• Top Five. . .


    We’re halfway through. It’s been fun looking at the big things that have happened in our lives over the past year. Thanks for sharing yours with me. You guys ROCK.

    ~~~

    Number THREE:

    I got an agent!

    <———-NO, not THAT kind of agent.

    A literary agent!———————————->

    You might remember the post (THE CALL) detailing the fun, crazy, and exciting time I had last January that led to signing with Cari Foulk at Tribe Literary Agency.

    *whew* That was very exciting.

    The road to publication is a bit curvy, hilly, but for the most part, really awesome. I’m having a blast, and I’m glad Cari’s along for the ride!

    ~~~

    So, what’s your number THREE?

    ~~~

  • This Writer’s Journey . . .


     

    Writing is a journey, one I truly love and enjoy, but it can sometimes feel rather lonely. Hour after hour, alone, at the computer, pouring your heart and soul into each word. But I’ve learned I’m not alone, in fact, I’ve been blessed to be in contact with some amazing people, both writers and non-writers.

    I want to share a bit of that with you. Each week I’ll be spotlighting someone I’ve come in contact with during my journey. Thanks for stepping along side of me-all of you-during this exciting time!

    ~~~

    Cari Foulk is my agent.

    Okay, so, I signed with her nearly a year ago, but that’s still WAY cool to say. It’s surreal. I mean, less than three years ago, I never even dreamed I’d be a writer, let alone one represented by an agent.

    Like I’ve said a zillion times, this path to publication is an adventure, and I’m really thankful to have Cari walking beside me.

    To have someone who is invested in my writing enough to take on the challenge of getting it published is so comforting. Even more, the fact that she’s in it for the long haul, with all my novels, puts me at ease as well.

    I’ve met some awesome writers who are represented by Tribe Literary Agency, and we lovingly call one another Tribesters. We hang out on Facebook and Twitter a lot, bantering, talking writing, and encouraging one another.

    Cari has fostered a Tribe, that’s for sure.

    I love her wicked-sharp sense of humor, wit and dedication. Thanks, Cari, for all you do!

  • Happy Birthday


    ~~~

    I wanted to send out a great big Happy Birthday wish to my agent, Cari!

    Thanks for your hard work, your passion for great stories, and your encouraging spirit.

    Hope you have a great day, Cari!

  • The Call


    So, did you celebrate yesterday with the Kool and the Gang song?

    Well, as promised here is the story we’re celebrating.

    ~~~

    I started on this journey to publication May of 2008 by joining ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers). I’d had this 87,000-word novel, Light of Truth, but no knowledge of what I should do as my next step.

    A fellow writer suggested I join ACFW, so I did. I got connected with a fantastic critique group where I learned the art of handling critiques and rewriting. Over the next eighteen months, I wrote and wrote, attended conferences, and found some authors willing to walk me through my questions/mistakes.

    Then I found RWA (The Romance Writers of America) and more specifically, the special interest FF&P group (Futuristic, Fantasy, and Paranormal). I got even more support, encouragement, and critiques.

    I never really knew exactly what would happen, if anything, with my writing. Would it ever be good enough for publication? Good enough for an agent to take a risk on me? Or was I destined to just write and share it with my friends and encourage people in their writing.

    I trusted God to lead the way.

    Well, on Sunday January 10th, 2010, Violet Midnight won a contest & the first prize was a publishing contract-the story is HERE. Then, later that same night, I got a request for a full manuscript for Heaven’s Fire from an agent I really wanted representing my work.

    Needless to say, more squealing ensued.

    I mean, a contest win, then a request from a dream agent in a five-hour span?

    MUCH ice cream and chocolate consumption followed as my sweet hubby and I celebrated.

    So, I sent off my full to Dream Agent on Monday January 11th and then, a few hours later, my FIRST EVER book contract popped into my email box.

    **Yes, I nearly fell over, yet again! I think I even found some more chocolate to eat!**

    By Wednesday morning, I was finally starting to calm down a bit, but then, later in the day I got an email that shook me up all over again.

    Dream Agent wanted me to call her about Heaven’s Fire.

    –Gulp–

    Of course I called.

    Thirty minutes later, I hung up, disbelieving I’d heard Dream Agent say, “We’re interested in representing you, so think it over and let’s talk Friday.”

    I must have hallucinated it. . . no other explanation.

    It couldn’t happen that quickly, could it?

    But then, on Friday, January 15th, it happened.

    I signed on with Tribe Literary Agency. My rockstar agent is Cari Foulk.

    So, thanks for celebrating this with me.

    Ashley Hayes, the main character from Heaven’s Fire, demanded she get to come on the blog and tell the story, but I had to put my foot down this time. I promised her a week to host in the near future. . . so stay tuned for that.