Well, I've neglected my blog this weekend as I was having fun with my buddies, Laura Hayden and Jeanie Therkelsen, at the Silken Sands Conference. There were so many people I know there and I got hugs from everyone. Such sweeties. Laura and I shared Linda Howard Award of Excellence duties and announced the winners. That was fun too.Several wonderful things happened, but first I have to let you know that Jeanie had received THE CALL from Kensington Publishing a couple weeks before and her editor was at the conference. We're all so happy for her. She's a smart and talented lady.
So Laura and I were luckily enough to hang with her and the editor bought us lunch. We sat and talked for two and half hours. It was great. Jeanie is so lucky (besides THE CALL) to have such an easy to talk to editor. The funny part is I had a scheduled appointment with her for the next day. I behaved by keeping my mouth shut on that. Besides, the lunch was about celebrating Jeanie's three book deal. The lunch with the Kensington editor was one wonderful thing.
That night I worked on my pitches and, for the first time since Kelley St. John helped me in 2003, I had a problem. Maybe in the back of my mind I remembered how all my requests ended with rejections. On top of that, sometimes I received nothing back from the editor or agent. Thankfully, my brain kicked in and I was able to work up some pretty good pitches if I say so myself.
By the way, I renamed the manuscript I pitched to the Silhouette editor and I liked it better than any other I had come up with before. I called it WATCH MOLLY RUN. When I told the editor the title, her eyebrows lifted and she smiled. I think she liked it. The beginning of the pitch went well until she asked about the suspense part. I kind of flubbed that...just a tad...but she still asked for the full. Of course, she probably asked for everyone's full as soon as it sounded like it would fit her line. But she could've said no anyway. So I was happy she didn't. That was another wonderful thing.
Then my appointment with the Kensington editor was next. The Gulf Coast chapter had placed the editors on the back patio of the hotel near the beach. It was windy but a pretty day. Her back was to me when I walked over to her table. I came around and said, "Surprise!" She laughed and said, "I was expecting you." Later I asked Jeanie if she'd said anything to her and she told me no. Either the Gulf Coast chapter had given her a list or I had let something slip during the lunch. Didn't matter. She was smiling. So I told her a little about my book along with my pitch. She liked it was about a female assassin. And before I could tell her it was a la Shannon McKenna, she said, "Like Shannon McKenna, right?" That tickled me so much! She got it. I asked her if she was Ms. McKenna's editor and she no, but she loved her books. YES! Now, I'm not saying I write like her, but I love her books too and I hope mine are simliar but in my own voice. Speaking of voice, I hope she likes mine. Goodness, I do. Anyway, this was another wonderful thing.
I can't say I have a good feeling about it. One second, I tell myself my books are great and then the next I wonder who am I kidding?
::sigh::
For now, I'll take one day at a time and keep writing. Even if the Kensington editor rejects the manuscript, I know I made a good contact and she won't run from me whenever I see her next.
The picture was taken this morning. It was rather stormy when we left.
