ANNOUNCEMENT!!! (with gifs)

It feels like I've been waiting five years to write this post, even though it's not the post I daydreamed writing in the first place. Meaning, it's not an "I have an agent" post.

 

But it's still just as good because...

I HAVE A PUBLISHER!!!

 

Here's my story (as brief as possible). I wrote my first draft of SWAY back in the fall of 2011. Holy crap that's a long time ago. Anyway, I  revised it and sent it to betas in 2012. I didn't query it until the year after that because during this time my focus was on my YA MS Daze and Knights.

SWAY didn't get a lot of attention when I queried. It's an adult retelling of Persuasion by Jane Austen. It's not a manuscript with a big hook or a funny/loud/snarky voice or a mind-blowing twist. But I still thought it was a good story. After a handful of fulls which all came to nothing, I decided to shelve it.

Then I thought (a while later), maybe I should try this MS with some small pubs.

Then I thought (even later still), nah, I really want an agent. An agent who will be interested in both my adult and YA writing. So I'll wait.

A few months later (ie last fall), I just decided. Try it. Give it a whirl. What have you got to lose? So I sent it to seven small romance publishers. One asked for the full almost right away and then later rejected it. Another rejected it. Two, I never did hear from (still haven't).

Then two weeks ago, I got an email. I was driving. I glanced at my phone. Saw the words OFFER OF PUBLICATION. I freaked out. I started laughing. I did this alot:

I made myself wait until I parked to read the whole thing even though I was dying the entire ten minute drive (especially at the stop lights).

Sure enough, it was an offer to publish SWAY. I nudged the four other pubs who I hadn't heard from. A day later: offer number two.

Another pub also asked if they could have two weeks to consider. I said yes.

I waited. I read the two contracts. I researched both pubs. I talked to authors from both pubs. I internet stalked anything to do with both pubs. I chewed my nails (and wished for an agent to help me with this decision).

 

Then I heard from the pub that asked for two weeks. OFFER NUMBER THREE.

After much debate and decision making and bugging my husband and my CPs, I decided. SWAY will be published with Samhain Publishing.

I still can't believe this is happening!

FYI- I still want an agent. Trying to understand contract lingo and decide which publisher would be best for my career was super hard. It definitely pays to have someone in your corner who can help out. Here's hoping I'll be able to write that announcement post someday soon. :)