Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Something is different . . .

Look around.

Notice anything different?

I'll wait. *hums theme from Jeopardy*

Do you see it?

For those of you who aren't really into the "I Spy" or "Where's Waldo" books, I'll give you a hint.  Look at the little blurb next to my picture. 

Yep!  I have an agent!  Yesterday, I signed with Eric Myers of The Spieler Agency. 

"The Call"

Eric called me and offered representation on January 30th.  I can honestly say it was a HUGE surprise.  I had just walked in the house after picking my kids up from school, and my husband was waiting for me with a big grin on his face.  I think he said something like, "You got a call.  Someone named Eric Myers?"  *cue panic*

You always hear about people jumping around and screaming with excitement, but for me, it was sheer panic.  As those of you who have been in the query trenches for a while can attest to, getting the call is one of those things you dream about, but you never expect it to happen.  In my mind, what follows a full request is a rejection, not an offer of representation. 

It didn't help the situation that I was unprepared.  Sure, I had done some searches on what questions I should ask during the call, but I hadn't printed anything out or written anything down (mainly because I'm superstitious like that, and I thought doing so would somehow jinx me).  So picture it--crazy mom running around the house, heart pounding, stomach turning, hands shaking.  I cannot even express to you what a spaz I was.  Once I realized I wasn't going to calm down, I took some Tylenol (Xanax would've worked better, but I had to work with what I had).  Then, I sat down at the computer, and with the help of the internet and a good friend, I was able to quickly come up with a list of things to ask Eric.

None of it mattered though, because once I got him on the phone, I turned into--what I would consider--a bumbling fool.  I might have managed a few coherent sentences, but mostly what came out of my mouth was a bunch of "uh-huh's and okay's."  So much for my list.  [side note: I did email him some questions the next day, and he kindly got back with me that day with answers]

At the time of the call, I had some fulls/partials out with other agents, so I told him I would get back with him in about two weeks.  Those two weeks were crazy!  I won't go into details about my stats, but I will say one of the fringe benefits of an offer is that it gets agents' attention. :o)

In the end, my decision to accept Eric's offer of representation was an easy one.  He's a seasoned professional with an impressive sales history.  I know that having an agent doesn't guarantee my book is going to sell, but I have to admit, it feels good to finally have someone in my corner who believes in my work. 

I just want to say a quick thank you to those of you who helped me get to this point.  Whether it was reading my entire manuscript, or just critiquing a few pages--thank you, thank you, thank you!!  Also, thank you to everyone who has ever offered me support or a kind word.  This is not always a friendly business, and so I appreciate every smidgen of kindness given to me.  It never goes unnoticed.  Thank you from the bottom of my heart :o)

17 comments:

  1. Awww! I'm SO proud of you and happy for you! And it's true what you say, once you get an agent, all the hours you've spent toiling on your writing finally feel worth while. You have officially been validated by someone in the publishing world. That's probably one of the best feelings EVER in this biz. :) YAY!!

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  2. YAY X 1,000,000! I can totally picture you running around like a spaz, because I know for a fact that I'll do the same exact thing if ever I get The Call! You deserved your moment of panic (LOL).

    I'm so happy for you!

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  3. Totally thrilled for you and VERY proud of you! I give you major kudos for keeping so quiet while you waited for those 2 weeks. I would have blown a gasket! Publicly! Like on my blog! Well, if it happens to me, I will know who to turn to for advice.
    Bask in your success...you earned it!

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  4. Congratulations!

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  5. Yay! Huge Congrats...getting an agent is a huge deal and a big stepping stone! Best wishes on a quick sale.

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  6. OMG! CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!! =D That is SO amazing! I am so happy for you! I am also SO proud of you for taking all the difficult steps that led you to success. Those are the ones people usually skip, but you were brave enough to take them and now you are reaping the benefits!

    Keep us posted, and YAY!!!!!! =D

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  7. Thank you, everyone!! All of the congratulatory (sp?) comments are making my heart swell :o)

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  8. *dancing a happy jig* (that's saying a lot. I'm as white and non-rhythmic as they come!)

    SO, SO proud of you! This book deserves to be on shelves, my lovely!!

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  9. Congratulations!! That is so very exciting!! :)

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  10. WOOT! WOOT! I knew it was only a matter of time for you. You're such a brilliant writer. ;)

    Congrats, Ang! Now another journey is awaiting you, and I'm excited for the day when we finally get to see your book in print!

    <3 ya!

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  11. You have witnessed my twitter freak out, now witness my freak out on your blog. CONGRATULATIONS!!!! This made me so happy, I can't even tell you. You inspire me so much. We both know the pain of shelving that 1st book and now your 2nd book has turned your dream to reality! I'm so proud and it's wonderful to see what happens when you don't give up. You rock and I can't wait to read and say, "this is my writer friend, who likes hockey, in Detroit!"

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  12. Thanks again, everyone :o) Every, single comment means SO MUCH to me! :o)

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  13. Wow! I go offline for a week and look what happens! I should go offline more often! This is AWESOME! I'm so happy for you! I'll cheer you tonight with my bourbon! Mazel tov!!

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  14. I'm back to tell you I've tagged you in a meme.;)

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