Monday, August 13, 2012

Happy news!

It is my absolute delight to announce that I am now represented by Joanna Volpe of New Leaf Literary! Joanna reps some really excellent authors like Veronica Roth, Kody Keplinger, Susan Dennard, and Leigh Bardugo, and I can hardly believe that I get to work with her!

For those of you interested in how this came about, the answer is: massive amounts of serendipity. Joanna has actually been closed to submissions for a while now--you may have heard how she recently opened her new agency? But back in May she offered a full manuscript critique by random drawing to anyone who pre-ordered a copy of Leigh Bardugo's SHADOW AND BONE from Books of Wonder in NYC. I was all, Hey, a fabulous signed book and a chance at a great critique? I'll buy a ticket in that lottery! And then holy crap, I won! I won't share the chat I had with my CP Liz when I got this news, because it's about 85% shocked profanity. I was so thrilled.

Like most (all?) writers, I am a daydreamer. I imagined how cool it would be if she read my book and loved it. I didn't realistically expect this to happen--it wasn't like she'd requested material from me, you know, on purpose. So when I got her email asking if we could set up a phone call, I told myself, Don't get your hopes up, lady! Maybe she just wants to tell you in person that your story is crazypants!

But instead she told me she loved it, and she offered me representation. And then my head exploded.

I've been busting my tail on the same book for a long time, revising and tweaking until I wanted to club myself unconscious rather than open that doc again. I've learned a ton from the entire process, and I wouldn't even be close to this point if it weren't for all my awesome critique partners. And for SHADOW AND BONE--which, by the way, is an *excellent* book. Buy it, read it, love it!

And Leigh Bardugo, if you ever read this: I think I owe you a drink.

30 comments:

  1. Yay yay yay yay!!! SO exciting! :D :D :D

    (SHADOW AND BONE rocked. Yes, it did.)

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  2. Such a great story - congratulations!!

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  3. Fantastic news!!!! Holy crap! You're right, what serendipity! talk about being at the right place at the right time! So happy for you.

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  4. Aww, congratulations - what a story! I always love How I Got My Agent posts :)

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  5. YAY SO HAPPY AAAGH! Here's my post: http://elizabethbriggs.blogspot.com/2012/08/yay-rachel-aka-ode-to-best-friends.html

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  6. This is such fantastic news! Congrats!!!

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  7. This makes me so happy I just want to SCREAM! Well deserved, Rachel, and I wish you a quick sell, easy edits, and a huge print run in the future. Can't wait to read your book!

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  8. Rachel, I ADORE you... and I couldn't be happier for you!!!!!! I seriously miss you! SCBWI FOREVER!!! <3

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  9. Wow, that is amazing! CONGRATULATIONS!

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  10. This is such a wonderful story!!!! Congrats!!! :D

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  11. I don't even really have the words to explain how happy I am for you! Yayayayayay!

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  12. CONGRATULATIONS!!! That is fantastic news!!

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  13. Congratulations! You will love Jo! She is awesome (I know from personal experience!)

    Welcome to the New Leaf family!

    Shelley

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  14. CONGRATS!!!! That's awesome news! :-D

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  15. Congrats. Also I love that you used crazypants in this post. You and Jo are perfect for each other :)

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  16. Awesomeness times infinity! Now I shall jump over to Jessica's blog and do the dancing banana! Couldn't have happened to a more perfect person!

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  17. Wow! Great news and fantastic story, Rachel!!! Congratulations!

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  18. Very exciting, and what a great agent! You could send an email or a tweet to the author and thank her for the giveaway. I'm sure she'd love to hear your success story.

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  19. Congratulations, Rachel! Such great news!

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  20. Congratulations! I met Jo at a conference and she is SO nice. Quite the dancer too I might add:-)

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  21. WOOOOOOT!!! Love this post, Rachel, how fantastic for you!! :D

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  22. Congratulations, Rachel! So happy for you!!! Joanna's a class act--looking forward to more good news from the both of you in the near future! : )

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  23. So behind the times!! Congratulations!! What fabulous news!!!

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  24. Yay! Congratulations!! That's awesome news.

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  25. I just said this on email, but congrats! Super exciting! Your agent story is really neat. And, I've been meaning to read Shadow and Bone, so glad to hear you recommend it.

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  26. Yay! How fantastic, and what an EXCELLENT group to be a part of! YAY!!! Cant wait to hearall about your journey. :)

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  27. Wow, congratulations! How exciting!

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  28. Congrats! Incredible story of serendipity. I LOVE reading all the different ways writers find agents.

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