the call

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January 12, 2007 at approximately 4:00 CST–I received a call that will change my life.

Or at least, it will change the writing part of my life…

Because, that call was from my lurvely agent. And lurvely agent, who I heart with all my inside parts, told me that HarperCollins wanted to make me a two book offer.

I thought she was kidding. I mean, we had been waiting for this news all week and it was Friday afternoon, already 5:00 in NY, so surely she was just joking.

Um. Nope. She wasn’t.

OMG!

HarperCollins? Seriously?

So, here’s a little blurb on the two books:

AJ Ashe isn’t a typical seventeen year old vampire. Her ex-boyfriend is now her stepbrother, who, as it turns out, is also warlock. Her two BFFs are in a huge fight and she’s caught in the
middle. She’s totally framed for cheating on a Lit test. And now, apparently, the fate of humankind lies in her little undead hands. Like that’s fair. What ever happened to the good old days when all a vampire girl had to worry about was the occasional zit and hiding her fetish for necks.

The details that I have now are that the first book won’t be released until December 2008 or Jan 2009 and the follow up will be about six months later. That seems like forever, but it’s a good thing. It gives me plenty of time to produce a quality story.

Now, we writers often dream about what the call means to us. What will we do, what will we think, how we will reward ourselves once it’s all said and done…

My immediate reward was a bottle of Veuve Cliquot. Then we went to dinner. I also made calls to my friends and family and then emailed my various writing groups. Then I took a BC Powder before bed so I wouldn’t wake with a Champagne headache in the morning.

Remember how I said the call changed my writing life? We writers often think that the call will change every part of our lives…but the next morning, I ate a bowl of cold cereal, had to do the dishes, sweep the floor, sort the laundry and go to Wal-Mart. Sounds glamorous, no? Wanna hear something even more glamorous for this soon-to-be-famous-multi-pubbed author? This morning I had to clean up after a sick kid.

Oh yeah. My life has changed. NOT!

35 thoughts on “the call”

  3. Again, YOU ROCK!! I’m so glad for you and can’t wait until the TKA party this year. We all have a lot to celebrate!
    Shannon

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  6. You will soon write about the wife that used to clean house and go to wal-mart before she was a hot jetset babe going to booksignings all over the country! Congratulations again.

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  7. Congrats again. Can’t say it enough! The premise sounds awesome, and I know you’ll do a fabulous job with the books.

    My fantasy of being a rich and famous writer is completely motivated by the desire to afford a live-in housekeeper.

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  9. Couldn’t have happened to a better person! I am SO happy for you, Mel 🙂 btw, thanks for hunting me down and giving me the news.

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  12. Mega congrats – how awesome is a TWO BOOK DEAL?!!! Too cool!

    Yeah, I know what you mean about life going on. It’s like that call changes your life but doesn’t change it at all. You know what I mean? Still gotta clean up after a sick kid…

    I’m so happy for you!!!! 🙂

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  14. Many, many, many congrats, Mel! I knew when I first met you that you’d be a success – you had the drive and determination (plus a quirky sense of humor) that it takes to succeed in this business. Can’t wait to see those books in print!!

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  16. Said it before, will say it again: yes yes yes yes yes yes YES!!!!! BTW, did you see Verve Clicquot has a brut rosé? Pink hair, pink champagne–it makes perfect sense! Sooo happy for you, Mel!

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  25. hey lee, i’m not sure what’s up with blogger and your comments. they show up in one section but not the other. highly curious.

    Thank you!!!

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  28. Congratulations Mel – I’m so excited for you. What an awesome story about your first call and a great way to kick off the new year right!

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  29. Hey Mel- My name is Courtney and I’m Lee Bells best friend from High School. I have been reading your blog for about a year now. (I also know you’re husband, Mark and his mom was my science teacher at MSM) Anyway, I am sooo happy for you about the book deal. I just had to tell you, even though you don’t know me. lol. YOU GO GIRL!!!
    Courtney

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  32. MEEEEEEEEEEEEELLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!! I am sooooo freakin’ happy for you!!! But then, you know that. Just had to do a shout out on your blog! Massive congrats to you, chica…you deserve this!

    Hugs,
    Marley = )

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