08
Oct
Especially Thankful Thursday
0
Guess what?
I have an agent!!!
I’m honored to be represented by Jim McCarthy of Dystel & Goderich Literary Management.
Honored and excited and a little stunned.
On Labor Day weekend 2007, I started writing this book. I put it on hold while I dramaturged a show. That spring, I wrote and rewrote and got feedback from friends. Last Fall I decided to change it from third-person past-tense to first-person present, which was a lot of work but totally worth it. I got more feedback, including notes from two awesome generous authors. I wrote a fifth draft and then tweaked that.
And finally, three weeks ago, I queried a few agents. I got some form rejections. I worried about whether my query sucked. Last Monday, I got a request for a full. Then this Monday, Jim emailed me and asked whether we could talk about my book. I called Steve and whisper-screamed a lot. I was at work and couldn’t talk until 5, so I basically spent three hours google-stalking Jim and his authors and having a panic attack.
He called at 5:15 and told me he loved my book and offered representation. He said other lovely things about why he loved the book, but I can’t really remember because I was totally freaking out. I had prepared for a revision request, not an actual offer. Also, I accidentally hung up on him. Either my phone dropped the call or I accidentally hit the "end" button with my ear while frantically giving Steve the thumbs-up sign. It was embarrassing but he was very nice about it. He told me a bit about himself and his process and more thoughts on the book. I asked some questions and we agreed that I would take a few days to think about it. Tuesday I emailed some of his authors and they wrote back right away with amazing, glowing recommendations. I also heard wonderful things through the Tenner grapevine. And that was enough to convince me. I am super-excited to be in the company of authors like Carrie Ryan and Richelle Mead, whose books I love, and authors like Mindi Scott and Phoebe Kitanidis and Michelle Rowen, whose books I can’t wait to read. I accepted Tuesday and just mailed off the contract this morning.
I had the BEST phone call ever with my mom and stepdad, who are normally not very demonstrative but put me on speakerphone and hooted and hollered. My mom reminded me that my grandmother would have been so proud and I had a totally emotional moment because I miss her so much and wish she was here but I also absolutely believe she knows. I also asked my mom if she was sure I wasn’t dying because my heart was thump-thumping and I couldn’t sit still and was that normal? She told me to chill out and maybe do some yoga. Instead I called some friends to share the good news, and then Steve and I got Thai takeout and watched Glee. (I’ve only seen the first 2 episodes so don’t spoil me!)
I still can’t believe it all happened so quickly. One of Jim’s authors shared some of the enthusiastic things he’d written about me and my book, and I had a complete moment of disbelief. Like: OMG, maybe he read the wrong book and this is all some big crazy mistake! I had to remind myself that, no, we talked about Molly (my MC); it was definitely my book. But it’s still crazysauce. I’m kind of walking around waiting for an anvil to fall on my head.
But I’m also really, really happy.
