In my FIRST LIFE, I was a New Mexican girl
In my SECOND, a Utahn.
My THIRD LIFE began in college and continued for six years.
When I got married, I started my FOURTH LIFE—or the Wife Life. )
My FIFTH LIFE bestowed upon me Nevada citizenship.
My SIXTH LIFE found me in grad school and as Christopher’s Sugar Mama.
The new title of “Mom” ushered in my SEVENTH LIFE and, on April 27th, I began living my EIGTH LIFE—my Author Life.
!!!!!!
It was a Sunday afternoon. I was doing normal Sunday things, like cooking dinner in my comfy clothes. I heard my phone chime, telling me I had received an email. I thought to myself, “I’ll check it later”, though, in the back of my mind, I wondered….
A few minutes later, I heard my phone tweet at me—I’d received a text. I stopped what I was doing and looked down at my flour-covered hands, a helpless, raw Navajo fry bread in my clutches. “I’ll check it later” I thought to myself and threw the dough in the pan.
But there was another tweet…and another. The phone rang out in a chorus of piqued curiosity and I was at the sink, furiously scrubbing dough from my hands. I didn’t even bother with the globs under my fingernails.
I picked up my phone, anticipation gathering in the form of a knot in my stomach.
And there was reason for the anticipation.
There was the email. From Brittany Booker. LITERARY AGENT.
I began skimming her email as a boisterous knock rattled my front door. But I couldn’t tear myself from the email because…I saw them—the WORDS: OFFER OF REPRESENTATION.
I bolted to the living room where Christopher was lying on the couch, listening to an audio book. I stuck my phone in his face and yelled, ‘WE HAVE AN AGENT! WE HAVE AN AGENT!” He ripped out his earbuds and bolted upright, the knocking on the door continuing.
I ran to it, threw it open, and found Nicole on my doorstep, holding up her phone in much the same fashion I had. We didn’t say hi—we screamed. Jumped. HUGGED.
Wow. Thirteen months after beginning the two-book series…
An agent. We had an agent.
And our friends were at our door that very night, celebrating with us. Because our dreams had just come true!
That week was a mental frenzy and carnival of giddiness. We had so much work to do. We sent out notices to all 35 agents who currently had our manuscript or query. We received three more full requests. We received some insanely encouraging words from agents we’d never met. We received one agent’s personal email address, just in case we ever have a project our agent won’t sell.
We spoke with Brittany on the phone. We weighed our pros, our cons, our needs and wants.
And then….we signed the contra on May 8th.
We became authors.
So long, Writer, it was lovely while it lasted, but I’m living in Author Land now. I’m writing with a purpose. My hours and hours are now furthering my CAREER.
Now I write for a reason and I can text my agent. TCAN EXT HER.
We were trusted with the secret knock and the door to publication has swung wide open and we have stepped through it. (As a side note, the secret knock has a whole lot to do with the numbers 7 and 8, which oddly coincide with our books’ titles, MAGIC 8 and LUCKY 7. But I’m pretty sure it’s not coincidence…) ;)
It’s pretty cool over here in Author Land. :)
We’ve got a website, a Facebook page (which I NEVER thought I’d have), a Twitter account, a revised manuscript, author bios and pictures on our agency’s website, and…an editor in NYC reading our manuscript RIGHT NOW.
Oh, and I have crossed fingers, toes and eyes. ;) But…whatever happens, at least I know that now….I’m an AUTHOR and have the dreamiest job on the planet. :)
