Fun With Numbers

I wonder if the number 27 is my new lucky number. Good things happen for me on the 27th of months.

For example...

On May 27th of last year, I received a career-changing email from my now-agent, Jonathan Lyons, offering representation (a year ago today, which just makes me grin).

On January 27th of this year, I first received word of German interest in my books. A deal was made not long after.

And on October 27th of this year, THREE DAYS TO DEAD releases into the wild, exactly one year and five months after the representation offer.

I think I like the number 27.

Five more months until TDTD is out. *looks at calendar*

Holy crap, when did June get so close?

*boggles*

H.S.S, or Hit Send, Stupid!

A year ago, back when I was still querying, I'd have these little moments of hesitation. I'd have the query letter formatted into an email space, with the first few pages pasted into the bottom. I'd double and triple-check the agent information, my salutation, everything. If it was a request for pages, I'd double and triple-check the attachment. Anything to avoid hitting SEND.

Then my finger would hover on the mouse, with the pointer over the SEND button. And hover. And hover. Until a little voice cried out, "Hit send, stupid!"

Hesitation anxiety is not, apparently, chased away by having an agent or a deal. I had a H.S.S.-moment last month when I sent book two to my agent. I had it big-time last night when I emailed a draft of book two to my editor. After spending all morning tweaking. After staring at the blank email for five minutes. After hovering the mouse over SEND for five more minutes. Finally, that little voice popped up and cried, "Hit send, stupid!"

And I did.

Hesitation anxiety: does it ever truly go away? Or should I just make a t-shirt with H.S.S. emblazoned in large, bloody letters?

*
Cross-posted at The League.

This is the Second Post...

...in which I expand on one of last week's teases.

Drei Tage zu tot.

What's that, you ask? Why it's an online German translation of THREE DAYS TO DEAD. Why am I translating it, you ask?

Because we've sold German publishing rights to Droemer for THREE DAYS and AS LIE THE DEAD!!!!! I'm floored and excited to have sold these rights so soon, so kudos to my awesome agent Jonathan Lyons, and the equally awesome Annelie Geissler at Mohrbooks.

Also, I've posted my Newbie Intro over at the League. Hopefully I don't sound like a dork. :)

Two Books Sold to Bantam Dell

You have no idea how hard it's been to keep this quiet until the contracts were finalized, but now they are. And now I can share!

From Publisher's Marketplace, August 20th:

Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Kelly Meding's THREE DAYS TO DEAD, about a supernatural bounty hunter who wakes up in a morgue in someone else's body, with only three days to stop an impending war between humans and paranormals before she dies again, to Anne Groell at Bantam Dell, at auction, in a two-book deal, by Jonathan Lyons at Lyons Literary (World English).

I'm not being fake-modest when I say I probably couldn't have gotten here without AW. I discovered the world of Query Hell, innumerable agent and author blogs, and threads on writing and editing and editing some more. I've had several terrific folks here beta for me, on this project and others, and I owe them so much.

TDTD is my seventh finished novel. After three years of querying three projects, dozens of rejections, dozens more no-responses, twenty-or-so partials, and a dozen fulls, the right manuscript landed with the right agent, who read it over Memorial Weekend and offered representation that Tuesday. After a month of revisions, we pitched to six editors the second week in July. By August 15, we had three rejections, two offers, and one more pending, so we went to auction.

On August 20th, the results were in, and we accepted an offer. In the middle of an excitement fraught call to my dad, the Call Waiting beeped in. The ID said "Random House." Not something I ever thought I'd see on my telephone. I spoke briefly with Anne Groell, who wanted to welcome me to RH and complimented my book.

Did I mention I probably babbled a little?

With contracts ready, all that's left is to tackle this Editorial Letter.

*dances around the room*

Bittersweet and Super-Sweet

Countdown to the big move: 2 Days

*

In about an hour, I'm leaving for my last day of work. It's bittersweet. I've longed for this day, and still, I find myself hoping I don't cry when I leave. I worked in that store for five years, five months, and six days. I've seen changes in staff and merchandise. The fixtures and floor plan has been altered numerous times. We've even gone through three property managers. It's been a second home, a place in which I spent at least forty hours a week, with people I saw more often than my own family. No more joking with my regular customers, or asking them how things worked out.

Bittersweet.

And mixed in with that is pure candy: I received a call from my agent yesterday, telling me that a second editor has offered on my book. Which means? Anyone?

Bueller?

Yes, boys and girls, my debut novel, THREE DAYS TO DEAD, is going to auction. I was actually jumping up and down when I got off the phone. I called my roommate, my sister, and my parents. It's all too surreal. Something I often dreamed about, but never entertained as an actual possibility.

Su-weet!!!!!!!

The Week in Review

Once in a while, we all do really dumb things. Like just a few minutes ago. I decided it was time to finish cleaning/packing my bedroom closet. So I open the door and start taking out a few things. Pick up a bag of bubble wrap without looking at what may be resting on top of it. And a glass plate falls smack on the top of my foot.

Much cursing ensued.

So now I'm back to sitting at my desk with ice on my foot, hoping it's just really, really sore. And I'm sure it is just really, really sore. And eventually, really, really frozen.

Sometimes I wonder if moving closer to my parents is really such a good thing. Instead of 3.5 hours of travel, I'll only be 45 minutes away. Good in some ways. Bad in that they are having some...uh, issues, and my mom seems determined to put my sister and I right in the middle. But Sister had a good point the other day: they are the parents, and parents don't put their problems on their children. (Sister is a therapist, dontcha know?)

I saw the house we're moving into. The downstairs is frickin' huge! I mean, the dining room is as big as half our apartment. Berlin, MD is a cute little town. Very small, very old. We're literally right off Main Street. Lots of quaint little shops and restaurants. The drive to Salisbury (where my current job is waiting) isn't too bad. It's a straight shot up the highway, just sort of flat and boring. The sort of drive made for books-on-tape, only my mind tends to wander and I miss stuff, so that's out.

Also got to see The Dark Knight again. Loved it just as much the second time. It was fun to pick out all of the hints and foreshadowing this time around. I also realized just how amazing the musical score is. But when two giants like Hans Zimmer and James Newton Howard team up, you can't get anything short of amazing. I'm listening to it right now, and loving it all over again.

On the book front, we've heard back from one editor so far. She liked it (yay!), but wasn't sure it would find a home in today's market (boo!). Still, liking it is encouraging, even if it is a pass. Jonathan's awesome, in that he emails even to say he's got no news.

Well, the good news is the foot isn't swelling. Only a tiny bruise so far. I gotta be more careful.

But at least I didn't drop this one on my head! As is my tendency to do. Sofa, table leg, iron skillet....yeah, I have a hard head.

Pitch Day

It's quite odd, really, how things right now are so bittersweet.

A week ago today, Hannah died. Only a few hours after, I got the editor list and final draft notes from my agent. Bittersweet.

Today, a week after Hannah left us, my agent will begin pitching my novel to editors. Bittersweet.

But I suppose a lot of things will be that way. At least, until we finally move out of this damned apartment. She's everywhere. On my bed, in the closet, on the back of the sofa, scratching at the bathroom door. Moving Days are tentatively August 14 and 15, which is one month from now. So much to do, so little time.

I'm someone who doesn't handle big changes well, at first. All of these crazy things happening at once (Hannah, my book, moving, changing jobs) is driving me nuts. Adding on the stress. Making me freak out.

Chocolate. Need chocolate....

Birthday Goodness

Round Two is now back with Agent. He said he may wait until the weekend to read, so he has more perspective. Must be patient. Must be patient. Not that I don't have a bazillion things to keep me busy until I hear back. Packing to do. Decisions on a job. Lots of housecleaning. Plus three WIP's and more revisions on Warden's Trance.

My birthday was pretty low-key, but that happens once you pass twenty-one (as I did many years ago). Celebrating just isn't what it used to be. My boss's daughters baked me chocolate cupcakes, which were awesome. Beloved Roommate bought a Black Forest cake and brought Coldstone Creamery home (Peanut Butter Lovers is bliss on a spoon, I swear). I gorged on sugar, but slept amazingly well. I'm super-excited about seeing "Rent" this weekend. First time seeing it performed live, so woohoo!

I think the leftover birthday cake is calling me....

Early Birthday Present

In the form of comments/line edits from my agent. He loved the changes, and I've already gone through and read his comments. Good stuff.

I need to write up short summaries for the next two potential books, so I can send that along with the revised draft.

Yay, fun stuff.

Agent Interview

No, I'm not interviewing anyone. Over the weekend, my agent, Jonathan Lyons, was interviewed on the League of Reluctant Adults blog. It's a good interview, plus there's a picture. It's always cool to put a face to a voice.

In other news, I had two amazing dreams last night. Complete narratives, both completed between the hours of 4:15 am (I know, because I woke up scratching at gnat bites on my wrist) and 8:45 am (alarm). One of them was definitely inspired by the ten minutes of Troy I watched yesterday, since it featured Bloom and Bana (drool). The other I've completely forgotten; oh well.

Drum Roll, Please....

Okay, so here's the news I hinted at yesterday: I have an agent.

An honest-to-God literary agent.

Excuse me while I squee like a girl: SQUEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!

Ahem. I feel better now.