Real Writer

I've been thinking lately I should really post, but I've been stumped about what to write about. I'm in research mode for my newest WIP, and I'm so bored with that process, I can't imagine sharing (after this no more historical novels). And then, out of the blue a blog topic lands in my lap.

My very first request for my full manuscript from an agent ::sound trumpets::

I'm so excited I could sing. I had to read it three times before I believed it was real. All I could think was, "We read the material with great interest." That doesn't sound like a form rejection at all.

I squealed. I danced. I jumped up and down. I thanked God.

I know it's a tiny step, and authors usually get many requests before they get an agent and it takes time after getting an agent before a publisher gets interested, and time after that before the book gets a contract, and time after that before it's actually published. But today, on this step in my journey, I am giddy.

I thought finishing my book made me feel like a real writer. And then I thought getting my first rejection from a query made me feel like a real writer. But this. This feels spectacular. This is a real person who is a professional and makes their money by selling books and they read my query and the first two chapters of my book, and now they want to read the whole thing. This makes me feel like a real writer.