I Got a New Agent! And Here's How It Happened...

If you're a regular reader of this blog, you'll know I signed with a literary agent about a year and a half ago. (For those who don't know, a literary agent is like a Hollywood agent, only instead of finding their clients films to audition for, they find publishers who want to publish their clients' books. It's a pretty big deal, and it's the first step to launching a traditional publishing career.)

I had hoped that my agent would help me sell my first novel, but things didn't quite go as planned. There are a hundred reasons why that relationship didn't work out. I don't want to get into the nitty gritty here on the Interwebz, but I do want new writers to know that there are bad agents out there. Some just aren't very good at their job. It could be because they don't have the dedication it takes to be a literary agent, or they just don't click with the industry. Maybe they're going through a rough patch and can't handle the long hours. Maybe they don't get along well with their clients.

Whatever the reason, my previous agent was not the right one for me. So I moved on.

But let's rewind for just a second so you get the full story.

Ever since I met Myra McEntire on Twitter through #kidlitchat all those years ago, I knew I wanted an agent like hers -- Holly Root from Waxman Literary Agency. As Myra and I became close friends, I learned a great deal from her journey as she went from agented author to signing her first book deal to selling movie rights to Fox. Through it all, Holly was there for Myra to smooth each bump in the road, cheer her on, and choose the best moves for furthering her writing career. She was honest, prompt, professional, and got the job done. Thinking about having an agent like Holly made me excited to start the agent search process.

It was through Myra that I met CJ Redwine, who is also one of Holly's clients. (And so started a trio of writers that has trouble written all over it.) Again, as CJ and I grew close, I got to see firsthand what kind of agent Holly was, and I decided over 2 years ago that I wanted to be Holly's client.

I sent Holly my first novel through a referral from both Myra and CJ, but since I already had another offer of representation from another agent, Holly decided to pass. My novel had a lot of similar themes as another novel she had just sold, so she encouraged me to go with another agent who might be able to sell it a lot quicker than she could.

This was a huge disappointment, but I understood her reasoning. Holly has a large client base, so she has to be particular with the projects she takes on. If she didn't feel like she could sell it, then she was right, it would be best for me to find someone who could.

I spoke with several other agents and ultimately made my choice. For the first 4 months, everything was great. When I emailed my agent, she replied right away. She was always helpful, and her revision notes for my first novel were spot on. I was impressed and really glad I signed with her.

I spent one month hunkered down in my Hermit Cave, making the revisions she had suggested. Then when I sent them to her, disaster struck. I didn't hear from her. A month went by and she still hadn't read the revisions. Two months. Three.

Five months went by and I still didn't have her response to my revisions. There was no apology. No excuse. Just crickets. (For those of you who don't know, this is not typical.) My novel was sitting in a drawer somewhere not getting the attention it deserved. I didn't think it was fair that someone other than myself got to decide when to put my career and ambitions on hold. So I decided to start the agent search all over again.

Only this time? I wasn't after just any agent. I was playing to win. I wanted Holly, and I was going to write the best book I could--something to make her sit up at attention. Something she couldn't say no to.

Cue my summer blogging hiatus. I started on the new novel in July and didn't come up for air until I put the finishing touches on it in November.

I have to say, this book scared the junk out of me. The plot was wayyyyy over my head, which meant it would be a beast to write. But the funny thing about those types of books? They're usually the ones we're meant to tackle.

Still, I needed my trusty beta readers to tell me if I was headed in the right direction. Chapter by chapter, my two besties (one since kindergarten, the other since college) cheered me on until that final page was written. I don't think I could have written the book so quickly had it not been for them and their unwavering belief in me.

Halfway through the book, I went on a writing retreat to the Smoky Mountains with CJ and let her read the first few chapters. Her enthusiasm for the project almost knocked me flat on the floor. She said that not only did she believe I'd get an agent with this book, but that I'd have my pick.

"Good," I said, "because I pick Holly."

A couple other author friends gave me agent referrals, which was awesome, just in case my "audition" wasn't good enough to make it on Team Root. You never know with these things. Even though Myra and CJ felt the book was right up Holly's alley, taste is so subjective. I've learned to keep my hopes pretty level in this business.

Once the book was finished, I sent it to CJ and Myra for their thoughts. I don't think a day went by that they didn't email Holly to tell her how much they liked it. In fact, they campaigned for my Team Root status so diligently that when I finally sent the query to Holly, she told me I should have CJ and Myra on my payroll.

Here's a taste of Myra's recommendation: "Holy. BLEEP. Hot. HOLY. BLEEP. That's my official recommendation."

And a taste of CJ's: "Okay, I just finished reading Mandy's book. Holy. Cow. Plot twists. Characters I adore. Romance! Romance Foiled! Villains! WORLD BUILDING!"

Can you see why I adore these two? They've been with me since the beginning of my quest. They were there when I sent my first query. When I got my first rejection. When I had to admit to myself that my first agent hadn't been the right decision. When I had to admit that my first book wasn't the right one to start my career.

They were there the next two weeks while I waited to hear back from Holly. I remember wondering why I hadn't heard from her yet, and I sent this text to Myra: "SHE HATES THE PRECIOUSSSS." To which she promptly replied: "TRUST."

I think at some point I told CJ, "I'm slipping into the I-don't-even-care-anymore mode." (For those of you who have gone through The Query Process, you know this feeling well. It's that point where you try to pre-numb yourself so you don't feel the pain of rejection. It's usually not a good place to be, which is why CJ replied with something loving and eloquent like: *SMACK*

During this time, I also had the support of three other critique partners: Sara, Bria, and Francesca. I don't think I could have gotten through this as emotionally steady as I did without their enthusiasm over the book. They probably would have campaigned for my Team Root status too, if given the chance. Instead, they rooted me on like an All-State cheer squad. (Notice what I did there? ROOTed?) 

Almost two weeks after I sent the book to Holly, I got a tiny one-line email from her asking if there was a good time for her to call me the following day. I replied with a time, then promptly began the freak-out process. It was a quiet freak-out though. One of those inner simmerings that might bubble over at any minute if you don't keep an eye on it. I told myself I was cool. It's all cool. Everything's cool. Myra screeched. CJ demanded details. Again, they were there to walk me through it all. They were there with me all day the following day on gmail, waiting for The Call, even though Myra was supposed to be writing and CJ had the flu. I'm pretty sure Bria was there on Twitter all day, waiting to hear the news.

(Writers, if this doesn't convince you to find yourself some killer critique partners, I don't know what will!)

Throughout it all, we knew Holly could still say no. I had given her an exclusive, and with the referrals from her clients, she might have felt like she owed me a personal call to break the bad news. I think, in that case, I would have preferred an email rejection so I could cry alone in my Hermit Corner, but Holly's too classy for that.

So. I was waiting. Trying to be cool. Myra was still screeching. And crying. And bingeing on ice cream in my honor since I can't eat the stuff. CJ's right foot wouldn't stop wiggling. And I think her stomach was doing Kermit arms. She couldn't do Kermit arms herself or she'd wake the baby.

And then?

The Call.

First of all, you need to know that I have a slight telephone phobia. I do not do phone calls. I text. I email. I tweet. I status update. I pin. I comment. I write letters and cards. I am awkwardsauce when it comes to the phone. I start shaking. My palms get sweaty. I feel faint. Most of my friends and family know this, and they're sweet enough not to hold it against me. They know it isn't a snub. It's just a somewhat debilitating, irrational phobia of hearing my own voice and listening to awkward silences. Is there a name for this? *googles* Someone says it's called Telephonolaliophobia, which, good grief, is quite a mouthful. To make it easy, just think of it as a symptom of social anxiety disorder or SAD.

I haz a SAD.

Hence the Hermit Cave.

I bring this up only because Holly is a natural on the phone. She made me feel at ease right away. Not too many people can do this, especially when there is judgment and rejection at stake. And thankfully? She got right to the point.

She said she really didn't want to want my book. She tried really hard to find a reason not to offer representation. (Meaning she already has a lot of clients and a lot on her plate, and she has to be very selective with the clients she brings onboard. However...

...and here comes the good part...)

She said, "But I just can't get over this book."

I think I probably stopped breathing at that point, although I didn't celebrate yet. I think I said something insightful and intelligent like, "Mmhmm," while furiously typing what she said to Myra and CJ in gmail chat. Then came more screeching and foot wiggling.

I don't remember too much from our phone conversation -- it's sort of a blur now -- but I do remember her suggesting we skip straight to the We're Working Together part of the call, because she wanted to be my agent. Again, I think I said something lofty like, "Okay. Cool."

I had a few questions for her, but probably not nearly as many as she expected. I told her that Myra and CJ should be on her payroll, because they had sold me on Team Root a long time ago. I said, "I already know you're the one that I want." *pause* "Not that I'm going to break into song or anything..."

But I totally could have broken into song. Because not only did I write the book I didn't think I could write, and got the agent I didn't think I could get, but because I didn't give up after that first failed attempt.

So many writers give up too soon. That very next query could be IT. That next book idea could be THE ONE. If you want it bad enough, then you don't give up. You keep working until you meet your goals.

I can't quite say working with my first agent was the wrong choice, because if that relationship hadn't fallen apart I wouldn't be where I am today on my journey. That bad experience didn't turn me off. It didn't make me throw in the towel. It made me want to meet my goals all the more. I used the same advice my mom gave me when I was a teenager: "If you want something bad enough, go and get it." She was talking about a boy I liked at the time, which pretty much makes her the coolest and most understanding mom EVER, but that advice has stuck with me all these years. It has helped me form the person I am today. When I see something I want, I go for it, even if rejection is on the horizon.

Even if there is a telephone involved.

I still can't think about Myra's and CJ's encouragement and support without getting misty-eyed. If they hadn't been there to help keep my passion and determination headed in a straight line (and kept me off the emotional roller coaster), who knows where I'd be.

All I know is that I am now officially TEAM ROOT, and I'm excited to see where this takes me. I'll be sharing my journey on this blog, so if you want to stay connected, click the "Join This Site" button in the right column.

So how did I celebrate?

After The Call, the husband and I went out to dinner. We got all fancy and went to this snobby restaurant people had been recommending to us for a while. When we got there, we found out the wait time was close to an hour, so we ditched the snazzy scene and strolled down a snow covered street (complete with Christmas lights) to our favorite hole-in-the-wall burger joint. 

Here's the hubs standing under a frilly tutu. Because...why not? Plus, we were in an exceptionally good mood. Tutus and a new agent do that to us.

I had a BBQ and onion ring burger and chili cheese fries in my fancy schmancy white pea coat. It was kinda poetic. And kind of Gilmore-Girls-esque.

  

Then we ducked into this hippy, eclectic coffee shop for coffee and a Rice Krispie Square the size of my head.

While we sipped and nibbled, we watched a folk duo performing in the corner. To round out the perfect celebratory night, the last song the duo played was Orphan Girl by Gillian Welch. I almost choked on my Rice Krispie Square. It's one of the theme songs for the main character in my new book, the one that just got me my dream agent. Don't you just love coincidences like that? The main character has been reincarnated over 50 times, so the lyrics of the song really spoke to me the first time I heard it. If she has lived over 50 different lives, then who is her true family? Her true mother? True father? Where is her true home? Which family members will meet her in the Afterlife at "God's Table?" If she ever gets there? I think the song really fits in that aspect.

To find out more about the new book, I guess you'll have to stick around this blog. :) For now, you can watch the video from my celebratory evening and celebrate along with me. This is The Potter's Field performing Orphan Girl.

(I didn't get the beginning of the song because it took me a few moments to scrape my jaw off the floor. But you get the gist. I think I'll keep this recording forever to commemorate this awesome day.)

Team Root FTW!