30 days of books, continued!

So I took the weekend to write and do edits. This is a writer’s life. We kind of live with our characters twenty-four seven. I didn’t get much done. We have a puppy named Bogi and we’ve had him a week. I’m sleepy, hungry, and having a ball. It reminds me of newborns and all the attention they need. He’s a little bundle of energy and is still learning where he should go to the bathroom. He loves sitting by my feet when I work. And yes, that’s a lid behind him. He found it and tries to attack it. He is a tiny plaything. Distracting, yes!

But we have things to do. We are on the downhill run with going down memory lane with Elnora. So in 1995, I sold two books on my birthday. One more to Avalon and one to Leisure. We celebrated at Cracker Barrel and I bought a sunflower throw to mark the occasion. I still have that throw. In 1996, my then agent told me about Love Inspired, a new inspirational line coming from Harlequin. She got me the last editor appointment available at a conference in Texas. I had an idea I’d wanted to write, so I typed up a couple of paragraphs. I was so scared when I went in to pitch, the editor took the paper from my shaking hands and read the blurb. She told me to send her the synopsis and three chapters. I did and they bought the book. That was The Wedding Quilt. My first book for Love Inspired. I couldn’t believe it had happened. I thought after the new editor at Leisure turned down my next book, I’d never sell another manuscript. But God knew. The timing, the pitch, the idea, the story in my head–it all worked out. My book came out in December of 1997, one of the very last of the launch books. I started with one book proposals and sometimes sold from just a paragraph. Then I moved to three book contracts, and several series books that involved families and a love story in each book. Now most of us at LI get multi-book contracts. Because LI builds your career as you go.

I’m not wealthy, but I have made a fair living at this for all these years. Over the last fifteen years, I’ve stay busy because I had a lot of people reaching out to me to write with them or for them. Steady work and challenging at times. But I’m still at it. I’ll never stop writing, but I’m going to slow down a bit…one day! But that’s another story for another time. Next, I’ll tell you about the day I made the NY Times Bestseller list. A favorite memory of mine!

Meantime, I have a lot of books to give away:

Secret Agent Minister goes to Deana Dick

Assignment: Body Guard goes to Sally Jo Pitts.

Lone Star Protector goes to Linda Stringer

Ladies, please PM or email me through my website with your mailing addresses!

Today, I’m giving away these three for days 18, 19, and 20.

Until next time, here’s a summery photo to remind you that dreams do come true. A dream is something you want. A goal is something you need to make that dream a reality. You have to be proactive in your goals, and hopeful in your dreams. That’s how life works. 🙂