My Journey

Four score and seven years ago…

Okay, maybe not that long, but it feels like it, I started researching and learning how to write picture books. I bought a couple of HOW TO books—Writer’s Digest Children’s Writers and Illustrators Market Guide is a must-have. After ruining lots of paper, and more research, I found contests to enter and focused on the ones where you’d get written critiques.

Somewhere along the road…

I had a dream; so intense and vivid I couldn’t stop thinking about it. I found myself creating a story around it and imagining it as a novel—even though I had zero knowledge of novel writing, but had secretly daydreamed of the idea for years.

Eventually…

I allowed myself to write down my ideas but didn’t take it any further. I was in the process of polishing one of my children’s book manuscripts for the 2008 PNWA contest when I noticed the young adult category. Six weeks later, I had the first thirty pages and a synopsis ready for entry.

A few months later…

To my utter shock and joy, I received a phone call that I was one of eight finalists. I didn’t win, but this achievement and the two rave critiques from established writers gave me the courage to finish the manuscript.

Sometime later…

After more contest critiques (not all favorable by any means) and a few honorable mentions in The Writer’s Digest short story contest, I gained enough confidence to venture out of my solitary writing cave and join the SCBWI. I’d read about the importance of joining a critique group and three and a half years ago, I worked up the nerve to answer a life-altering e-mail from Katie McGarry looking to start a YA critique group in the Louisville area. I responded along with Bill Wolfe, Bethany Griffin, Kurt Hampe, and eventually we added Kelly Creagh. I cannot stress the importance of this decision—I would NOT be where I am without these people!

Soon after this...

I joined the Louisville chapter of RWA (LRW) and met an amazing group of women. I cannot stress enough the value of joining a group of people who not only share the same goals, but who are willing to mentor and cheer for each other along the way. 
Through this group, I also learned about various writing contests offered by RWA. After many great and horrible contest results, accompanied by invaluable detailed critiques, I continued with my novel.  

After maybe a year and a half…

And a major overhaul of the manuscript, it was time to send out agent queries…I attended an SCBWI conference and signed up for an anonymous query critique session with agent Kelly Sonnack. She really liked my query letter so I contacted her after the conference and stayed in touch until I completed the manuscript. She ended up rejecting it because it simply wasn't her thing, but she referred me to the amazing Kevan Lyon who snapped it up. BTW, Kevan happened to be Katie’s agent as well—crazy, right?

In July of 2011…

Kevan sent ROE out on submission and we had some very close calls—three times going to acquisitions—inevitably resulting in a “NO”. Heartbreaking to be so close!

But then…!

Little did I know that Kevan had an intern named Marie Romero who read RUNNING ON EMPTY and requested to take it on as a project when she moved up as editor-in-chief at Spencer Hill Press’s newest line, TULIP ROMANCE.

Fast forward to June 2013 and TADA…

RUNNING ON EMPTY is scheduled for digital release November 25^th, 2013!! Print release to follow at a later date…