My First "Call": Dirty Little Secret

I never expected to sell this story. Really. In fact, at one of my local RWA meetings I offered the query for a cold read and was told by fellow members, "That would never sell." Why? Because my modern-day hero is in a marriage of convenience. Yes, dear reader, he is, so no, I never expected to sell Dirty Little Secret.

But I did. And not only did I sell it, but it's the first of my stories to sell.

You can all relax -- my hero isn't committing adultery on his heartbroken wife. They are friends, never anything more, who married to protect her company from being stolen away by her dad. My hero is a hero in the truest sense of the word, giving up everything to save his best friend's dream. So what happens when that hero finds something -- someone -- who is his dream? Well, that's the premise of the story. c;

Thankfully, Rory Olsen at Loose Id saw beyond what many others stopped at -- the word "married" -- and took on my story! I was in Florida when I received the news, an early morning e-mail just waiting for me when I opened my bleary eyes on the last day of my vacation. "Congratulations from Loose Id! Acceptance of Dirty Little Secret!" read the subject line. Woot! I never thought I'd see that word, "acceptance," in association with this little story, but there it was. :D

I rushed right over to my daughter and showed her the e-mail on my phone. She squealed. Then I rushed outside, the only place where I could get reliable phone service, and called my husband. He was excited. I called my sister at her work and listened to her squeal. Then I took a quick shower and drove to my mom's workplace, walked inside, and told her in person. She squealed and was excited! It was a squealing, excited kind of day in the Deep South -- and I'm so thankful to Rory for seeing the possibilities and giving me that special, special day.

We authors only ever get one very first "call" (even if that takes the form of an e-mail nowadays). It's a special time in a writer's life, and though I never expected to sell this story, never expected to get that "call" for Dirty Little Secret, I'm so very grateful I did. Thanks, Rory and Loose Id! I can't wait to work with you and make DLS an amazing book for every reader. :)