Thank you, Susanna, for the opportunity to share my first call story.
I've been writing on-and-off for years, but in 2006 I decided to get serious about it. I began to write in earnest, my sights set on historical romance because that's what I love to read. Writing takes time and practice, and by 2008, I was finally hitting my stride. When I heard about the launch of the new Harlequin Historical line of shorts called Undone, I decided to try my hand at one.
In 2009 I sent off my manuscript to the dreaded slush pile, and I kept writing. It wasn’t until last March that I received a response --a nice email from one of the editors who detailed what worked and what didn't about the story. It took me a moment to realize the editor was inviting me to revise and resubmit.
So, I worked and worked and refined the manuscript and off it went, back to the editor. And then two months later I received another email. I didn't want to open it. It wasn't a phone call, so it wasn't likely to be very good news, and I was convinced I'd blown it.
When I finally worked up the nerve, I was surprised to find another request to resubmit –one of the new scenes I’d added wasn’t quite right. I had another chance!
Fearful I’d mess it up, I took extra time and care to rewrite that one scene, and finally I sent it in again, expecting not to hear anything again for a while.
Until my phone rang. That very Friday. And a very nice British voice greeted me --an editor from the London office. THE call. The one with good news.
I don't remember much of the call other than getting up and carefully closing my office door, for fear that I'd start squealing. I think mostly I chattered jibberish, and she was gracious as she led me through all of the inevitable business questions.
When the call ended, I texted my hubby, then had to act normal, like my life hadn't irrevocably changed that morning by a simple phone call. It wasn't easy!
Since that day, it's been a whirlwind of activity. I've sold two more Undones and turned the three into a series called Fortney Follies. I certainly didn’t imagine that 2 years ago when I sent that submission off!
My debut romance, AN IMPRUDENT LADY, was released February 1st from Harlequin Historical Undone. The sequel, A DISGRACEFUL MISS, will be released on March 1st. Please visit my website at www.elainegolden.com for more information about me and my books including downloadable excerpts.
Here's a glimpse about my story:
AN IMPRUDENT LADY by Elaine Golden
Release Date: February 2011
ISBN #978-1-426-88544-0
Regency London
As a young woman, Lady Charlotte Fortney learned what passion truly was from her handsome neighbor, Daniel Walsh. When they were discovered, her father sent the lowly doctor’s son far away from his precious daughter.
Years later, spinster Charlotte is content to watch others play the courtship game—until Daniel returns from India, rekindling a desire that time could never erase. But Daniel seems to have set his sights on another woman, the one match Charlotte would do anything to prevent. He may be willing to give her up—if Charlotte gives herself in exchange….
Book one of the Fortney Follies series.
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