Countdown: 7: Securing a Contract

I submitted my novel Perilous on June 16, 2009, to five different publishing companies. On June 25, nine days after submission, I got an email from WiDo Publishing's acquisition editor. The email said that my novel was under review and WiDo wanted to know if there was a sequel, since the story didn't conclude.

That was by far the quickest response I had ever gotten! I got all excited, too, because it looked like someone was interested enough to inquire about a sequel. (I mean, if you didn't like the first one, would you care about a sequel?)

Of course I responded right away, letting her know about my outlined sequel. Then I sat on pins and needles, waiting.

Five days later, on June 30, I got this email:

Your submission... is currently under review, but before a final decision is made, the marketing team has a couple questions for you.

They are wondering if you have any ideas of how you would like to promote your book, and what kind of network you could establish to get the word out prior to publication? We notice you live in Arkansas, is there a local bookstore you're familiar with that would be willing to promote a local author, perhaps host a launch party? Do you have any media contacts where you could get articles and/or book reviews? Do you have an author blog? Are you part of a writer's group, or book club, where you could speak and create a buzz before or after publication?

I was prepared for this question. Several people had told me that this is important for a publishing company to know, especially a small press that must make a huge investment in you. So I cracked my fingers and fired back an email about my marketing plans. Then I hopped online and bit the bullet: I started a blog. This blog! And oh, wow, I know so much more about marketing now than I did then!

And of course I told my critique group, who cheered and gave me virtual high fives and pumped me up by saying this was a very encouraging question. I felt it. I felt encouraged. And I checked my email every two minutes.

About a week later, on July 6, I received another email. This one said:

We are very impressed with your submission. 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-- are generally scared to death of being kidnapped, murdered and/or raped; and here in this book it all happens.

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... 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.

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 so that it could be marketed to a broader demographic. The suggestion about the investigators is merely that, and you may have other ideas of how to make your story more "adult friendly."

If you are agreeable to this offer, please respond by return email and a contract will be on its way.

I hope to hear from you soon.

Um, yeah? Wow, yes! Of course I said yes. Thus my novel went from being a YA coming-of-age novel to a YA thriller/suspense novel. And it's been quite a journey, but it's so fulfilling to find someone who believes in you, someone who backs you up and is willing to see you through to the end of that dream.

Framing the Contract

Well, it's officially official. I have the contract, with my signature and WiDo's signature, in my hand.

Wow. :::gulp::: I'm really in this now. It feels so completely surreal. Like I'm just playing along, we're hypothesizing about publishing my book. I feel like, okay, let's see how far this charade goes. I cannot seem to wrap my mind around the fact that is real!

I need to go buy a frame and put this on the wall. And they approved my pen name. Tamara Hart Heiner.

Mailing in the contract

My contract arrived yesterday. It's very simple, to the point, and definitely not scary. So why am I so nervous??? My book is going to be published. Set for a release in the fall of 2010. That gives me more than a year to get publicity going. I guess that's what's making me nervous. This book has got to do well. Otherwise, why will they want to publish the sequel?

So I'm off to the post office. I also get to pick up a letter from Mark...imagine my disappointment yesterday when I checked the mail and there's a yellow slip of paper saying I need to pay $0.17 to pick up his letter!

Wish me luck! Time to tell everyone I know that I'm getting published.