Angel's First Sale Party!

“We’d like to offer you a contract.”

After 10 years of writing, I thought I’d prepared myself for hearing those words. I’d honed my craft, listened carefully as the Playfriends, Mavens, and chaptermates discussed the business side of publishing, and handled quite a few phone calls about contest finals, including the RWA Golden Heart(R).

But on August 27, 2012, I learned that nothing could prepare me for hearing those words. They came when I least expected it.

I’d been working with Shana Smith, Associate Editor for Harlequin, on a submission for the Desire line. This was a book that Smarty Pants had read for me and loved. When Senior editor Stacy Boyd put out a request on Twitter for submissions, SP insisted I get it in. Ms. Boyd liked it and passed it along to Shana Smith. I completed a full revision and received another detailed email from her that I opened just knowing it was a rejection. I kept searching for the line that said, “But this just isn’t right for us…”

It wasn’t there!

She requested another set of revisions on the proposal and I found myself almost paralyzed. What if I screw this up? The Playfriends and my sister, Ella Sheridan, assured me I wouldn’t and we brainstormed some changes to fit the request. I received great editorial suggestions, too – Shana’s notes were thorough, encouraging, and spot on. I turned in the revisions just shy of my self-imposed two week deadline.

Now Shana had told me she’d read it “quickly”, so I was thinking a few weeks at the earliest. Imagine my shock when she called a mere 4 days later. 4 DAYS! I think my brain short-circuited when I heard, “This is Shana Smith from Harlequin.” But I know it did when she started talking about a contract and release date.

August 2013 – I’ll actually have a book with my name on it in August of 2013, exactly a year from now. Amazing. I think my exact words were, “Oh, wow.” The rest of the conversation was sparkling on Shana’s end and only halfway intelligent on mine. Definitely in shock.

The reality hit me as I told family and friends. I’ll never forget the Playfriends and Mavens excitement, thanking my sister for all her help, my husband’s hugs, and most of all, my children bouncing all over the car on the way home from school, squealing with joy. That was the moment I first teared up.

It’s been an exciting ride ever since. Lots of celebrations! My family even got to celebrate with me because they just happened to be visiting the following weekend from out of state. The flowers below were from the Mavens. So much fun!

And today I get to have even more fun with y’all! I’m pretty sure there will be cabana boys, massages, and all manner of alcoholic beverages in cyberspace today, but I’ll start us off with Krispy Kreme donuts (my fave!) and chocolate martinis. LET’S PARTY!

Angel

writing as Dani Wade

www.DaniWade.com

PARTY TIME!

Massages? This guy would be great, I think.