’ve got piles that are 6 feet tall and the front yard is covered in 3-4 feet of snow.
Congrats! I was wondering what had become of your book once Harlequin backed out, but didn’t want to ask for fear of bringing up a sore spot. Good job, Kourtney.
Thanks Ally! It was a very very sore spot for a while. Thanks for being so thoughtful. 🙂 Lots of legal stuff had to happen to get the book back. I wasn’t sure when anything would happen. But then it all happened very quickly–the universe gave me a ray of sunshine. 🙂
That’s brilliant news Kourtney, I’m so pleased for you 🙂
Thanks Andrea! I’m so thrilled to share some good news on that front. 🙂
Whoop – there it is! Hope all the wishes and congrats can keep you warm! Brrrrr.
Thanks Karen! 🙂 LOL. Being happy is making all these blizzards much more bearable. Having something to look forward to really really helps. 🙂 Hugs, K
Perseverance is just as important as talent when it comes to writing for a public audience. And you have both in spades! I wish I knew some younger readers I could steer in your direction for this book, but everyone’s older or too young at this stage. 😛 No matter—I’ll still be reading it and telling friends and coworkers about it! 🙂
I definitely agree with you on that. Sometime being stubborn is an asset. Thank you! 🙂 Oh that’s okay. I wrote this to be a fun time travel murder mystery that anyone 12 + can read. My Grandma E loved it. Lots of fade to black when anything more than a kiss happens. I really really appreciate it–thank you! That helps so much–word of mouth is what we authors live and die by!
Woohoo! Many contrats with much happy dancing and champagne. Oh, and party hats. Yeah, gotta have those. 😀
Thanks! Champagne is one of my favorite ways to celebrate. 🙂 Especially when combined with a happy dance. Most definitely. Are they mini hats? I kinda like tiny hat on a big head. 😉 Hugs!
Mini hats it is!
Cool! And let’s wear them at rakish angles. 😉
Isn’t that the only way to wear them?
LOL. 🙂
Lucky… no way… You did all the hard work, and are one of the most diligent behind the scenes people I’ve ever encountered. Yes, it was fortunate but fortune created by your efforts, enabling the opportunity for generosity to open a new door. It’s a good story too, obstacles overcome 🙂
I always believed in the story. And I wanted for it to be told. I’m really happy that it will be out there for my readers. So much work went into revising it. I’ve never rewritten a book this much. I feel like the best things in life aren’t the things that came quickly or easily, but that we almost didn’t get. Because we know how much they really matter and how hard it was to get them.
Congratulations – that’s great news! You’ll have to celebrate out in that snow somehow. I love the title and can’t wait to read this one.
Thanks Sheila. I may go throw myself in the front yard and roll around. Just pretend to be a kid again then come inside and change. 🙂 Aw thank you. Harlequin selected it from a list of possible titles I came up with for the book. I’m going to be giving away ARCs and I’ll make sure you get one.
This is fantastic news, Kourtney. Way to go. Congratulations.
Thanks so much Lori. A nice turn around from a few months ago. 🙂
Awesome news, Kourtney! It must feel great to have that first manuscript on its way to reaching more people. <3 Hopefully, you are out of your snowfall, by now, too. 😉
Thanks so much Mayumi! That book was the first thing I ever wrote and rewrote and rewrote. And we were still rewriting it in line edits. To see how far it’s come over the years–it’s a testament to my writer journey. LOL. We have two more storms coming this weekend. And the front yard has 4 feet of snow covering it. I don’t think we’ll be out of winter until March/April at this rate!
CONGRATS! Sorry for the shouting, but I just can’t help it. I’m so excited for you. 🙂 What a whirlwind, but someone somewhere obviously thought you were fit enough for battle. So glad you hung in there, Kourtney.
Thanks! And it is 100% merited! 🙂 We’ve been through so many highs and lows with this book. It’s always when things are darkest that they turn around if you just stay the course. But staying the course in those moment is incredibly hard. Me too!
Congrats on the new publisher, Kourtney! You are SO RIGHT about how life can turn around in about 5 minutes 🙂
Thanks! And it’s so hard to know how much longer until it happens. You can sike yourself out thinking its years when it’s really only weeks away. 🙂
So glad to hear it’s found a new home, and can’t wait to get my hands on it when it is released!
Thanks Laura! Aw I can’t wait to hear what you think! 🙂
Wow you have been busy.. first congrats with the new book sales..And second congrats with your new publisher.. As one door closes another one opens.. and I saw on the TV how the snow had made an impact across USA.. stay warm and safe.. xxx
Lots of wheels always in motion. I was thrilled with the book sales. And grateful to find a small press that could swoop in and rescue me. Very true. It’s just sometimes a door closes and locks and it’s a lot of waiting in the dark for the next door to creak open. Yes, the snow has been relentless here. I have 4 feet in my front yard. And 7 foot tall piles around the driveway. My dog climbs them like a mountain goat.
WOW thats alot of snow.. So pleased though you are resilient both in your attitude to open doors and the weather 🙂
Yeah it’s been swooning two to three times a week. And lots of it and then not melting. But it’s New England and it’s winter. 🙂