I realized this morning when I woke up that today is the one year anniversary of The Call. One year ago today, at 7:27 AM, my lovely editor called to buy Spanish Magnate, Red-Hot Revenge and one other book from me. In February, my second book was accepted, and then my editor called to buy three more books. She also recently called to buy a novella.
It's been quite a road since that day one year ago! I can remember the excitement, the heart-pounding inability to concentrate on anything other than the fact I'd just sold a book. It was an amazing day! Best of all, my poor patient long-suffering husband was at home when I got the call. Five more minutes, and he'd have been out the door on the way to work. But he was here, and I didn't have to scramble around trying to find him so I could tell him. You know how you always read call stories where someone was at home alone, and then she couldn't get her husband or any of her family on the phone?
Thankfully, that wasn't me. 🙂 I can't remember the order in which I called people after. I may have called my mom, and then my dad at work. And my in-laws. After that, it's a blur. My hubby had to trot off to work, and later that day, he had to leave town on a business trip. I remember that my celebratory dinner that evening was a Lean Cuisine pizza and a glass of wine. But when my hubby returned at the end of the week, we went out for a proper celebration! And of course he brought me flowers and a card before he left for that trip.
It was a great day.
One year later, I'm hard at work on Book #4, which is due in a little over a week, and thinking about the novella I have to write next. It's been fun, busy, stressful at times, but I wouldn't trade this job for anything.
Most of all, I want to thank my readers for all the wonderful comments and emails you've sent to me over the last year. Your support when my book came out meant so much to me. I hope you enjoyed it, and I hope you'll enjoy the next one. You landed me on the Waldenbooks/Borders Bestseller list and on the Bookscan Top 100 Bestselling Romances list. I thank you all very much. I write because I love it, but I also write because I hope you will love it.
Now, because I feel so celebratory today, I'm going to give away a copy of Cavelli's Lost Heir to one lucky commenter! You'll have to be a little patient, however, because I don't have my copies just yet. I expect them soon, and when I get them, I'll pop it in the mail.
So tell me what you've celebrated recently, or what you will celebrate soon! Any milestone or event counts.
PS You will have noticed I have a new Contest page on this site. Stay tuned for a new contest soon….
Happy Anniversary Lynn! (raises a glass of cyber champagne) May you have many, many more years of success and here’s to the Silver Anniversary. Take care. Caroline x
Thank you, Caroline! 🙂
happy anniversary! i would love to be entered in a drawing for your upcoming release!!
Thanks, Meaghan! Consider yourself entered! 🙂
Happy Anniversary! (Or birthday, since it does mark the birth of a new career!)
I was at Disney when Lynn got the Call. I just knew it was coming, though, and hated I’d miss being there. When the text came through, all I had to see was that it was from Lynn and I knew! We did go celebrate after I got back, though.
Here’s to many more years of fabulous news and fabulous books!
That was a crazy weekend, wasn’t it? As I took you to the airport, you kept telling me it was going to be The Call and not a rejection. 🙂
Hi Lynn,
Happy Anniversary, Lynn. Your journey is very inspiring.
Hubby and I are in the process of buying a house, our first one, and we’re both celebrating 🙂 and also freaking out about the amount of stuff we still have to pack. 😥
Can’t wait to read Cavelli’s Lost Heir.
Sri.
Thanks, Sri! And huge mega congrats on your first home! Oh my gosh, it’s so fun to get your first house, to think about all the decorating you want to do, how you’ll have people over for dinner, etc. Hugs on the packing though. I do hate that part!
But it’ll soon be behind you and you’ll be enjoying your house. 🙂
Congrats Lynn!! I loved the book. I was fortunate to get an advanced copy of it and I couldn’t put it down. Would love an advaced copy of the next one.
I am getting ready to celebrate closing on our new house. We close on Oct 23rd. 16 more days. I can’t wait!!!!
Thanks, Heather! Wow, you’re buying a house too? You and Sri can be excited together! Yay, it’s so much fun getting a new house!
And thanks for all the lovely words about SMRHR. 🙂
Congrats on a FAB-U-LOUS year Lynn! And thanks for always being so generous with your knowledge to us wannabees!!!
Hi, Rachael! Thank you for the congrats! And you won’t always be a wannabe, I’m certain. 🙂 Then it’ll be your turn to share your knowledge!
Congrats, Lynn! Wow, a year already? And, how many books have you got coming into the pike? You totally rock!!!
Kudos to you, babe. 😎
Hey, Kathy! Um, I’ve sold 5. Plus a novella. 🙂
That’s what I’m talkin’ about!! You rock! 😀
Happy Anniversary Lynn and thanks for all you have shared with us on the Presents website. Sorry I am posting a bit late but I hope you had a fun day yesterday.
You aren’t late, Fatima! Thank you so much. 🙂
Lynn, I forgot the time difference. It’s already the 7th here in New Zealand(late afternoon).
Congratulations! I’ve been following your blog for a few months, but this is my first post 🙂
I recently celebrated finishing my first book – after two years of faffing around – it’s done! Currently I’m waiting anxiously to hear back from HMB on a full request, but rejection/revisions/or call (ha! I can dream 🙂 ), the buzz of typing the last word of my book was well and truly worth celebrating.
Hi, Leah! Well, awesome that you finished your book!!! You are so right — typing The End the first time is a celebratory moment. You have just proven that you have what it takes to finish, that you have done what a majority of people who want to write have never done and may never do. You FINISHED a book.
Congratulations to you! And thanks so much for popping out of lurk. I’m glad you’re here. 🙂
And of course best of luck with HMB! I got so excited I forgot to say that part. 😳
Thanks so much for sharing your great story with us. What an exciting year!
Isn’t it wonderful to think about what great opportunties the coming year will bring you.
I am so happy and proud for you.
You are truly an inspiration to me.
Aw, Stephanie! I think you’re pretty cool yourself, you know! You liven up any room with your smile. 🙂
Congratulations, Lynn! It’s been inspiring observing your journey from Harlequin comp winner to published author. SMRHR was fantastic, and really sets the bar high for aspiring authors. I’ve also loved your writing tips.
I’ll be celebrating my 4th year wedding anniversary in November. Hopefully, this anniversary won’t be a disaster like the last three!
Looking forward to your new release 🙂
Hi, Angie! Thanks so much for the lovely comments about SMRHR — and a big congrats on that 4th wedding anniversary!!! I sure do hope it’s not a disaster too! (Makes one wonder what kind of disasters you’ve had in the past — but you don’t have to tell, LOL!)
Hi Lynn
Congrats! Just had a mini celebration because I’ve been asked to submit my full ms. What a thrill that was so I can just imagine what The Call must’ve been like for you.
Hi, Janet! Oh that is exciting! A full request — yay! Good luck and congrats!
cograts sis!!!
Many more to come. still wanna bouce an idea off of you for a future work.
I better get a copy of this one
Hey, dude! I’m working hard to keep ’em coming. 🙂 Thanks!
(If your idea isn’t a romance, not sure I can help, btw! I don’t know much about other genres….)
Hi Lynn,
Congratulations. One year, gee that time has flown.
My last big celebration was our lst year wedding anniversary. We married in Hawaii, south of Waikiki Beach in May. It was the perfect romantic wedding. The people, the wedding video and photographs are absolutely wonderfull.
It was a stunning morning, blue skies and reflective calm seas. Idylic atmosphere for a wedding…To die for. 🙂
Although I’m seeking to be published by Harlequin, perhaps in the near future I can share my call story. Here’s hoping. 🙂
I can’t wait to read your next novel either, as The Spanish Magnate was divine.
Thanks once again for sharing your call story, and many articles along the way.
Suzanne 🙂
Oh, Suzanne! You’ve made me homesick for the islands. I lived in Hawaii for 3 years. I can perfectly picture everything you’ve said! I’ve spent many a day walking in Waikiki.
Congrats on your anniversary, and good luck with that call story of your own!
Wow, that is one fantastic year Lynn, congratulations.
I want to say thanks for all the helpful tips you have given on your blog – it has helped with my comp entry immensely!
I’ve just celebrated my baby’s 2nd birthday and man it has flown so fast – she is a really little lady now, temper and all 😆
Hi, Kerrin! Wow, congrats on the baby’s 2nd year! They do grow fast, don’t they? I remember when a dear friend was pregnant with her first — and now the kid is 8 yrs old!
You’re welcome for all the tips and advice. 🙂
Hey there Lynn
Congrats on an exciting year! You’ve done such a great job on your blog.
We’re celebrating my girls first performance doing Thai traditional dancing. The girls 9 & 6 were probably scared spitless on stage in front of the huge crowd at our local Thai food festival. My 6 year old had that deer in the headlights look but they did they little dance and we’re so proud.
Hi, Gibb! Oh that Thai festival sounds lovely! I love Thai food. We have a good Thai restaurant in town, but the one thing they don’t make that I really, really want is papaya salad! I had a Thai neighbor in Hawaii who used to make it fresh and bring me a big bowl all the time. She even showed me how to do it, but I’ve never tried it. I should!
So glad the kids made it through. And I can perfectly picture that deer in the headlights look you mentioned. 🙂 Thanks for the congrats!
That’s funny – actually they did the “som thum” dance which in translation means papaya salad. If you’re ever in Orlando, come by our restaurant for some fresh papaya salad – fresh and spicy!
I will definitely come by if I’m in Orlando! Which is not impossible, because my inlaws live about 2 hours north of there. 🙂
One of these days, I’m digging out that recipe my neighbor gave me. I remember she used to get these really gigantic papayas at the market in Chinatown. Then she grated them. There were long beans, tomatoes, peanuts, lime, fish sauce, and probably a bunch of other stuff I can’t remember. Oh yum, I’m salivating now! 🙂
😯 Congratulations on the very special anniversary Lynn – has it really only been a year? I feel as if you’ve been in the Presents ‘family’ for ever. I was goign to say that one of the things I’d celebrate from this year was meeting you – but the I remembered I met you in 2008 so that don’t count. OK then, I’ll give you a little preview of what I have coming up in December – when I will be celebrating the 25th anniversary of the publication of my very first book 🙂 😯 I was a child author, really I was! 😉
I have some special celebrations that hoepfully will take me into my 26th year as a published author so that should be fun. But first I have this dreadline . . .
Congratulations again
Kate
Hi, Kate! I know, can you believe it’s been a year!? It does seem longer, but maybe that’s because I was an “almost” author for a while first (after I won the contest). LOL!
Twenty-five years? Wow, that’s amazing, and of course you were a child author! I can’t wait to see what you have planned for your celebrations!
I’m very happy for you. You deserve it!!
Thanks, Christine!