My First Sale by Jordan Dane, You Need an Angel (but not Sharon, she’s mine)
Jordan Dane is a debut author whose first book is out on March 25. This is no ordinary debut, however, because Avon has decided to give Dane the back to back to back release treatment. March 25th is the first of Dane’s gritty three 2008 romantic suspense releases. It only took her 33+ contests in less than three years to get to this position. It was a walk in the park, really. Actually it was not so read on!
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I sacrificed a body part to write my debut novel – No One Heard Her Scream. Now that’s commitment. I suspect there are more than a few unpublished authors out there who by now are looking down at their own bodies and wondering what they could do without. Anything for the cause–but let me explain.
While recovering from major surgery, I wrote No One Heard Her Scream in six weeks during a medical leave from my day job. The best remedy for the body is to fill it with passion and I did that. I kept insane hours and my body pumped full of adrenaline instead of pain meds. I wrote and edited up until the afternoon of the day prior to my return to work. Since the start of my journey toward publication in 2003, I had completed my fourth manuscript (my second suspense plot after my Golden Heart finalist entry Crossing the Line, now entitled No One Left to Tell).
When I was done, I was so excited. The complex storyline fit together, I loved the pace and the characters gave me a rush of guilt for all I had done to them in the pages of my book. They made me cry. That’s when I should have taken the pain meds, but instead, I contacted my local RWA chapter (the Oklahoma Outlaws) and picked out a prize from our Finish The Book Incentives. Of all the rewards listed (from partial editor and agent critiques), I picked the only one promising a full read of a suspense manuscript. Best selling author Sharon Sala offers every year to read a full manuscript for her chapter and I took her up on that generous offer. I went back to work in a state of euphoria. (No, not from the drugs.) The natural high of accomplishing my goal to finish this book had me walking on clouds, despite being back at work.
Pretty soon thereafter, Sharon called me on the phone one Sunday afternoon and the first thing out of her mouth was, “Honey, where do you have this?”
She was breathless. I’ll never forget those words and the sound of her voice. My heart was hammering and I got teary. I’ll admit it. I told her I thought this was agent material, but I hadn’t submitted it anywhere. Well, she got busy and sent emails and later she made personal phone calls to her editor and her agent Meredith Bernstein. And she had me rushing to get my fulls out to both of them. She had read my full story in one sitting, unable to put it down. And she floored me when she said, “I wish I had written this.” This coming from someone I admired so much–as an author AND as a person. I KNOW I was crying then.
Sharon started a whirlwind that day. And in the state of Oklahoma, we know about high winds and tornadoes. The book, along with two others, sold in auction with the help of my brilliant literary agent Meredith Bernstein. The 10-day long process was AMAZING. Perhaps if I had known dismemberment was the answer, I might’ve made a donation sooner. (Thank God I never had time to contemplate that macabre perspective.)
With back to back releases, my first series will be coming out with Avon HarperCollins in 2008-No One Heard Her Scream in April, No One Left to Tell in May, and No One Lives Forever in June. I’m a firm believer angels walk the earth because I met one. Her name is Sharon.
Jordan Dane – www.jordandane.com
http://www.myspace.com/jordandanebooks
- No One Heard Her Scream – Avon/HarperCollins – Apr 2008
- No One Left to Tell – Avon/HarperCollins – May 2008
- No One Lives Forever – Avon/HarperCollins – Jun 2008
LOVE this story. Thanks for sharing!
I love discovering how an author first sold. Jordan certain has an interesting story. Thanks for sharing.
Congratulations on your new releases. I’ve jotted down the titles and dates, I plan on picking all the books up.
That was just awesome. :)
Thanks for your comments and for the post Jane. With the first of my books coming out in a matter of days, it is exciting yet I’m more than a little nervous. My books have been getting great reviews, but you know how it is when you release your baby to the world.
I’ll be popping in and out of here today if anyone has a question. And thanks so much for reading my story. Sharon Sala is a friend, mentor, but more importantly, she’s an amazing human being.
That’s an awesome first sale story. :) Congrats!
Jordan, I can’t tell you how excited I am for you, and already have all three books on preorder!
Sharon loved helping me so much, she offered to read the manuscripts for anyone in our chapter who submitted to her. And another chaptermate, author Georgina Gentry, also got involved with anyone having an historical manuscript to read.
It took Sharon months to get through them all, in between her writing obligations and her life, but in the end she got three more authors representation from agents. And we are anxiously waiting to see if these authors can make that next leap into a sale.
But it all starts with getting your work in front of the right set of eyeballs.
Jill—you big sweetie!!! Thanks for saying HI. And I’m still laughing at that interview video you did with Gena Showalter. I’m hoping you have time to fit me into your interview schedule. (NOT!)
Actually Jordan, I’ve already written the script and was going to talk to you about it this weekend : )
I think I might be washing my hair…or something.
Seriously, that video with you and Gena could go viral. And on Youtube, that’s a good thing, not requiring antibiotics or Penicillin.
What a great story! Congrats on the auction, the sales, and the back-to-back releases. This is the stuff dreams are made of. You’re obviously one to watch!
Jordan, beautiful story! No more proof is needed that Outlaws rule–especially Sharon.
Can’t wait for the books. Wahoo!
Thanks, Jill S. Writing has been a lifelong dream of mine, but I never thought I could make a living at it. LOL
And now that it is so close to my first release, it’s a little unnerving but a really good feeling. I’m writing full time (retiring from my old day job in the energy industry) and living a dream I never thought would be possible.
Hey Chris–So glad to see you in cyberspace this morning. Yeah, I kind of LOVVVEEEE the Outlaws. I’ve never met a more supportive group of women. And now our one token guy. And I really attribute my learning the craft from the OK RWA. Our chapter and RWA national really give new writers a great resource to learn the craft of writing.
BTW Everyone–Here is a link where you can read up to 20% of my book. I’m having a contest on my website. http://www.jordandane.com/contest.php HarperCollins is really supporting my launch with this great offer.
And for new authors, I’ve got a number of articles on my website under my FOR WRITERS page that I hope you’ll find helpful.
http://www.jordandane.com/writers.php
Sharon’s latest book THE HEALER is getting a lot of good reviews and talk on the blogs. I’ve got it ordered. Some of the story takes place in Alaska where I used to live (10 years). And it sounds really great. Can’t wait to read it.
What a heartwarming story! Thanks for sharing it with us.
Congratulations Jordan! Loved reading about how you achieved the goal of getting published.
That Sharon Sala is one smart cookie :) . . . congratulations! I’ve already pre-ordered two copies from Amazon.
What an awesome story, Jordan! Thanks for sharing. (And I’m completely jealous that you know Sharon Sala!)
Allison–You are someone I consider a very generous mentor, girl. And you keep getting better and better as an author, with no end in sight. Your books have kept me up at night on more than one occasion. I HEART you.
And I can’t wait to do our panel at RWA nationals on the bad boys and naughty girls of the thriller genre. That is going to be too much fun if there is such a thing.
And sweet Nalini–Congrats on your NYT bestseller status. Sharon would love to meet you one day too.
Thanks for popping in, you two.