Two days ago my daughter yelped and ordered me to march myself out to my computer, and she meant, pronto! So Pronto, I marched, sat myself down, and felt my jaw crash to the floor, my eyes pop out of their sockets and the air in my lungs burst out in one loud gush. What could have caused such a reaction, you ask? If I were in your shoes, reading this, I would be asking that too. Let me answer without further delay. The night before, on March 28, 2010, I submitted a short story, a Christmas story to a new e-publisher, not expecting to hear anything for months, but to my utter astonishment, months turned into the next day.
I am now a CONTRACTED author...and three days before April Fool's Day!!! so it wasn't a joke.
There are times in your life when you are not sure if you want to laugh or cry. At that moment, I'm pretty sure I did a little bit of both. I KNOW I did a lot of hyperventilating. (Have you ever tried to find a paper bag when you need one?) Spatz, my youngest cat, had to suffer the indignity of being grabbed, lifted into my arms and danced around until we were both dizzy while I giggled like a loon.(That's her picture at the top of this entry.)
My editor, an incredible woman, expected to hear some Richter scale shaking hollers here from NJ, but I found that once your lungs burst, they struggle to fill when the air around you is still tingling with the excitement of your first contract charging it.
I owe this joy to three wonderful, women. First and foremost is my daughter. Kat, you wouldn't let me stop believing in myself despite how bad the agent and editor I worked with back in 2000 treated me. You have always been the wings that kept me floating when I would have otherwise crashed. You braced me through not one, but two bouts of cancer. From the moment you knocked orange juice from my belly while you were still in utero, you have made me laugh, made me cry, made me want. and made me reach for that next brass ring. Thank you, Angel. You are not just my daughter, Sweetheart, you are my very, very best friend.
Carrie, in just the few days our creative juices have intermingled, your humor has soothed so much of the damage my previous editor and agent did. I worked very hard for them and learned nothing. I've already learned more from you than I learned in the entire year and a half that I worked with them. Thank you.
Lea, there are no words expansive enough to tell you what your encouragement has meant. I hope what I put on the MuseItUpPublishing Blog spot will give you an idea what you have done for this old woman. For the rest of you reading this blog, you can read my MuseItUpPublishing blog entry by going to their blog at http://www.museituppublishing.blogspot.com/
However, all of you reading this can circle the projected release date, December 1st 2010 for my e-book, Santa is a Lady by me LJ Holmes on your calendars and try it out. It's a really great feel good Christmas story that will definitely put you in the Christmas spirit. =^..^=
2 comments:
Okay, now where did the 'old woman' comment come from? You are a sexy momma and your writer's voice is awesome. And the reason you got an acceptance the next day is not because we were in dire need of manuscripts because we had already rejected 6 before yours, but because we spotted the good read and wanted to snatch you before any other publisher did. :)
So give yourself a pat on the back and then begin typing up that next story in the series.
I am honored to belong to the MuseItUp Publishing Family and look forward to a long and prolific relationship. Also, I never thought you were in dire need. Believe me I know how fortunate I am to have my muse find her way into your family's nest. She's a bit quirky, but she determinedly active...and the old woman came from my age...I remember the the actual Moon Landing after all :>)
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