Where Were You When…
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Making the New York Times remains one of the landmarks of an author’s career. Enn Bocci, publicist, reached out to a number of authors to ask them where they where when they received the news of this occasion and I thought it would be fun to share these series of stories with you.
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Author Name:
M. Leighton
Book that you FIRST listed with:
The Wild Ones
Who called you?
My agent, Kim Whalen
Where were you?
I was in Atlanta, Georgia, attending the Decatur Book Festival
Were you with alone? with family? in public?
Several author friends of mine and I had gone back to our hotel rooms to change and freshen up before dinner. The weather was hot and humid and we were all a sweaty mess. LOL I’d just brushed out my hair when I got the call from my agent. I remember just sitting there on the end of my bed thinking that no matter what the future held, no matter what else happened in my life, I would forever be a New York Times bestselling author. No one could ever take that away from me. I couldn’t decide whether to laugh or to cry. So I did both. LOL It was positively SURREAL. A few minutes later, my best friend, Courtney came to my room and I told her. Unbeknownst to me, she tweeted it and congratulated me. By the time we got to the bar/restaurant an hour later, everyone we were meeting had already heard. When I walked in, they all applauded me. Perfect strangers congratulated me as I passed their table, shaking my hand and offering me big smiles. My author friends and reader friends alike toasted me with champagne and we drank and celebrated into the wee hours. It was absolutely magical! A night I don’t think I’ll ever, ever forget. Even now, after all this time, when I look back on it, I’m filled with overwhelming gratitude to everyone who has ever picked up one of my books to read. They changed my life in ways I’ll never be able to explain.
M. Leighton
http://www.mleightonbooks.com/
https://www.facebook.com/
https://twitter.com/
Author Name: Monica Murphy
Book that you FIRST listed with: Second Chance Boyfriend
Who called you? My agent & my publicist texted me at around the same time.
Where were you? Driving my daughter to dance class – the song Heart Attack by Demi Lovato was playing on the radio. I thought that was fitting because I felt like I was having a heart attack when I found out.
Were you with alone? with family? in public? I was with my daughter and then I was hanging around dance class but none of those moms knew or cared that I’m a writer! They could give a crap. LOL So I called my husband outside in front of the dance studio and then I called my mom. Because you know, I just became a NYT bestseller and had to squee to someone. Then I went home and made dinner. Because the glamour never ever stops.
Monica Murphy
http://monicamurphyauthor.com/
https://twitter.com/
https://www.facebook.com/
Author Name: Tara Sue Me
Book that you FIRST listed with: The Training
Who called you? My editor, Claire Zion, called. She was actually on her way to the hospital (not for her, to visit someone) and she received the list and called me.
Where were you? I was at home, writing, in the dining room. At the time I didn’t have an office in the house and I did all my writing there.
Were you with alone? with family? in public? I was alone. My husband was at work and the kids were outside. I remember my parents were coming to stay for a few days and I hadn’t yet told them my pen name. BUT I’d made a promise that if I ever made NY Times, I would. So I inscribed a set a books for them and told them everything the next day!
Tara Sue Me
http://tarasueme.com/
https://twitter.com/tarasueme
https://www.facebook.com/
Author Name: Sylvain Reynard
Book that you FIRST listed with: “Gabriel’s Inferno” – May 2012
Who called you? – Nina Bocci, my publicist, emailed me. She sent the details via email and then a link to a screen shot of the list.
I was shocked. I didn’t have access to information about sales on a day to day basis and so I had no idea how well the book was doing.
When Nina emailed me, I was on vacation and sitting at a table in a Mexican restaurant checking my email on my cell phone. Luckily, there was tequila on hand to allow me to process the momentous and surprising information.
I should mention that within a week or so of receiving that email, I heard from two publishers in New York and ultimately went on to sign a three book contract with Berkley, after they acquired the publishing rights to my first two books from my former publisher.
I had no idea as I sat, steeped in tequila and shock, staring at my cellphone that my life was about to change.
Sylvain Reynard
http://sylvainreynard.com/
https://twitter.com/
https://www.facebook.com/
