Friday, January 9, 2009

I'm Officially Official!!!

We interrupt our normal broadcast of The Dark Divine Play-list/Soundtrack to bring you a very special announcement . . .

Actually, before the announcement, I would like to direct your attention to the header of my blog. It used to say, "Yep, I'm an aspiring YA author (status pending)." But if you look at it closely, you will notice a couple of small changes that make a huge difference--as in, the "aspiring" part has been removed . . .and the status is no longer pending. Do you see it? Do you? Huh? Huh?

Okay, just in case I'm being too subtle for anyone out there, I'll just go ahead and say it:

I SOLD MY BOOK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I'M A REAL AUTHOR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
A PUBLISHED AUTHOR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Can you believe it?

I almost can. It's almost sunk in. I've almost convinced myself that I'm not asleep and having the most amazing dream ever.

And not only did they buy my book, they bought a second one from me. One I haven't even written yet! How freaking cool is that?

They like me! They really like me!!

Dude, all I can say is that Agent Ted seriously rocks the casbah! (Which is the term we use in our house for the highest form of praise.)

In fact, I think we should all have a moment of silence in honor of Agent Ted's awesomeness. Starting right now . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Okay, that's enough. We don't want Ted to get a big head.

So how did it all go down, you ask? Well I'll tell you.

1. I got an agent. (To read about how that went down, click here)

2. Agent Ted had me do revisions for about a month (for more on this, click here)

3. Agent Ted gave the manuscript the green light and sent it out on submissions. He also banned me from talking about the submissions process on my blog . . .so, sorry I haven't been a fount of juicy tidbits lately.

4. One month later, on December 18th (which has been an extremely important date in my life for the last 6 years, so the fact that this phone call came on this day is the absolute most perfect form of karma ever--and if you don't know the significance of this date to me, then click here) Ted called me out of the blue--and I didn't answer. Seriously, I thought he was a telemarketer so I let one of the most important calls of my life go to voicemail. To be fair, he was calling from a totally different phone number than usual (with a totally different area code). So anyway, when I listened to my voicemail a few minutes later and heard Ted's voice telling me to call him back right away . . .I completely freaked out and almost lost all ability to press the little digit buttons on my phone.

Ted answered but he was on the subway so it was kind of hard to hear him when he said in an oh so somber voice, "Oh, hey, so I called you because I have some really bad news."

Right then my stomach attempted to fold itself inside out. No joke. And I was like, "What?" And my mind was racing, trying to think of what could possibly be so bad that he would have to call me in person instead of email (our normal form of communication). Did he decide to drop me as his client because he realized that my manuscript was unsellable? Did someone accuse me of lifting ten whole pages from someone else 's novel and inserting them into mine? (Not that anyone would ever actually do that.) Did he decide that his true calling in life was to be a go-go dancer so he's dumping all of his clients and moving to Las Vegas?

So then Ted says, all serious, (did I ever mention that he's also an actor) "Are you ready for this? Because the reason I called is to tell you that I can no longer call you one of my. . ."

Me: Crap, crap, crap! He is dropping me as his client.

Ted: " . . .unpublished authors!"

Me: "You big dork!!"

Okay, so that's not what I actually said. I was more like, "Seriously?!"

And then Ted went on to tell me about this really awesome offer that we had just received from Regina Griffin from Egmont USA, while I tried really really hard to stay all calm and professional and not start screaming like a 13-year-old-Jonas-Brothers-fan.

5. (Yeah, cause remember this was a list way back up there) Ted told me that the offer was good, but that there was still more negotiating to do, so I'd have to sit tight over the holidays. (Because the entire publishing industry shuts down from the week before Christmas until after the new year.) Oh yeah, and he told me I wasn't allowed to tell anyone (other than close friends and family) and especially no blogging!

6. I tried to stay sane over the holidays. Tried not to blurt out the news to every friend I saw at every party. Tried not to check my email every 5 seconds just in case something new developed on Christmas Eve. Tried not to have nightmares that all of New York City had imploded over night, sucking Agent Ted and Egmont publishing into the center of the earth--therefore rendering the publishing offer null and void. And even tried out how it would sound to introduce myself as an author on a couple of random strangers.

7. Negotiations reconvened on Jan 5th--and Ted called me again on the 7th with an even better offer from Egmont. He told me to "sleep on it" and contact him in the morning.

8. Attempted to "sleep on it," but no actual sleeping happened.

9. Emailed Ted with my answer at 5:00am and went back to bed. (Actually slept for about two hours until I got up and started an all-day vigil in front of the computer, waiting for Ted's latest update.)

10. Realized my back was killing me, so I decided to pull myself away from the computer in order to go to my chiropractor appointment. Arrived home an hour and a half later and discovered that I had forgotten my phone--and had missed a call, and an email from Ted, saying I needed to call him back asap.

11. After a lengthy game of phone-tag, Ted and I touched bases at 7:00 pm New York time--when it was now too late to finalize things with Regina.

12. Had another sleepless night, and an all day computer vigil (even checked the news a couple of times to make sure NYC hadn't imploded) until I got the email from Ted saying that everything was official--and that I was finally allowed to tell the world.

13. I started calling, emailing, and blogging in order to let everyone I've ever met know that I am officially a published author!!!

So anyway, thanks for sticking with me through this LONG post. But you can't rush a girl who has been waiting 9 years to tell this kind of news. I am basking. I am glowing. I'm so happy, I just might puke. . . or that might be from the fact that I ate my weight in Massaman curry at our celebration dinner. Mmmm . . .

Anyway, here are the details I'm able to share at the moment:

I have a two book deal (the second book still to be determined--it might be a sequel) with Egmont-USA (who is the brand new US branch of the European powerhouse publisher Egmont-UK) and my editor is the amazing Regina Griffin (who has edited many YA greats including Walter Dean Myers and Cynthia Voigt). If you would like to learn more about Egmont-USA, their publisher, staff, and forthcoming books, click here.

More details to come (I promise). And for those of you who came here looking for a new song from the play-list, I'll double post songs tomorrow.

And THANK YOU to everyone who has helped me get to this wonderful day: Agent Ted, Editor Regina, my writer peeps, my parents, my siblings, my many teachers and mentors, my kids (for being patient--and yes, now we can go to Disneyland), and most especially my super freaking awesome husband (who puts up with all my neurosis, and is my #1 cheerleader).

34 comments:

Sam said...

Let me be the first to congratulate you on your new status! Woot!!!!! Doing a little (no, make that huge!) dance of joy for you.

I knew you'd do it - I can't wait to get my copy autographed.

Casey said...

You are awesome Bree! I feel honored to have grown up with you in the hood! Writing is tough--way to go! And since all I read is YA fiction, being a 6th grade teacher of wanna-be young adults, I'll be sure to buy your book!

Story Telling Analytics said...

Way to go Bree!! I've only met you a couple of times but I'm a friend of Bricks and I've been rooting for you through him! So happy to hear that you accomplished your goal! Congratulations!!

GuiGuru said...

Bree, I'm so proud of you. Nevermind the fact that we haven't spoken since high school. Congrats on sticking with a goal and achieving it.

Michelle said...

I honestly cried when I read this. So stinkin' proud of you Bree. Mostly I am proud of you for sticking to it and accomplishing your goal. You are my hero!

Brent says Congratulations and isn't surprised that someone would want to publish someone named Bree Despain!

Matthew J. Kirby said...

Wow! Congratulations, Bree. That is amazing for you.

Alyosha said...

YAY!!!! I'm so excited for you! You totally deserve it and I can't wait to tell everyone I knew you back before you were rich and famous!

Sarah Blake Johnson said...

Congratulations!
Double congratulations.

Are you going to let Martine know, or do I have permission to tell her?
I'm in Vermont, and my residency starts up next week; I'll see her on Monday.

I'm super excited for you! :)
So awesome.

gaylene said...

I can't wait to buy that book...you have to promise to autograph it for me :) I think I'll tell the world on my facebook page!!! Congrats...

Bree Biesinger Despain said...

Thanks everyone!!!

Sarah, please tell Martine! The email addy I have for her no longer works. And you must dish to us some time about Vermont.

suavefaire said...

Wow! Congratulations Bree. I guess I never really doubted this would happen, but it's awesome that it finally did. I can't wait to read it (and see the eventual movie). I'm really happy for you.

Sydney Salter said...

AWESOME!!!!! Congratulations--I'm so very, very happy for you.

Yay!!!!

Anonymous said...

Congratulations! I'm totally jealous of you.

Rachie said...

YAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAY! I'm so happy for you!

Heather said...

Breezy, CONGRATULATIONS! This is over the top exciting. I am so proud of you. Is this the best pre-birthday present you've ever got, or what? I am pretty excited that I will be able to read your novel now. Will you sign it for me? Pretty please? :)

Sarah said...

I am SOOO excited for you. I know you don't know me that well, but I'm almost crying in excitement for you. Congratulations, that is so great!

JGEM said...

I was hoping when you said you were busy that this was why. Congratulations! You still have to hang out with us beginners though! Really though: GOOD FOR YOU!!!

Kim Woodruff said...

Woohoo! Finally! I was beginning to doubt the ability of the publishing industry to recognize a best seller when they saw one. You totally deserve this. This is so awesome.

brickhouse79 said...

I must also add my public declaration of congratulations! I've been lucky enough to witness this process first hand with Bree and its definitely been a roller coaster. But that really makes it all the more inspiring. She worked her tail off and in the end her determination and talent won the day. Woohooo!

I LOVE YOU!!!!!! :D

Mrs. O said...

Well, I did come here right after we chatted last night, but my comment got eaten by the nets. Congratulations! What absolutely fantastic news! I can't wait to read them both.

Matthew J. Kirby said...

Congratulations, Bree. That is an amazing accomplishment. You'll have to let us all know the minute we can run out and buy a copy.

Brodi Ashton said...

Bree, you rock! I can't wait to read it!

Christina Farley said...

Huge Congrats! Wow! What a story!

Anonymous said...

That is way cool, Bree. Sounds like you've already got a huge following. We'll all want to read you books, so keep us posted on developments. How fun. I wish I could do something like that. Keep up the great writing.

Kelly Polark said...

Congrats, Bree! I read about your good news on the blueboards! What a fabulous way to start the new year!

Tai said...

Big congrats. Now you have to let us read it. In fact you can't stop us.

Anonymous said...

Congratulations Bree! After all the stress and hard work, you deserve all the best. And just based on this blog, I know your book's going to be a best seller--you are SO talented! I, too, will be expecting an autograph on your first edition. Who hoo!

Jackie Johnson said...

That is SO exciting Bree! I am also a friend of Brick's and have been following your process on this blog - it is so exciting and motivating to see someone's life-long pursuit come to life! Don't stop celebrating; you will never get back this moment in time. :)

alisalynne said...

congratulations! i'm super excited to read it so you have to keep us all posted on the progress.

Angie Frazier said...

Popping over from Verla's to say congrats again! I feel your love for Ted--he's my agent too and is so awesome! Can't wait to hear more about your book!

Bree Biesinger Despain said...

You guys are all so great! Thanks for the support and encouragement. I can't wait for the day I can invite you all to my first signing so I can give you each a hug!

Bree Biesinger Despain said...

Thanks, Angie! I'm DYING to read your book. It sounds so good from the way Ted talks it up.

Kimbra Kasch said...

So fun to hear the whole story. Congrats!

morelightthanburden said...

Steve told us of your great victory!! Hurrah and MANY congratulations! Can't wait to see and read!