Tenners Tell All: Getting the Call
It's my turn to start a Tenners Tell All discussion this week, and I thought I'd go for the story I most love hearing from other authors:
Where were you when you got The Call? And what was it like?
I actually got The Call twice: once when I got my agent, and once when my editor offered for the book. When I got the call from my agent, I thought I knew what I was expecting. Barry had sent me an email saying he really liked the book and would love to talk about it, so we set a date and time for the call. I prepared like crazy...because here's what I thought would happen: I thought this was My Big Chance to prove to Barry that he should take me on as a client.
You wouldn't BELIEVE how much I prepared for this call. I put together a little two-line pitch for Book 2 in the series, which I was in the middle of writing. I thought about how I could respond to any number of questions he might pose about my experience doing rewrites, or my plans for my career. I was SO nervous, I was actually trembling. Barry had been my dream agent ever since I first started thinking about marketing my novel, but I was truly convinced that he was way out of my league. He represented GREAT authors, COOL authors...DEFINITELY not normal people like me.
My husband made me a hot chocolate for confidence five minutes before the phone was due to ring. I sat down at a desk with my spine straight, because that's what lots of interview advisors recommend for telephone interviews. I prayed not to stumble over my words.
The phone rang, exactly on time. I answered and was really proud of myself for not letting my voice shake. Barry was warm and friendly. We talked about how much he loved the book. (Well, he talked. I just thought, OMGOMGOMGOMG over and over again.) Then he took a deep breath.
I stiffened. I was ready! Whatever he was going to ask me, I would answer it RIGHT! I would--
"I would love to represent you," he said, and then he launched into a list of his plans for the book.
I went into total shock. He gave me lots of good reasons why he was the right agent for me (and he was right!); I tried to sound articulate instead of flabbergasted. I don't think I asked him a single question, because it had never occurred to me ahead of time that I might want to interview him rather than vice versa!
Since three other agents currently had the full manuscript, I had to give them a week to finish reading it before I could make a decision. During that week, I finally thought of the good, smart questions to ask, and I asked all the agents the same ones so I could do a fair comparison. But in the end, I went straight for Barry, and I was totally right - he really has been my dream agent.
Just about two months later, the phone rang while my husband and I were in the middle of watching a TV documentary. Since we were in the middle of something, I let it go to the answering machine. Then I recognized Barry's voice, and lunged to grab the phone and carry it out into the study.
"We've got our first offer," he said.
"Oh," I said, fighting to sound calm and professional. Everything felt completely surreal. Even if it was just a dream, though, I wanted to make sure I was mature and grownup about it all, not like some geeky amateur.
He told me the editor and house. Then he told me how much they were offering as their starting figure and terms.
It was real. It wasn't a dream.
I started giggling hysterically, and I couldn't stop. I was still giggling like a TOTALLY unprofessional madwoman and feeling like I was going to pass out from sheer shock when I hung up the phone five minutes later. I went back into the living room where my husband was waiting expectantly.
"They want to publish my book," I told him.
He stared at me. I stared back. We started laughing together, in pure disbelief and astonishment.
Sometimes I still can't believe it really happened.
But it's still pure magic.
***
What about you guys? What are your "Call" stories?
Where were you when you got The Call? And what was it like?
I actually got The Call twice: once when I got my agent, and once when my editor offered for the book. When I got the call from my agent, I thought I knew what I was expecting. Barry had sent me an email saying he really liked the book and would love to talk about it, so we set a date and time for the call. I prepared like crazy...because here's what I thought would happen: I thought this was My Big Chance to prove to Barry that he should take me on as a client.
You wouldn't BELIEVE how much I prepared for this call. I put together a little two-line pitch for Book 2 in the series, which I was in the middle of writing. I thought about how I could respond to any number of questions he might pose about my experience doing rewrites, or my plans for my career. I was SO nervous, I was actually trembling. Barry had been my dream agent ever since I first started thinking about marketing my novel, but I was truly convinced that he was way out of my league. He represented GREAT authors, COOL authors...DEFINITELY not normal people like me.
My husband made me a hot chocolate for confidence five minutes before the phone was due to ring. I sat down at a desk with my spine straight, because that's what lots of interview advisors recommend for telephone interviews. I prayed not to stumble over my words.
The phone rang, exactly on time. I answered and was really proud of myself for not letting my voice shake. Barry was warm and friendly. We talked about how much he loved the book. (Well, he talked. I just thought, OMGOMGOMGOMG over and over again.) Then he took a deep breath.
I stiffened. I was ready! Whatever he was going to ask me, I would answer it RIGHT! I would--
"I would love to represent you," he said, and then he launched into a list of his plans for the book.
I went into total shock. He gave me lots of good reasons why he was the right agent for me (and he was right!); I tried to sound articulate instead of flabbergasted. I don't think I asked him a single question, because it had never occurred to me ahead of time that I might want to interview him rather than vice versa!
Since three other agents currently had the full manuscript, I had to give them a week to finish reading it before I could make a decision. During that week, I finally thought of the good, smart questions to ask, and I asked all the agents the same ones so I could do a fair comparison. But in the end, I went straight for Barry, and I was totally right - he really has been my dream agent.
Just about two months later, the phone rang while my husband and I were in the middle of watching a TV documentary. Since we were in the middle of something, I let it go to the answering machine. Then I recognized Barry's voice, and lunged to grab the phone and carry it out into the study.
"We've got our first offer," he said.
"Oh," I said, fighting to sound calm and professional. Everything felt completely surreal. Even if it was just a dream, though, I wanted to make sure I was mature and grownup about it all, not like some geeky amateur.
He told me the editor and house. Then he told me how much they were offering as their starting figure and terms.
It was real. It wasn't a dream.
I started giggling hysterically, and I couldn't stop. I was still giggling like a TOTALLY unprofessional madwoman and feeling like I was going to pass out from sheer shock when I hung up the phone five minutes later. I went back into the living room where my husband was waiting expectantly.
"They want to publish my book," I told him.
He stared at me. I stared back. We started laughing together, in pure disbelief and astonishment.
Sometimes I still can't believe it really happened.
But it's still pure magic.
***
What about you guys? What are your "Call" stories?