Fabulous Announcement: Book Publication!

It's official: the first Real Book Deal in which this blog played the teeniest part is happening!!

Here are the authors' own words, used with their permission:

Dear Authoress,

I'm not sure if you remember us or not, but we participated in one of your Secret Agent contests back in February 2009. We didn't win, but we did get a ton of amazing feedback from Kristin Nelson and your fantastic readers. We used all of that great feedback to revise our manuscript and ended up scoring an amazing agent in March 2009. And now we've hit another huge milestone. Our debut novel, A Kate Lowry Mystery: The Haunting of Pemberly Brown, will be published by Sourcebooks in Spring 2011. We are beyond excited and we can't help but think that we have you and the community of writers at your blog to thank.

Thank you so much for all of your hard work! We can't imagine all the time and effort that goes into maintaining your blog, but we sure do appreciate it.

Sincerely,

Lisa and Laura

Woot woot and triple woot! It's a measureless honor to have been part of this book's exciting journey.

Read their blog post announcing the deal.

They're even giving away a Kindle to celebrate!

Throw confetti along with me. When two of our "own" make it, we're all part of the happy that happens. You could be next!

Winners!

And here are Laura's winners:

Runners up:

#8 Bite Me by LoriStrongin
#9 The Button Girl by Sally Apokedak
#20 Touch by Melinda
#45 My Name Is Death by Inkspatters

Agent's Favorite:

# 30 Undisclosed by Ant

The prize:

Ms. Bradford requests that you ALL send her the first 30 pages plus a synopsis. Please email me at facelesswords(at)gmail.com for specific submission instructions.

Congratulations, all!

Secret Agent Unveiled: LAURA BRADFORD

Applause and thanks to the amazing and helpful Laura Bradford of Bradford Literary Agency.

Laura's bio:

Laura Bradford has fifteen years of professional experience as a literary agent, editor, writer and bookseller. Laura began her career as a literary agent at Manus and Associates Literary Agency and formed Bradford Literary Agency in 2001. She considers herself an editorial-focused agent and takes a hands-on approach to developing proposals and manuscripts with her authors for the most appropriate markets. The mission of Bradford Literary Agency is to form true partnerships with their clients and build long-term relationships that extend from writing the first draft through the length of the author’s career. Her recent sales include books placed with Berkley, Grand Central, Harlequin/Silhouette, Kensington, Spice Books, Pocket, Virgin Books, Avon, Dorchester, Hyperion, NAL, Eos, and Mira Books. She continues to actively build her client list and is currently seeking work in the following genres: Romance (historical, romantic suspense, paranormal, category, contemporary, erotic), urban fantasy, women’s fiction, mystery, thrillers and young adult as well as some select non-fiction.

She is a member of the Association of Authors’ Representatives (AAR) and Romance Writers of America and she is an RWA-recognized agent.

Winner announcements coming up!

Friday Fricassee

I'm a summer gal, but I've got to say that the vibrant orangey-greeny-gold effusing through the windows has filled me with a sort of autumnal bliss.

Glorious!

Now that I've morphed into a dedicated, uber-scheduled writer, I'm going to face the test of Writing Through the Seasons (sounds like a boring literary piece). In other words, I'll be stretched to survive winter.

Yes. Survive.

I grew up in a cold house with high ceilings and a piddly heating system. I spent winter nights curled up in front of the hot air register, blocking the heat from the rest of my family while we watched TV. I went through college winters wearing gloves to class to keep my fingers warm after having practiced my scales and arpeggios early in the morning.

The pianist and the writer in me both hate winter.

It's the gray light, too, that gets me. As the years pass, it gets worse. Ugh, the gloomy cloud cover, the damp hanging in the kitchen when I make the coffee each morning. The endless string of dull, cold, dull, gray, dull winter days.

I'm determined to bottle today's autumn brilliance and sip it slowly while I write through the winter. I will be untouched by the season I hate most.

My writing will prevail. And so will my attitude.

I mean, who wants to live with a grouchy female for three months of every year?

So that my autumn pledge. What's yours?

Oh. And all you jubilant, I-love-snow-and-frosty-windows-and-ice-cold-steering-wheels types? I love you, anyway. And if you can share one truly redeeming thing about winter, I'm all ears.

Christmas doesn't count. It's the only thing that NEEDS winter. Once it's over, I'm ready for April.

I'm all ears!

In Case You're Wondering....

I goofed and overlooked an entry that actually made it before cut-off. Hence #51.

I know you'll treat this orphan entry as kindly as you will the others.

*blush*