Updates

Status: Drafting the fourth book in the PERILOUS series!

Tuesday, July 7, 2009

I'm getting published!!

So it's official! Yesterday I got an email from WiDo Publishing Company offering me a publishing contract. I quickly thought about it and sent an email back accepting!

Granted, they haven't emailed me the contract yet, I haven't read it, and haven't signed it. The next step is, they will mail me two copies of the contract. I sign it and send it back. I'm very anxious to see what my terms and conditions will be!

I'm so excited! This is fantastic for me. I always wanted to be published. I don't know if I could've broken into the market with a bigger company. WiDo is growing and needs writers, which fits perfectly with my needs to find a publisher.

There were some conditions already, though. They want me to change the demographics of my book. Here are some things from the email.

We are very impressed with your submission, "Walk Beside Me." Several editors have reviewed it and all had a positive response. Our major concern with it is that the demographic it's apparently written for-- LDS adolescent and teen girls.

One editor's suggestion was to bring in the opening cop characters more, to intertwine their investigation into the story, and thus make it more of an adult adventure/thriller, in order to broaden the demographic. The four girls would still be the main characters and focus, but a team of investigators as introduced in your prologue would also be developed and followed in the background. Is this something you could consider doing?

Overall, your story is incredible, fast-paced and a really, really good read. Your plot development is excellent, and the characters are also well-developed and likeable, except for the villains, who are incredibly frightening. Again, this would make a highly marketable book as long as it could be broadened to an adult demographic. There still might be plenty of teenagers who would read it and enjoy it, but limiting its appeal to simply the Mormon teen girl might be a very dangerous road to go, marketing wise, for above-stated reasons.

In conclusion, WiDo would like to offer you a contract and work with you on the editing, as long as you are willing to revise "Walk Beside Me" so that it could be marketed to a broader demographic.

If you are agreeable to this offer, please respond by return email and a contract will be on its way. Once we receive two copies of the signed contract, an editor will be assigned to you, to work closely with you throughout the long, often rigorous editing process.

I hope to hear from you soon.

Wow! Can you believe it? I've been trying to get this book published for years!!

Okay, so right now, here's my game plan: I've got to finish Branca. I'll work on that one until the end of next week. In the meantime, I'm going to make an outline of where to make Walk Beside Me have more 'adult elements.' This is going to be fun! Hopefully by then I'll be assigned to me editor, and we can start rewriting. And then I think I need to start working on the sequel!

14 comments:

Heindogs said...

Soooooo Happy for you!!! Congratulations!

SM Blooding said...

EEEEEEEEKKKKKK!!!!!! This is AWESOME!!!! Congrats! I am sooooooo excited for you!!!

Anonymous said...

You GO GO GO, girl!!! I cannot wait to see the book on the shelves! {e:heart}

Unknown said...

CONGRATS!!!!! This is SOOOO exciting, Tamara! I'm sure the re-write is daunting, but just think about being PUBLISHED!!!! Woo hoo! Does Mark know yet? Have you bragged to Mommy yet?

Tamara Hart Heiner said...

No, Mark doesn't know. I'll write him, of course, but he probably won't find out for awhile. I told Mother right away. And the re-write's not too daunting...I kind of enjoy this sort of stuff.

Jannie said...

SOOOO EXCITING, Tamara!!! Keep us updated :)!!

Anonymous said...

Tamara, the re-write will be a breeze for you, trust me :) You have tons of help, you know that!

I bow gracefully before your greatness :D

Oh mate! This has really made my week. You enjoy being proud, suck it all in and roll around in it...lol...You worked hard for this and it's well deserved.

Well done, girl :)

Jennifer Taylor said...

Congratulations! I hope things go very well with your debut novel.

Charity Brown said...

Awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Congrats! That's so exciting! I'm not a big reader, but will definitely read yours! Maybe I can get an autographed version? ;)

Tamara Hart Heiner said...

autographed versions for everyone!

nephite blood spartan heart said...

Congrats, don't expect to have too much time until you need to get to work on it though, they move at lightspeed compared to other publishing houses.

Best Wishes

Tamara Hart Heiner said...

I've noticed! It's not even been a month since they requested my manuscript!

How has your experience been w/ them, David?

nephite blood spartan heart said...

It's good. They were my 3rd submission and I was dumbfounded at how fast they move as compared to other companies, even other little ones.

I have been very happy with the editing process and I have learned a lot - cuz honestly grammar is my weakness.

I found WiDo while waiting for word back from Covenant-how did you hear about them?

Tamara Hart Heiner said...

*So* funny. I'm still waiting for word back from Covenant, and it's been ten months! I contacted them in June when I was resubmitting, and then said they were still reviewing it! Heavens.

I submitted to about five different publishers the same time I submitted to WiDo (about three weeks ago, LOL). I haven't heard back from anyone else. I hope that's b/c they haven't even opened the envelope!

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