How I Almost Didn't Sell Hot Tamara
I attended RWA's National Conference in New York during
what had to have been the gloomiest, muggiest July ever known
to a woman in heels and nylons. And I almost did something
very stupid. Actually two. First, I hadn't signed up
for any agent and editor appointments to pitch my 100,000-word
contemporary romance known at the time as "Her Mother's
Daughter." Second, I almost didn't attend Avon's
publisher spotlight.
You see, I arrived in New York having just been rejected by
an agent the week before. We had been working together on revisions
for nearly six months and in the end she decided that my book
was not a project she could get behind.
On day two of the conference, I knew
that drastic measures needed to be taken to get my book before
all of the agents and editors at the conference. And Avon
was on my short list of publishers. I also remembered that "Dirty Girls Social
Club" had been released in May and my book was kinda
sorta like Alicia Valdes Rodriguez's novel, except there
was only one main character versus four. And unlike her
book that had been heralded as the Latina "Waiting to
Exhale", my book had been rejected several times as "not
Latina enough."
So I sat down at the Avon Spotlight
session and during the Q&A I almost didn't raise my hand. But I must've
channeled the spirit of my mom (who has no fear whatsoever)
and asked if they were looking for a book that sounded suspiciously
like my book and Selina McLemore, one of the editors on the
panel grabbed the mic and said, "SEND IT TO ME!"
Selina read the manuscript in record
time and then we discussed the changes she wanted me to make.
I listened with mounting horror as she suggested that I axe
the story line of Tamara's
best friend, Isa. But I took one last look at that story and
said farewell to Isa after promising her that she'd get
her own book. I trimmed that 100,000-word manuscript down to
89,000 words.
Three weeks later, the book went back
to Selina. For two more weeks I pretended that it was perfectly
normal to check my email, my cell phone and my answering
message every two minutes. And then on Monday, Nov. 10 I
came home after a really busy day at work and saw that I
missed Selina's call. Talk
about a long night.
At 7:10 a.m. the following morning
I got a good luck kiss from my husband, went into my office
and held onto my good luck rock as I called Selina. While
my husband and our two pugs waited at the door, I braced
myself for the old line: "We
really like your writing, but this book just isn't Latina
enough for us. Keep us in mind for future projects." So
I was shocked when Selina actually said they wanted to buy
the book. I might have even asked her to repeat that, but I'm
not really sure. I do remember saying, "thank you" and "may
I call you back" before hanging up.
The moral of the story is that all
you need to sell your book (other than a finished manuscript
and a mom like mine) is the one editor who believes in that
story. Hot Tamara couldn't
be in better hands and life hasn't quite been the same
since.
If you want more behind the book features
including a musical soundtrack and an interview with Mary's
mom, get your copy of Hot
Tamara!
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