2009 Debutantes

First of all, I want to thank the effervescent (and I mean lively, not fizzy) Saundra Mitchell for steering me here and encouraging me to throw my hat in the ring.  And yes, I realize that it’s not a contest, but you know what I mean!  I’ve actually been stalking, ehem, following your blog for quite a while now and I have to say that you guys are just awesome.  Awe-some!  I am so happy to be joining you here!

 

So, how am I eligible, you might ask?  Well, my first novel, The Body Finder, a YA paranormal thriller, is scheduled to be released by HarperCollins on September 2^nd of this year.  Wow, it seems so weird to say “this year”.  Time goes by so quickly!  Well, yes and no.  It also feels like freakin’ FOREVER…but I’m sure you know what I mean.

 

As for me, I live in the Seattle area with my husband and three kids.  The Body Finder is my first novel to be published, but not the first book that I’ve written.  I had an agent when I was in my twenties for a horror novel that I’d written (during my all-things-Stephen-King phase), but it never found a publishing home.  My second novel, part of my two-book deal, will be released in 2010, and will be a follow-up to The Body Finder.

 

HI! Thank you so much for allowing me to join your group. I was encouraged by Mandy Hubbard to check this site out and I'm so glad she steered me here. Everyone seems so enthusiastic and helpful and it will be a privilege to be a part of this community.

I live in the north Georgia mountains about an hour north of Atlanta. I'm an optometrist, although currently staying home with my son, Sam (4) and daughter, Izzie (7 months).  I love to read - any and all kinds of books - and I also like to listen to books on audio while I'm out pushing the stroller.  For someone who is trained in the sciences and medicine, I have a bit of a creative side, or as my husband says, a vat of melodrama.  I have always tried to nuture the creatiity in me through painting classes and craft groups  but I always kept coming back to the idea of how I love books and stories and secretly wished I could write one of my own.  Finally, I just Idecided to give it a try.  This was a bit of an overwhelming challenge in that I had no education or experience in creative writing.  None the less, I sat down and slowly started to piece together a story.  It took awhile for me to find the discipline (because you all know how hard it is to get the words down!) but once I established a routine the book took shape.  In a crazy way I really liked the querying aspect of the business. All the research I put into finding the right agent - I think that suited my analytical side - and all my research suited me well in that I found an agent that is so perfect for me - personable, nuturing and invested.

I've begun working on my second novel, adult chick lit.  As with all things in life, the second time around seems so much easier.  This book seems much easier to write.  Maybe it's just gaining some confidence after selling the first.

I look forward to getting involved in this community, developing relationships with other debut authors and help giving and receiving advice from all!

 

hi everyone! thank you so much for the warm welcome
already! i don't usually use livejournal so i apologize in advance
for any mistakes i will make. ha! i can't wait to poke around
more and get to know everyone and his/her books!
and thank you to aprilynne for inviting me! =DD

this is my cover which some of you have seen.
i'm stil floored by it. seeing the cover for the first time
must be one of the best moments for us debut authors!
the model is just as i imagined my heroine.

some basics : i'm a stay at home mom with a sweet pea
(girl, 5) and a munchkin (boy, 3.5). my hub is english and
we'll be headed out there for the holidays--we try to go once
a year at least. thank goodness the dollar is stronger as i paid
$2.09 for an english pound last year! OUCH!

as for SILVER PHOENIX, i got my first copyedits in
last week and we're working on galleys now.
i'm currently writing my sequel (oh, rough
drafting is like pulling teeth for me!!) and will
be working on my dummy (for picture book) soon!
i love my editor and greenwillow books!
time for me to surf happily among the feast of awesomeness
now! =)

watchmebe suggested we new people introduce ourselves...

Me: Erin Dionne, aka bostonerin

My first novel, a MG, is being published by Penguin/Putnam's Dial Books for Young Readers in spring 2009. The title will either be MODELS DON'T EAT COOKIES or MODELS DON'T EAT CHOCOLATE COOKIES. It's the story of how Celeste Harris, overweight eighth grader, becomes an unwilling contestant in the Miss HuskyPeach plus-sized teen beauty pageant. Tired of being a loser, but afraid to win, she decides to sabotage her chances--in between fittings for the Peach Monstrosity bridesmaid dress that she has to wear in her cousin's wedding, dealing with school bully Lively Carson, and losing her best friend.

MODELS began as a short story several years ago and grew into a novel. It's actually the second MG I've written--let's hope the first one never sees the light of day. Penguin also purchased a second book, which I'm currently working on/struggling with.

Like many of us, publishing has been a dream of mine since I was in first grade. This whole process has been exhilarating, surreal, and exciting--and it's barely even started! I'm thrilled to be part of a community where we can pool our collective knowledge and share our stories as we go through these stages together.

Yay!!