When I was little—say, seven—I had a favorite daydream. I daydreamed quite a bit, back then, playing somewhat elaborate scenes out in my head while in the car, at school, or swinging absentmindedly on the playground. Many of these were excessively dramatic and involved my death and subsequent funeral, or more mundanely, a busy morning getting my many children ready for school. But in my favorite and most often replayed fantasy of all, I went to the mailbox, and there, at long last, was an envelope from the publisher to whom I had sent my manuscript. Inside was a typed letter (I never imagined that the “typed letter” part of my daydream would eventually seem quaint and old fashioned), and I unfolded it with shaking fingers.
They were delighted to inform me! DELIGHTED TO INFORM ME! I was going to be an author!
Next there was screaming, and happy tears, and sharing of the news, and then, if I recall correctly, things skip ahead a bit, and once again the mail plays a vital role as a large box is delivered, and squatting on the floor in my living room I open the flaps and lift out the first copies of my very own book.
NERD, you’re thinking. My GOD, what a nerd she was! And it’s totally true. But I turned that scenario over in my head with the same wistful reverence I would imagine some children felt envisioning their future wedding, or discovery of latent superpowers.
Obviously, getting an agent is not the same thing as getting that typed letter, but it’s not exactly liver pâté, either. It means that a professional, whose job it is to know these things, thinks there is enough of a chance that my book might actually end up in an honest to god STORE someday that she is willing to devote time to developing and submitting my proposal in anticipation of a future commission. And it’s not like I met her at a bus stop, where she handed me a grimy handmade business card she pulled from the folds of a trenchcoat just after she offered to put my name in lights. No! She’s very reputable, and I was introduced to her by a friend (to whom I have now promised a kidney, should the need ever arise, so Simone’s had better hold out because I no longer have a spare). And not only is she genuinely excited about the project and awfully likable, but she gets it, and that is everything, I think.
Her name is Danielle, as everyone knows by now, because I am unable to say the phrase “My agent,” and instead have mostly been saying either “My…lady,” or “My…that is, Danielle.” (Then I think, does that sound too familiar? Like I’m the kind of asshole who calls famous people they’ve met only in passing by their first names? But you try saying “my agent” without internally rolling your eyes at yourself, or blushing, or generally feeling absurd).
To tell you the truth, I thought I knew exactly what the outcome of my proposal’s maiden voyage would be. I thought it would be number three or four. I knew the boxcar and diseased pigeon and my eventual demise near a cart-return were unlikely, but I was quite certain it wasn’t going to end the way it did, either. I’ve been feeling a little emperor’s-new-clothes-y about my writing for a while now, and in the past few years I have been rejected for a couple of things that, quite honestly, I thought I was certain NOT to be rejected for. It gives a girl a complex. Now, though, I feel like a cartoon Buddha of contentment, and I think I’ve been more productive in the past week than in the last several months altogether.
I don’t know how much you all know about the process from here. I didn’t know a damn thing, and every time someone whose website I read writes a book, they post about it well after the fact, long past the proposal and agent, after the deal is done. Which may well be the sensible way to go about things, but I am terrible at sensible, and besides, you’re the wind beneath my wings and all that, and I like having the company.
So, next! The proposal gets sent to a short list of editors—think a single dinghy rather than a flotilla—and then we wait some more.
And in case you are wondering what a person does after they get the news that they have a real honest-to-god…book representative, I’ll tell you: I called my husband, sent a couple of emails, and then went to a diner to have a tuna melt and a glass of iced tea. I considered telling the waiter, but decided against it, because he would have been confused when I said “I have a…you know,” and then blushed madly while he guessed “Question? Secret? Parasite?” Eventually I would have had to spell out “l-i-t-e-r-a-r-y a-g-e-n-t” on a napkin, and I didn’t have a pen with me, so I said nothing. But I ate every single one of my French fries in celebration.


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I am starting to really feel like an Alexa-stalker because of how insistent I am that we meet. But I really want to hear more about the proposal and how you did this. At BlogHer, I hope?
I am so, so, so happy for you.
I for one am thrilled you’re talking about the process from the get-go, and I hope you tell us all about it. And congratulations, you totally deserve this — I hope the next step(s?) go fast and I can get my eager little mitts on a printed copy SOON.
Also, I totally pitched that agency a while back and I think I got an auto-reply. So, you know, I’m extra impressed and happy for you. : )
Congratulations!! Your writing is splendid. You do deserve this.
The Love of my Life is a fiction writer, with a new(ish) MFA and a list of publications, and, well, a pretty lovely resume for a newbie to the market. But he fished around for an agent for years, and the day that his . . . lady excepted will forever be ingrained in my mind.
It is a relieving (to say the least!) and momentous and joyous milestone. The satisfaction and renewed confidence it gave My Love in his talent and writing is beyond words. I can only hope you feel the same. As My Love would say: big things. I hope them for you.
Congratulations on your lady, and I can’t wait to read how the journey goes. :)
Eeee!
I am utterly delighted.
You’re adorable. Have I mentioned that?
My friend calls her guy “secret agent man.” I’ve always loved that, but it doesn’t work as well for a woman. I call her my friend/agent (as in: “friend-slash-agent”), which is quite a mouthful. I like “lady.”
Congratulations!
Hurray! Marvelous news!
How extremely exciting. I’m sure much of it is top secret but can we at least know the genre of the book?
Wa-hippity-hoppity-hoo!! You want to see Nerd? Check me out when I camp on the sidewalk outside the bookstore the night before your book is delivered. THAT’S a nerd, and I’ll be proud to be one.
When picturing you as you refer to your agent, I’m torn between imagining you sounding like a peasant addressing the mistress of the house (“Thank you for my gruel, m’lady.”) and like a 71 year old, plaid shirt wearing dude in a honkytonk bar (“See that sweet thang out there shakin’ her fake hip on the dance floor? That’s my lady!”)
Regardless, I love your lady because she is obviously brilliant and smart and funny and surely has the best taste imaginable. You should talk to Mel over at Stirrup Queens or Pamela Jeanne at Coming2Terms. They both recently had books published and can perhaps give you some insight into the scary, spaghetti-like maze of that crazy world they call Publishing.
Good luck! Can’t wait to read it!!
two blogs of “currently being published” nerdy, awesome women.
POET:
http://mariegauthier.wordpress.com/
NOVELIST:
http://wildemama.blogspot.com/
Then there’s you but I guess you already read your own blog!
Congratulations Alexa – like so many of your readers I feel like a friend and I’m grateful for the hilarious peeks into your brain – how about that drawing? my husband guffawed. Yes, that’s the right word.
Sara
I was imagining Jerry Lewis, “Lady!”
Congratulations!
Congratulations! Yes, one of the many reasons why I like reading you–you are such a NERD!
This is such fantastic news!
Ummm…I have had that exact same fantasy since I was 7 too…and still have it. I am happy to be identified as a nerd if that is what it means. Thanks for keeping us informed of how the process works. I’m so happy for you!
I couldn’t be happier for you, and you more than deserve this dream coming true. There are blog I visit for the subject matter and blogs I visit because I know/like the person. And then there are the blogs I visit because no matter the topic the writing is so damn good…and funny…and poignant…and real…and it has a unique voice, etc., etc. That last category is your blog. You are so clearly a writer, a writer that any topic should feel lucky to have you hold in your hands and massage it with your words and outlook and style. :)
Congratulations!!! So incredibly well deserved.
Congratulations! Such excellent news!
And if your definition of a nerd is such, then I am most certainly one as well because I have a very overactive imagination and similar daydreams.
Say it! Savor it! Every step in this process is a milestone.
Just, congratulations one more time. That’s truly awesomesauce.
so. effing. awesome!
I cannot wait to read your book alexa!
peace,
kath
Oh, I’m just loving this. I’m so happy that you’re so happy. If that makes any sense. Please tell the publishing industry at large to hurry up and get your book out. Better yet, I’ll tell them: “HERE’S MY 25 DOLLARS FOR THE HARDBACK. CHOP, CHOP!”
Hooray Alexa! We (the royal We, your readers) needed this diversion from the kid menu discussion. Aaak.
Congratulations on achieving this childhood dream! [So your childhood dream is nerdy. Mine was to be a supreme court justice and, um, well...no. My name is not Sonya. Or Ruth. Or Sandra.] Anyway, congratulations!!! I just love it when wonderful things happen to talented people who have been dealt crap sandwiches in the past. I’ll drink some champagne and eat some french fries for you! I can’t wait to buy your book.
p.s.
My sister and I call our shrinks “my lady.”
You so deserve this! I hope it lives up to your nerdiest dreams!
Also, you should be reading http://wilwheaton.typepad.com/wwdnbackup/ as he is also a nerdy author and blogs about the process quite often. You might enjoy it.
Congratulations!
You go Girl!!!I’m so happy for ya! good Luck and congrats.
So, I’m guessing you, too, were especially moved by the scene in Anne of Avonlea when she got the letter from her publisher? And when her book first arrived? Yeah, me too.
Congrats again!
I TOLD YOU I TOLD YOU. I predicted this – I said “Flotsam will be my next top favorite blogger to get a book deal.” Yes yes I said that I knew it I knew it before I even knew you had a book to sell. I know – not a book deal yet – an agent but AN AGENT. Do you know how big this is? This is what you need to make the next huge leap. I am so excited I want to… do something ridiculously excited. This is the news of the year. Way to go!
I am already growing my list of people who will receive your book as a gift. Tell me, does it suit the newlywed or recent grad? More of a Christmas gift or Summer Solstice?
Just saw the news. Congratulations, I am in love with your writing and am definitely buying the book. Such a wonderful thing.
As a former editor for a mainstream book publisher, I can tell you from personal experience that having an agent is a huge, huge advantage and I’m so happy you now have one! And if you want to know what happens behind the scenes when editors get proposals from agented authors, drop me an email and I’ll dish. Congratulations!!!
How about Lady In Waiting!!!
Congrats and Good Luck
I am so excited to get to read about the process as it happens. I, too, have often thought, when reading people’s book news, that I’d like to know more about how they got themselves to that magic place of seeing their words in print on paper at the bookstore. There seems to be a lot glossed over that could fill up the space between “I have an idea!” and “Here’s the book!”
Oh, and as for my Nerdlet dream, it was of being asked to read in front of a group. I am SO not ever meant for radio (or tv) fame, but I used to have elaborate scenarios in my head that would play out with me being asked to read my stories to people, or to record my stories to be sold (on cassette, of course, because I’m classy like that), and people would hear me read my stories and they would be *so impressed* by how funny and interesting I was. Funny enough that I have raging awful stage fright now as it comes to presenting my intellectual material… sigh.
Yea! Can’t wait till the big day! I love reading your blog and I’m sure your book will be as delightfully pleasing.
Delurking with delight to say congrats!
This is such great news and a great story–the great storiness insuring what will prove to be quick and certain success!
I’m sitting at the library shedding tears of joy over my laptop. Congratulations!
I cannot even tell you how excited I am for you. I too have held that same little daydream in my brain and it gives me shivers to even think of it coming true. You deserve every bit of this excitement and praise and I am SO looking forward to buying your book!
Congratulations!
You should be hugely proud of yourself. This is so exciting and wonderful. You are such a talented writer and your blog readers are lucky to have found you – I guess we’d be willing to share you with others.
Alexa, from the day I started reading your blog, I’ve thought “this girl should write a book – I’d read it!” You are hugely talented and you completely deserve this. You actually remind me strongly of one of my favourite American writers, Betty Macdonald (The Egg and I) – a modern Betty! I hope you take that as a sincere compliment. Congratulations!
I have to say congrats to you–but also to the commenter above for the Anne of Avonlea reference. And *Avonlea* no less–no mistitled “of Green Gables” for jana!
(I’m charmed and tickled, madam).
But really, Alexa: well done and well deserved.
Alexa, you are living the dream. Well, my dream anyway, too! Congratulations to you. I hope you will post all the details of the writing and publishing process and let us know when the final product is ready for purchase!
CONGRATULATIONS!
1) I think your fantasy is fun and great and sweet and interesting.
2) No, there is absolutely nothing weird in saying “my agent.” Writers and actors say it ALL THE TIME. “My …lady”, on the other hand, is totally weird! [insert kind, smiling, positive icon here}
Oh Alexa, Congratulations! I’m so excited for you. You deserve all the french fries you can get your hands on!
Congratulations nerdy-pants! I am very glad to hear it and I love your writing so I really wish you every success!
Your excitement over this is so very cute! I am holding thumbs and praying that you find an interested publisher soon. I love your writing by the way.
Way to go Alexa! Do we all get signed copies when you are a published author?
When this book of yours gets published I’m going to make damn sure it gets to Australia. Hell, I’ll make it mandatory for my students to read it! xxx
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