I always wondered what it would look like.
The cover to my first book (long-winded sigh).
I can’t believe my dream of publication is finally happening.
This was a long road.
Although, I must make one small reference in my newly-claimed authorship.
I am a with.
I am not the author of The Memory Catcher, I was an assistant to the writer author Sarah Hinze, a.k.a my beautiful mother.
Thus . . . I am a with.
But, I can live with that.
I remember when I was in New York City a few years ago at the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators Winter Conference. Many great authors spoke about their personal road to publication, including Jay Asher, author of 13 Reasons Why.
How to get published in 12 years or less, was the title of his talk.
Jay was hilarious, sharing the story of agent #1 who dropped him, then agent #2 who died, then agent #3 who finally saw Jay’s literally genius. Jay had written many great manuscripts, only to have them thrown into the slush pile (these are the hundreds of unread manuscripts piled on office floors of every literary agent and editor in the publication business). Jay knew he needed a job; he needed to stop daydreaming about one day becoming a New York Times Best Selling author. The odds are tough. Stardom can’t happen to all of us highly imaginative over-analyzing thesaurus-loving writers. Jay was newly married and had obligations, than with one last ditch effort, he wrote a story dear to his heart.
It wasn’t like anything he’d ever written before.
13 Reasons Why, originally titled Baker’s Dozen, was finally purchased by a major publishing house Razorbill, a young adult imprint of Penguin books.
And it became a New York Times Best Selling book.
You should have heard the applause at the conference when Jay ended his talk with such a happy ending.
It brought down the roof! Jay fed us tired worn-out writers new hope, encouragement and most importantly, a burning desire to get back to our computers to start writing and re-writing, editing and writing some more.
I bonded with Jay Asher that day, because even though this industry is tough, even though writing is one of the most revealing things I'll ever do, great books need to be written.
I think The Memory Catcher is one of those books.
It is:
An inspiring true story of a woman who was asked to fulfill what seemed an impossible mission; a mission that would save lives of those most innocent.
Now, for the first time, author and researcher Sarah Hinze shares the key experiences that shaped her life and set her on course to become The Memory Catcher – one’s of the world's greatest advocates of the unborn.
Yeah, I think it’s that good.
The Memory Catcher went to press last week and will be released October 1, 2012. You can purchase it at your local bookstore, through amazon.com or at springcreekbooks.com
And you know what. My mom is interested in attending your book club discussion on The Memory Catcher, just email her with an invitation at sarah@sarahhinze.com. I just might show up too. After all, I am a with!
Congratulations to you and your mom! This makes me happy to hear that your dream has become reality.
ReplyDeleteI started reading "The Memory Catcher" one evening as I went to bed. I couldn't put it down and with about 10 pages remaining, my eyes gave out on me. I finished the first thing when I woke up. Loved it and have recommended it to all my relatives!
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