Forget Valentines Day, It's First Sale Day!

Posted by Scarlet Pumpernickel | 12:37 AM | 12 comments »

It's Valentines day and everyone's mind will go to romance and love and flowers, you know, the mushy stuff. Not me, not this year!

Let me tell you why. I opened my email yesterday and there was a message from an editor. My fingers literally trembled as I opened that message. You see, I've been at this a long, long time and I know that a rapid response from an editor usually bodes ill.

Not this time! The world is cheerful, the birds are singing, and all is right with my world for the moment. My editor, yes, I can now say that! My editor's message was short and to the point. Acceptance of my romantic suspense manuscript, A Matter of Trust. He would be sending a new authors package and contract.

Oh joy! Author! Not writer, but author. I expected to have to wait for at least a few days for the promised contract, but no. Moments later the promised new author welcome packet arrived. When I opened it later, once I arrived home from work, I realized that not only did it contain the promised packet, but my contract.

I immediately took to texting my DH and children, my critique partner, and anyone else I could think of! Success is sweet. This was an over night wonder type of deal. I'd submitted the 19th of January, received a positive response February 8th and a promise of being kicked upstairs for final approval. I told myself to relax this could take weeks or months. But five days later they offered the contract.

Overnight success! It's been a long night though. I submitted my first manuscript in 1984. It was typed on an electric typewriter using carbon paper. For those of you too young to remember, that is a primitive  torture process that is better forgotten.

If you have a dream, follow it, stay the course, believe in yourself and your dream. Hang in there and refuse to give up. If you do, you too can be an overnight success.

Happy Valentines Day or first sale day!

12 comments

  1. Mary Marvella // February 14, 2013 at 1:05 AM  

    Yay, Scarlet! Now we share more than one editor. Grin!

  2. Barbara Monajem // February 14, 2013 at 1:19 AM  

    Congratulations, Scarlet! This is just the most fabulous news. :~))

  3. Judith Keim // February 14, 2013 at 9:31 AM  

    Soooo happy for you Scarlett! Enjoy every moment you can of your success. More will follow, I'm sure. Congratulations!

  4. Patrice Wilton // February 14, 2013 at 9:39 AM  

    OH MY Gosh!!! I got shivers reading this post. I'm so over the moon excited for you. All your dreams came true, and you never gave up!!!! I know how that feels, and I'm so thrilled for you.
    Way to go!!!!!!!!!!

  5. Autumn Jordon // February 14, 2013 at 9:41 AM  

    Oh, my. I'm so thrilled for you. COongrats! Let's celebrate big today! (passing around the cyber-bubbly)

  6. Pamela Varnado // February 14, 2013 at 3:47 PM  

    Congratulations, Scarlett!!!! I can't wait to celebrate your success.

  7. Scarlet Pumpernickel // February 15, 2013 at 12:30 PM  

    Sorry to be late answering all your good wishes. Unfortunately I fell yesterday and broke my ankle! Spent most of the day yesterday and today in the doctors office. Have a cast from toes to knee and barely able to walk with a walker!

    Sort of took the shine off my shinning moment! Anyway, thanks everyone for the good wishes. I am thrilled and excited.

  8. Patrice Wilton // February 15, 2013 at 1:59 PM  

    Oh no! That's tooo awful - it must hurt big time. So sorry that this should happen now when you only deserve to be happy!

  9. Mary Ricksen // February 16, 2013 at 3:00 PM  

    I am so sorry to hear this, Chin up sweetie! Love you and am sending you good vibes!!

  10. Scarlet Pumpernickel // February 16, 2013 at 7:27 PM  

    Thanks everyobe for the good vibes. Today as a little better. Learning to walk with the walker. Getting up is a major effort. Hoping it will get easier as time goes by.

  11. Mary Marvella // February 17, 2013 at 2:42 AM  

    She missed our GRW meeting and her chance to announce a first sale, but she can do that next month!

  12. Beth Trissel // February 17, 2013 at 1:07 PM  

    A big belated congrats!