But here it is: My "I Got an Agent Story".
Yep, it happened. And when it finally happened, it happened fast.
Let's go back. I started querying my first MG book in April of 2011. I received many requests and lots of great feedback, but ultimately, it wasn't the right time for that book.
I began my second MG book in June 2011 and started querying it in January 2012. This book was "the one" - I was sure of it. I had a ton of instant interest including an offer at a small pub and a revisions request from an AMAZING agent. I turned down the small pub and set my sights on the agent. Guess what. The agent rejected me. I was devastated.
But I kept on querying it.
In the meantime, I wrote a contemporary adult romance for fun. It was a breeze. I wrote it in less than three months and enjoyed every minute of it. My goal with this book was to go straight to small publishers. In August, I entered several pitch contests at Savvy Authors and won a bunch of them! So off I sent my book with fingers crossed.
Then it occurred to me: Maybe I should try to query some agents with my romance, just to see. So I picked a handful and sent them out. One of my queries went to Bob Diforio of D4EO Literary Agency. He states that he really only likes queries from referrals, but I've had great responses from Kristin Miller on my two MGs and have DREAMED of working with this agency, so I sent a query anyway.
On the same night of my query, Bob asked for the full. The next morning he offered.
I'm not kidding. It was that fast.
He offered by email. I just happened to read the email before I left to work. Yeah, I was late. I seriously was shocked. I was expecting a phone call and nervousness and the whole feeling each other out, but he OFFERED by email, complete with a contract attached. He said I could call him that afternoon, if I wanted. I did want. I called and got his voicemail so I left a message.
He called me back within fifteen minutes. I had a list of questions and only managed to get through a few of them - I was so nervous. I had one other full out for my romance and a handful for my MG book and I knew the polite thing was to give them notice. But I realized that if any of those agents offered me representation, I would turn them down because D4EO was already the agency I wanted.
Bob sealed it for me when he said he and his team would rep my MG books as well. I said yes and have been on Cloud 9 ever since.
And I'm already on submission! (That means Bob's already submitted my book to several publishing houses - places so amazing I've never even dreamed of having a book with them.)
Shortly after Bob offered, I received an offer from one of the pubs I'd pitched to. I can't explain how great it felt to be able to send the offer on to MY AGENT.
Do you want to hear the funniest/most embarrassing part of my agent story? When Bob sent me the email saying he was offering, I immediately forwarded it to one of my Critique Partners saying, "Do you know Bob Diforio? Of D4EO Literary Agency? He offered!"
Problem is, I didn't actually hit forward. I hit reply.
Yep. Bob got that email. He responded with, "Yes, I know Bob Diforio. I am him." He told me it was the funniest thing he'd seen in a very long time. I was a dork and he still wanted to sign me. How could he not be the perfect agent?
Anyway, that's the scoop. Hopefully I can get my head back into the blogging world now that I'm not consumed with querying. I've been lackadaisical and I've missed you!
