How I Got my Book Deal

For so long I thought this wasn’t going to happen for me. I hoped and I actively dreamed, but it felt like that, a dream that I would have to wake up from one day. Since I was nine, every birthday wish, fallen eyelash, stray dandelion, and other wishing generating superstition, I pleaded to one day be a published author. And of course I haven’t admitted that until now because talking about said wish is how it quote, ‘doesn’t come true.’ I feel like I’ve lived by those rules for too long. Now as an adult, I think everyone should talk about their dreams, no matter how impossible they sound.

So let's talk about it.

I used my dream as a coping mechanism. Every time I failed at something or at least didn’t do my best, I’d tell myself ‘one day I’m going to publish my book.’ Surprisingly, it made me feel better. It made that one test or competition seem small in light of my true dreams. But I don’t know if it was that healthy to put every aspiration into an industry known for its repetitive rejection. Yet, I think you need that kind of hope and drive to get a book deal. At least, you have to have the determination to keep going.

Here’s how I did it:

I started CAST IN FIRELIGHT when I was a senior in college (2016). I had finally decided to lay down my first book, which I had written throughout high school, and start something fresh (and let’s admit it, something better too). I wrote the first two chapters (around 6,000 words) during spring break. Then I was off to Europe for the summer after graduation to spend time with my father, who lived in Germany. It was there I vowed to finish it.

I got half way.

Upon returning home, life slammed into me and I scrambled to find a day job. I was whacked with a small life crisis as I struggled to figure out what I wanted to do to make money while pursuing my writing dream. At the time and still after I was judged for working as a retail bookstore seller. But those were great years. After going on a three-month hiatus from productive writing, I wrote CAST IN FIRELIGHT in the next year (2017). It was another year and a half of getting rejected in the query process before finally finding my lovely agent. I wrote a blog about the particular journey if interested.

My agent wanted me to change the ending and that took three weeks or so and then I went on submission pretty soon after. Strangely enough, I had to go to India for my brother-in-law’s wedding when I officially went on submission. With the time difference and how busy I was, I didn’t get to dwell much on who requested and who didn’t. As my agent said, it was the perfect opportunity. Because dwelling and being patient while on submission is the hardest part of it.

She’s right. Submission is hard. And it’s hard because it’smostly luck at that point. Right timing. Right editor. Right market. All luck.

So after years of hope and hard working guiding me, I waited and wished. Penguin Random House/Delacorte Press expressed interest and the editor said nice things about my voice and main character’s fierceness. I tried to play it cool. Interest is just interest, I told myself in order to keep the hope in check.

But then I got lucky.

On November 9th at 7pm, I got the news Delacorte Press had made an offer. I was working the closing shift with three more hours of work in front of me. I happy cried in the break room as I called my fiancé and parents. It will forever be the weirdest day of work I’ll ever have. For three hours I sold and shelved books with the dazed realization that in the future my own story would be among them. All that dreaming and wishing was becoming reality. A year later and I’m still reeling just thinking my dream is coming true and people can add CAST IN FIRELIGHT on Goodreads.

Parting note:

The last thing I want is for anyone to read this post and bejealous or feel defeated because it took them longer or they are stilldrafting, editing or querying. Believe me I understand the feeling and I don’twish it on anyone.

If I can offer any advice in the process when it comes to the publishing journey it’s – try not to compare yourself to others. And not just because I think jealousy impedes creativity, but because everyone’s path is different. I thought after getting a book deal the track would be straightforward with clear landmarks. And while there are landmarks – if, how, and when you get to them is still vastly different.

Keep dreaming! Keep writing! Keep going! And best of luck toeveryone.

Happy writing!

How I Got my Literary Agent

I hesitated in writing this blog post because I always thought when it finally came time to write about how I got a literary agent it would be an epic of strife and turmoil. And yes, while there was some of that, when you boil it down, I got my agent mostly due to luck.But let’s start at the beginning. I finished my first book at the very beginning of my freshman year in college, nineteen and bright-eyed. Then, because I was in college and I had always put school before writing I edited the next two years. But in the summer between my junior and senior year (2015), I attended two writing conferences in Dallas. The first was the ever-traveling Romantic Times (RT) Convention. The other was the DFW Writers Conference put on by the DFW Writers Workshop. My first ever pitch at the RT Conference yielded a full manuscript request. I’m ever thankful for this experience because it encouraged me beyond belief. It gave me at a young age what every writer needs – hope. The next conference, however gave me a reality check and some of the best friends I have ever made. After I graduated college I joined the DFW Writers Workshop, and it was amidst friends that I finished my second book, perfected my query letter and then cold queried like mad.There are so many details I could talk about it in this blog. I could shower you with numbers and timelines, but I’ll jump to the point. In June 2018, the DFW Writers’ Workshop held their annual conference, and I, being a member, helped out where I could.On the Friday night before the event, I was at a cocktail hour, surrounded by my found family and literary agents. At one point I had a question for the President of the Workshop and when I found her she was talking to an agent. The President, being the friend she is said, “Dana has a good book” and left me to pitch. This was my first pitch of that conference. The notecards in my head were still undefined and scrambled. But I did it. I told this lovely woman who my main character was and what she wanted in the world and then blurted out bits and pieces of conflict and comparison titles. By the end I was a pile of nerves, wondering aloud if that pitch even made sense. And this brilliant woman said, it in fact did make sense and she wanted to see the full manuscript.Weeks later she emailed me saying I was next on her list to read, which was of the nicest emails I’ve ever received. For her to give up her time to even tell me that? I knew she was thoughtful and amazing right then. About three days later she wanted to set a call, saying she had read my book in one day and loved it.I talked to her the next day. She wanted me to revise the ending to give it more resolution and I agreed. I began my edits right away and the rest is history. After years of writing and months of querying I signed with Amy Brewer from Metamorphosis Literary Agency.Now, some of you may say Dana, this doesn’t sound like luck. And in part it isn’t. I’ve worked hard. I’ve harbored this dream since I was a little girl and I’ve carved out time and made choices to chase it. Yet, overall I feel lucky. Lucky that I got to move to Dallas, join the DFW Writing Workshop and build my craft. Lucky that I had the ability to attend writing conferences and talk to agents face-to-face. So above all else I want to express my gratitude for those that helped me along in this journey. Right now I am one big step closer to the dream of publication. Thank you.Parting NoteIn part I leave you with this: writing and querying is hard. And even when you get an agent the submission process is brutal too. I thought my agent story would be like most everyone else. I’d query, I’d wait, it wouldn’t happen for years or even a few books. But what I really learned about this whole process is every single person’s story to publication is different. Everyone! So if you are just starting out or you are swimming in years of rejection letters just know you are trudging your own path. Don’t ever let anyone make you feel bad for trying to accomplish this monumental thing. And please, don’t compare yourself to me or anyone else. Go forth, be brave, query away and keep writing.I wish you all the best.Happy Writing!P.S. If anyone is interested in the numbers and the timeline comment below and I’ll answer any questions.

One of the Greatest Lessons I Had to Learn about Writing

I grew up wanting to be a writer and one day, an author. I also grew up being told and knowing my goal was:

1. Difficult beyond belief, basically the equivalent of wanting to be a famous anything
2. Cute when little, but I needed to rethink and charge into a career that meant I earned actual money
3. Admirable, but was I really good enough? Could I ever be good enough?

And while all this “advice” (so to speak) did not come from a deep well of negativity, but from practicality, it still burned at my dreams, setting fire to my determination as well as seeding my first unyielding doubts.I started this dream at such a young age it didn’t seem realistic to think I could ever get good enough at writing that I could make a go of it. But starting at such a young age I also created a fantasy (as I tend to do as a fantasy writer) that I would be a prodigious writer. Starting at fourteen meant I could be published by eighteen. Starting as young as I did, with such hope, meant I fancied myself one of those writers that was new, and talented, and beyond anything young. Young. Young. Young. This mindset led me into a place of jealousy and turmoil. If I learned any of my peers wrote, for fun or for the beauty and glory of publication, the doubts would swarm my head and a heaviness would settle in my chest. Knowing that the publishing industry was hard to break into and that hundreds of people tried and failed to be on the bookshelves, I competed with this person in my mind. If they got published and become a star I couldn’t. There is no such thing as win/win for the both of us in middle school or high school. Grades, sports and constant ranking had taught me there was always someone better, and I was fine with that in all aspects of my life besides this - the one thing I truly cared about - writing.Reading author bios and seeing how young some authors got published hurt, hurt like hell especially as I grew up, dreams still beating, mind still swarming.For anyone young or old out there that thinks this - thinks another author’s success means yours is diminished, let me tell you something that took me years to realize.The jealous you feel is very human, but it’s not helpful to the process.And, if one person gains success in your genre, that can help you.Besides the fact that J.K. Rowling is an amazing person and artist, she also paved the path for young adult fantasy to grow into what it is today. Before Harry Potter, the young adult genre was filled with mostly contemporary stories. She changed the industry, allowing for future writers to have an audience yearning for fantasy. The young adult genre has become influential and important and seeking new authors because famous authors decided to go through the hardship of trying to get published. I could list dozens for all different genres.So those peers, those peers doing better than you, or are more talented or are already published, they are NOT your enemy. A reader is a reader. Just because they decide to pick up one book doesn’t mean that is the one and only book they will ever pick up. And if they love your friend’s work (or your competition’s work) they might find a way to yours. In the publishing industry, authors pave the way to others authors.Right now, I don’t have an agent. I’m not published. I’m also not letting go of my dream. I just know it might take longer than I originally planned. But along the way I have learned to truly embrace other writers and their journeys, as well as my own.Yes, the jealousy is human. The jealousy can’t be squashed with three simple steps. Doubts linger. Damn, do they linger, but my best work comes when I am not thinking about the industry or the heaviness in my chest or the doubts. They come when I think about the magic of reading a good book and the power of saying something that comes from deep inside myself.Keep writing and keep dreaming! For taking your time, experiencing life, and learning the craft will only help your process. Besides, when all is said and done, the work speaks louder than age.Happy Writing!