Monday

Announcement!

Well, I've been wanting to say these words for some time now: I HAVE AN AGENT!

And all last week, I've been absolutely desperate to add: AND IT'S JESSICA SINSHEIMER!!!!!!!!!

Time for the dance of joy!
This is how she makes me feel. 

When I began thinking about how I wanted to tell our agent story, I immediately got a little panicky.  We do not have a traditional courtship to share, and I didn't want Jessica to get flooded with unconventional emails and the like, so I asked her if she didn't mind if I shared exactly how we got together.

She, being the wonderful and awesome human she is, said of course.

Ok, how'd I find Jessica?  A contest.  Specifically, Cupid's Agent Invasion (AWESOME blog with AWESOME contests, btw.  www.cupidslitconnection.blogspot.com).  But that's not the unconventional part.

How'd I get her interest?  Tweeting about a WIP I hadn't even started.

Oh snap, you guys are thinking, that is really not smart of you, sword-bride-girl.

Oh, I know, I know.

Anyway, it went a little something like this.  Jessica had tweeted that once an agent and author corresponded enough, you may want to start talking about WIPs.  She had asked for my manuscript a month prior, and I tweeted back a little bit about my next project.

Jessica's a foodie-- I knew this.  I thought the tweet would make her smile and maybe she'd remember it.  I said, "My WIP is about a time-travelling food critic."

I expected a smiley-face at best.

I got a "tell me more".

Oh dear.  I hadn't started GASTROPHYSICS yet. I had an outline and a query.  Ok, ok, I'm a nerd who writes queries ahead of time. Sue me.

Anyway, I sent her the details (she knew I had zero word count) and she said she squealed out loud in her office when she read it.  Then five minutes later she clarified the squeal and bounce was a good thing and that her intern may be terrified of her.

So we begin corresponding about this WIP.  Then I wrote a little. 

THEN SHE ASKED TO READ THE LITTLE TINY SAMPLE.

Oh no you didn't! is what you're thinking, isn't it.  Why on earth would you share a rough, unfinished first draft, unbeta-ed, with your dream agent?!  ARE YOU CRAZY?!

She was very persuasive.  I sent it. She asked for more.  I wrote more.  This little dance continued and one day that email about "when's a good time to talk" showed up in my inbox and...

... The rest is history. 

Needless to say, I'm thrilled and truthfully a little smitten.  We've talked on the phone a few times and she makes me positively giddy. We're in sync in so many ways, it's actually baffling to me how I could find someone so perfect to represent me.  Plus, Sarah Jane Freymann Literary Agency is so amazing and prestigious!  Wow!

Ok, so there it is.  I have been smiling for a week straight thanks to this funny, professional, smart and charming agent.  My agent.  :D

34 comments:

  1. Ohhhhhhh wow. Ohhhhhhh wow. This is....amazing. Could not be happier for the BOTH OF YOU!!!

    And I will be requiring a signed copy of EACH AND EVERY BOOK YOU PUBLISH. Got it? Good.

    (ALL THE LOVVVVVVVVVVES)

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  2. Congratulations! This sounds like one-crazy fun ride. I enjoyed Jessica's participation in #PitMad. She's is beyond awesome. So happy for you!

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  3. Awesome! A great big congratulations to you, and best of luck with your work together.

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  4. Oh, wow! I've read a lot of agent stories over the past six or seven months, but nothing at all like this. How amazingly wonderful, and wonderfully amazing! (Yes, it's both. I've just decided that there's a (subtle) difference.) So happy for you both! :D

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  5. Congrats! This is such a great agent story! Good luck with your new agent--Jessica is absolutely wonderful!

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  6. Congratulations! It sounds like a perfect match. :D All the Squee to you today!

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  7. Congratulations!! That is a GREAT story. Just added you to my inspiring stories list. :) http://www.writeforapples.com/2012/06/inspiring-stories-getting-their-agents.html

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  8. Oh WOW, what an amazing story! I love it! Congrats to you both, it sounds like it's going to be a fabulous partnership!!!

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  9. AHHHHH! So happy for you! And true--what an unconventional path! But those are the greatest kind! All the best to you in the next phase of your journey.

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  10. Congratulations! Jessica is indeed quite fab :)

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  11. Congratulations! Very happy for you. :)

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  12. This is so cool! Congrats! And haha I write query letters before I write the books, too!

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  13. Oh wow!!! I adore Jessica. She recently passed on my full ms, but did so in such a kind, respectful way that I'm eager to write another ms just to send it to her. (She mentioned to keep her in mind with future projects).

    So excited for you! Food critic/ time traveler? You genius, you. Of course she loved it. *grumbles b/c I didn't think of it first* ;)

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  14. YAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!! WHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO. SO happy for both of you. LOVE Jessica too ;o) Awesome getting-an-agent story too ;o)

    Can't wait to read ALL OF YOUR BOOKS!!!! CONGRATS!!

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  15. This is such an AWESOME story! I love unconventional!

    Thank you so much for sharing! So happy for both of you!

    CONGRATS!!!!!

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  16. AHH! Congrats! Jessica is such a fantastic agent - so happy she's the right match for you :) Woohoo!!

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  17. YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY! Of COURSE she loved it and loved you and snapped you up. You're awesome! <3 I also would like a signed copy of every book. CONGRATS!!!!!!!!!!!

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  18. I've seen your book description in the past and thought it sounded awesome - totally brilliant concept (and title!). Jessica seems like a wonderful agent. Congrats to both of you!

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  19. Congratulations a billion times over! What an awesome how-I-got-my-agent story!!! Every interaction I've had with Jessica has been fantastic so super-congrats on having her as an agent.

    Can't wait for your time-travel book too- I'm a sucker for time-travel!

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  20. Ahhh congrats! That really is an awesome story. And your book sounds awesome, too!

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  21. Congratulations! What an awesome story!

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  22. Such great news! Congratulations! :)

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  23. That's wonderful! I'm so happy for you both!

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  24. WOOOOHOOOOO!!!

    This is amazing!!!! How awesome for you both!!

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  25. CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!!!!! SO AWESOME!!!

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  26. So very awesome! :) Does happy dance with you.

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  27. that's amazing! Congrats! and i love the premise of your book.

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  28. Eeeeek! That is so exciting! What a risk you took and it totally paid off.

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  29. I'm so, so happy for you! And for Jessica! What an amazing partnership this is going to be...and Gastrophysics sounds AWESOME!

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  30. Anonymous6:20 PM

    Yay!!! Sarah Jane is my agent, and YES, they are awesome. Your WIP sounds intriguing, now, get to work :)

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  31. A MILLION TIMES YAAAAAAYYYYYYY!!!!!!! That is all :D

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  32. AHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm so excited for you!!! And I remember those tweets that Jessica sent about talking up your WIPs, and I also specifically remember the tweet you sent about Gastrophysics, and the tweet Jessica sent in response. And I remember thinking, "well, THAT sounds like an awesome book, and one that is RIGHT up Jessica's alley." YAY for it all working out so incredibly!!!

    And I'm going to sit in a stew of happiness, knowing that I was there at the BEGINNING!!

    wahoooo!!!!!

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  33. Guys, so thankful for all the WONDERFUL comments and well-wishes! I'm so happy with Jessica and I'm thrilled you guys enjoyed our story. :)

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  34. SQUEEE!!! For some reason, that little unconventional Got An Agent story is so...you LOL!!! Congrats!

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