OMG! OMG! OMG!

My current mantra: oh my god, oh my god, oh my god!

That truly is what you’d get if you were in my head right now.

Ever since I got “THE CALL” Friday afternoon from Flo Nicoll at Mills & Boon offering me a two-book deal, I have swung from disbelief to absolute, sheer excitement. It has been a dream for so long to write for them that I can scarcely believe it is happening.

To think I didn’t take the call when it first came in. I was on the school run, just returning home and chatting away to one of the school dad’s when I saw the “No Caller ID” come up on my phone. Figuring it to be a cold caller and not wanting to be rude, I continued on my conversation. By the time I let me and my two little-ones into the house I’d pretty much forgotten about it entirely.

The next thing I know, an email comes in from Flo telling me she tried to reach me but no answer and would I have time for a quick chat!!!!

Bearing in mind I had spent the entire week in a daze, telling myself all would come out alright in the end, I just had to keep at it and stop stressing that they’d hate it, I was convinced she was ringing to go through issues with the submission and what was I thinking etc etc. So, having settled the children swiftly, I fired an email back saying of course I can, locked myself in the study, scrabbled for a pen and paper while at the same time frying my brain with all the issues she could raise and what I could say to alleviate them.

When Flo called again, which was no time at all after my email(!), I was so nervous I was scribbling doodles on some paper and telling myself to remain calm. Barely past the introductions (it is lovely finally putting a voice to the name, Flo!) she said she had passed the manuscript around the team and that they all really liked it. From that second on, I left the planet of the sane entirely and between the crying and thanking Flo, I got the gist that I was being offered a two-book deal which involved monetary remuneration (how can one forget the money, but I had, it was never really on my radar, my dream was purely about making it as an M&B writer) and that it was all go on the marketing front to get my name out there.

What happened after was incredible. M&B started following me on twitter and the next thing I know, they’re welcoming me into the family! The family I have dreamed about being a part of since reading my Nan’s collection in my early teens. Perhaps I need to give a huge shout out to my Nan here for sparking the original dream, whether it be the Enid Blyton books she first thrust my way, along with a much-loved membership to the Blyton fan club, to the “adult” books I eventually discovered under her wing, my father’s family have a lot to answer for. So, to Nanny Pat, and my Aunty Carolyn who read all my novels as a youngster, a huge THANK YOU! I love you muchly!

So, folks, this is a post to all my supportive friends and family for giving me the determination to get to this point. And it is also a strong message to all those aspiring authors who dream of getting THE CALL one day. Please, please, please, never give up! It really can happen! Deborah Taylor, you know I have you in mind here too! Go for it! You never know what is just around the corner… Oh and Jenny Magee, OK you’re a Hollett now, but this is to you too, get yourself writing, there’s an M&B in you, I just know it!

Love to all,

A Buzzing-Me xxx