As I mentioned in my last post, I had started reading everything I could on what to do after you get a book deal. One thing I read is that a great time to get an agent is after you've gotten an offer from a publisher. A year earlier, I had started an agent search, with no offers in sight, but there was one agent who had liked the story I sent and asked to read more. She said she didn't like the other stories as well but suggested I write in prose and, if I did, I could contact her again.
Well, I had a new story in prose (I wrote it because of her suggestion) so I decided to contact her again. I told her about the contest and book deal and I sent edited versions of the manuscripts I'd sent before, along with my new story in prose. I'm happy to say, she really liked the stories and offered to represent me! So now, Jamie Weiss Chilton of Andrea Brown Literary Agency, is my new agent and I'm sooo thrilled!
Members of my critique group asked exactly how she made the offer - email? Phone call? How long did it take? Here's the timeline of how it happened:
January 14, 2009 - After several emails, I got "the call" from Jamie. I did lots of jumping and screaming (inside my head because I was in Target). I told her I'd call back after I got home and put away my frozen food. When I got home, we had a great phone conversation - I had my pre-typed list of questions (I was so proud of myself for being prepared)! I was too nervous and excited to read the list so I just flipped it over and wrote frantic notes on the back. At the end of the call, Jamie said she'd like to offer representation but had to run it past Andrea Brown first! WOW!
January 15, 2009 - I got a message from Jamie saying she spoke with Andrea and was officially offering representation. Lots of jumping and screaming in my kitchen!
January 16, 2009 - I called Jamie back and accepted her offer. We talked about the AB Lit contract (she emailed a sample) and said she'd send the real one in the mail. More jumping and screaming!
January 20, 2009 - The contract came in the mail. MJAS! I signed them and was at the post office in five minutes.
February 2, 2009 - I got the contract back - signed by Jamie and Andrea Brown. Also a nice note from Andrea welcoming me aboard. No more jumping and screaming - I was jaded by this point - not! Since then, Jamie has handled the contract for 1 ZANY ZOO (yeah!) and has two of my stories out to editors. She's fantastic!!
I'm not sure if anyone's reading this blog but, if you are, do you have any "how I got my agent" stories to share?
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Friday, April 3, 2009
My First Post - part 2
When we last met... it was the day before Thanksgiving, I'd won the Cheerios Spoonfuls of Stories contest, and was sworn to at least a month of silence.
December 8, 2008 - I got a call from "my editor" :) and we talked about my manuscript, the contract terms, and upcoming revisions. She emailed the general terms of the contract and I quickly accepted before she could change her mind.
December 15, 2008 - I got a call from the Cheerios SOS marketing rep about promotion and upcoming interviews with newspapers and possibly radio - gulp! She said that the announcement wouldn't occur until the end of January or beginning of February and again swore me to secrecy! Since the first day, I'd slowly leaked out the news to my closest friends and other family members. Still, no mention of Cheerios or S&S. This was pretty good for me - just ask my sisters!
January, 2009 - I started reading everything I could about what to do in preparation for a book release. One of the things I read, again and again, was to have a "web presence" so I began researching how to create a website and blog.
February - March, 2008 - I signed up with Go Daddy, got a domain name, and began the arduous journey of creating a website! Compared to building a website, making this blog was a breeze! So, here we are. That's the story of how I came to have this blog and my website.
December 8, 2008 - I got a call from "my editor" :) and we talked about my manuscript, the contract terms, and upcoming revisions. She emailed the general terms of the contract and I quickly accepted before she could change her mind.
December 15, 2008 - I got a call from the Cheerios SOS marketing rep about promotion and upcoming interviews with newspapers and possibly radio - gulp! She said that the announcement wouldn't occur until the end of January or beginning of February and again swore me to secrecy! Since the first day, I'd slowly leaked out the news to my closest friends and other family members. Still, no mention of Cheerios or S&S. This was pretty good for me - just ask my sisters!
January, 2009 - I started reading everything I could about what to do in preparation for a book release. One of the things I read, again and again, was to have a "web presence" so I began researching how to create a website and blog.
February - March, 2008 - I signed up with Go Daddy, got a domain name, and began the arduous journey of creating a website! Compared to building a website, making this blog was a breeze! So, here we are. That's the story of how I came to have this blog and my website.
Thursday, April 2, 2009
My First Post
I almost posted this yesterday but I knew people would think it was an April Fool's Day joke so I held off until today.
Welcome to my blog. I finally finished my website Loridegman.com, and realized I wanted a blog to share my writing experiences, news about the writing world and, of course, my opinions. So, here it is.
You're probably wondering why I needed a website in the first place. Here's a time line of the events that led to its inception:
May, 2008 - I submitted my manuscript, 1 Zany Zoo, to the Cheerios Spoonfuls of Stories contest. I figured I probably wouldn't win but you can't win if you don't enter, so...
September, 2008 - The winner was supposed to be notified this month - I never heard from them so I knew it wasn't me. Time to polish up the manuscript and submit it to publishers.
October, 2008 - I sent the manuscript for critique by a speaker at the Prairie Writer's Day Conference (the annual SCBWI - Illinois conference).
November 15, 2008 - When I arrived at the conference, I excitedly read the critique of my story and quickly took an emotional nosedive! The editor had written a couple of positive things and then proceeded to point out problems throughout the entire manuscript. I had thought it was in really good shape when I submitted it and couldn't believe how off my judgment was. But, used to rejection (I've had plenty of practice), I took it in stride and vowed to consider the editor's suggestions and rework the story.
November 26, 2008 - It was the day before Thanksgiving and I was getting ready for dinner at my house when I got a Fed-ex package with a letter stating that I was one of the three winners of the Cheerios contest! I read it ten times to find the "catch" then finally accepted that I actually was in the top three. I naturally assumed I'd won second or third place, which I thought was pretty good! I figured that, even though it wasn't the grand prize winner, it would be something I could mention in future cover letters.
I happily continued my Thanksgiving preparations when I got a phone call from a General Mills representative who said I was the grand prize winner! I screamed so loudly, my husband and kids rushed upstairs to make sure I was okay. I couldn't believe it!! I can't remember anything the representative said, except that I had to keep it a secret until it would be announced in January. Of course, I immediately called my mom, sisters and brother. My kids told all their friends but none of us mentioned Cheerios or Simon & Schuster. It was going to be a long couple of months!
More tomorrow...
(That wasn't as hard as I thought it'd be!)
Welcome to my blog. I finally finished my website Loridegman.com, and realized I wanted a blog to share my writing experiences, news about the writing world and, of course, my opinions. So, here it is.
You're probably wondering why I needed a website in the first place. Here's a time line of the events that led to its inception:
May, 2008 - I submitted my manuscript, 1 Zany Zoo, to the Cheerios Spoonfuls of Stories contest. I figured I probably wouldn't win but you can't win if you don't enter, so...
September, 2008 - The winner was supposed to be notified this month - I never heard from them so I knew it wasn't me. Time to polish up the manuscript and submit it to publishers.
October, 2008 - I sent the manuscript for critique by a speaker at the Prairie Writer's Day Conference (the annual SCBWI - Illinois conference).
November 15, 2008 - When I arrived at the conference, I excitedly read the critique of my story and quickly took an emotional nosedive! The editor had written a couple of positive things and then proceeded to point out problems throughout the entire manuscript. I had thought it was in really good shape when I submitted it and couldn't believe how off my judgment was. But, used to rejection (I've had plenty of practice), I took it in stride and vowed to consider the editor's suggestions and rework the story.
November 26, 2008 - It was the day before Thanksgiving and I was getting ready for dinner at my house when I got a Fed-ex package with a letter stating that I was one of the three winners of the Cheerios contest! I read it ten times to find the "catch" then finally accepted that I actually was in the top three. I naturally assumed I'd won second or third place, which I thought was pretty good! I figured that, even though it wasn't the grand prize winner, it would be something I could mention in future cover letters.
I happily continued my Thanksgiving preparations when I got a phone call from a General Mills representative who said I was the grand prize winner! I screamed so loudly, my husband and kids rushed upstairs to make sure I was okay. I couldn't believe it!! I can't remember anything the representative said, except that I had to keep it a secret until it would be announced in January. Of course, I immediately called my mom, sisters and brother. My kids told all their friends but none of us mentioned Cheerios or Simon & Schuster. It was going to be a long couple of months!
More tomorrow...
(That wasn't as hard as I thought it'd be!)
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