When my book, The Man for Her, was sold to Kensington, a shock wave went around the romance writer’s circle. You see, my book was purchased in public at a writer’s conference, “Royal Rendezvous,” in Victoria, B.C. No one goes to a conference expecting to sell a manuscript. We go to conference and hope to meet an editor or agent who will request a partial of the manuscript and then we wait and hope and wait some more that she will request a complete manuscript.
When Hilary Sares from Kensington Books announced that she wanted to buy the top three entries in the historical category of the conference contest, the room went wild. I, on the other hand, sat there in a stupor. My friends had to tell me that, yes, she had said “buy” and yes, my book was sold and yes, I would get money. There was still more waiting and writing and re-writing and editing to come, but I had a contract.
The story of that sale spread through the romance community because it was so unusual. I’ve never heard of a similar contest result since. So, that book actually has two stories — the one inside the cover and the one about its publication.
To celebrate the tenth anniversary of its publication, I’m offering it free on Kindle on Wednesday and Thursday of this week, Sept. 16 and 17. Hope you take advantage of the offer, and tell your friends.