Missed Calls

Sunday afternoon I had a really weird message on my phone. All I saw was an email with the subject line: You Did It

Of course my first thought was utter denial. I did not do it! What it are you talking about? Who have you been talking to? What do you know?

Now, my phone isn't very good for reading emails on. It likes to truncate messages, but I read any way. The message was, "You did it! I love THE DAY BEFORE.  Can we talk tomorrow morning (Monday)?" And all I saw in the From part was "Marl".

THE DAY BEFORE... what was this person talking about? Isn't that a James Bond movie. I was lost and confused. So I ate lunch, took a nap, and decided I would deal with the email later.

After a lovely nap, I sat down to the computer, opened the spammy email, and recognized the name of agent extraordinaire Marlene Stringer. THE DAY BEFORE was the query title for JANE DOE. I always think of it as JANE, and I was tired, and I was born blonde so forgive my stupidity.

I read the email twice before I realize this was it! THIS WAS THE CALL! There was an agent who loved my work and she wanted to talk and she loved my book and she loves my characters and she wanted to talk!!!! It was so exciting it fully warrants the extra exclamation points.

I emailed Marlene and we scheduled to talk at 10 o'clock Monday morning. I was over the moon. I explained everything to my husband and kids. Since I needed to have a business conversation and sound like a professional I told the kids they could have a My Little Pony marathon in the basement while I talked with Marlene (don't judge me). As an extra bribe, I promised to go grocery shopping before the phone call so they had plenty of snacks downstairs with them.

ProTip: When scheduling important business calls always make sure you know what time zone you are scheduling for.

Monday morning I arrived home from the grocery store at 9:06. My phone was upstairs charging, and I felt calm and in control. Then I looked at the clock again, remembered that Marlene lives in Florida which is an hour ahead of me in the Midwest, and ran upstairs.

Yeah.... two missed phone calls.

I had an agent who wanted to talk representation, and I missed her phone calls. Not so professional.

This would have been a good place to break down and cry about lost hopes and dreams, but I like my Happily Ever Afters darn it and I was going for it. So I called back. And Marlene answered. And we laughed over the silly mistake. And we talked for two hours. And, well....

I am now officially represented by the fabulous, patient, and talented Marlene Stringer of Stringer Lit!!!

JANE DOE has a home! I have an agent! All this craziness, and editing, and worrying, and hard work... it pays off! And, you know what? This isn't where the story ends. This is where the adventure begins. There is a whole, wide universe just waiting for me. And as River Tam says...