Skip to main content

A Proposal in the Desert Botanical Gardens


It all started with a tweet.

 Well, that's not true. It started several years ago, when I first heard about a one-page contest for Harlequin Heartwarming books. I sent in the first page of my current WIP, and it was good enough to move to the second stage: three chapters and a synopsis. That was AFTER THE FIREWEED, which is now up for nomination on Kindle Scout. Turns out the mystery/romance ratio was a little high for Harlequin, but the encouragement I received got me excited about the possibility of writing for Harlequin Heartwarming.

 Several rejections later, I felt like I was honing in on what they wanted. My agent was highly encouraging after reading my latest stories. She submitted them to Harlequin. I knew Victoria had my manuscripts, and that's where the tweet comes in. 

When I saw it Friday, my heart started racing. My daughter and mother-in-law were here for the weekend, and I read it aloud, assuring them it probably wasn't me she was talking about. Still, I emailed my agent to let her know we'd be out sightseeing for the next few days, but she could reach me on my cell phone, just in case.

 Thank goodness we had guests to keep me distracted or it would have been a really long weekend. Monday morning, my husband and I put his mother on the plane in Phoenix and decided to take the opportunity to tour the Desert Botanical Gardens. We were admiring the prickly pears when the call came through. My knees were shaking, and it wasn't because of the heat.

 A two-book deal. Both are set in Anchorage. One takes place in summer, the other at Christmas. 

 Now I get to discover what takes place behind the curtain. Editing, cover selection, scheduling, marketing -- I can hardly wait.

 I'm so appreciative of all the people who've helped and encouraged me to keep trying. The writing community is made up of some of the most generous people I've ever met. Also, my family never lost faith, even when I did.  

 Thank you. 
Labels:

Comments

  1. Diana WilderSeptember 23, 2016 at 5:39 AM

    I just knew it! I just KNEW it!!!! So very happy!
    ...now on to the next step, and the next...and then some very luck readers at the end!

    Diana

    ReplyDelete
  2. abnormalalienSeptember 23, 2016 at 7:03 AM

    Yay, congrats! Keep us informed about the progress. :)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Beth CarpenterSeptember 23, 2016 at 7:36 AM

    Thank you, Jamie. I will.

    ReplyDelete
  4. LizSeptember 27, 2016 at 10:33 AM

    Congratulations, Beth! So so happy for you! And I LOVE that heart-shaped cactus!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Beth CarpenterSeptember 27, 2016 at 1:37 PM

    Thank you. It's appropriate, don't you think?

    Good luck on your pre-order for All She Ever Wanted. It's such a great story.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

DECEMBER GIVEAWAY

  For December, I've giving away a copy of AN ALASKAN FAMILY CHRISTMAS and some artisan chocolate. (US only, if someone without a US mailing address wins, the prize will be two ebooks).  You must be a newsletter subscriber to win. If you're not already subscribed, you can sign up  HERE . You must be 18 or older. Void where prohibited.
7 comments
Read more

Tastes like Summer

I got a lovely surprise today. My neighbor, who has a set of terraced gardens in her front yard, called and said she was going out of town for the weekend. Could I do her a favor? Pick (and eat) all the strawberries growing there so they don’t go to waste. Yes, she actually made it sound like I was doing her a favor. These aren’t the plum-sized giant berries I’ve been finding in the store lately. These are concentrated, extra-strength berries, each thimble-sized berry containing the flavor equivalent of a large commercial fruit. The fragrance alone is worth the effort. I picked a big bowl full and now we get to eat them. Strawberries and cream. Berries in our cereal for breakfast. Maybe a fresh strawberry tart with a cream cheese filling. Rhubarb from my backyard with strawberries in a pie. I’m drooling. Tonight we celebrate summer with dinner on the deck. Barbeque chicken, potato salad, beans, spinach, and fresh strawberries with homemade shortbread and whipped cream. The sun wo...
2 comments
Read more

May Giveaway

For May, I'm giving away a copy of HER ALASKAN SUMMER and an Alaska moose keychain. (US only, if someone without a US mailing address wins, the prize will be two ebooks).  You must be a newsletter subscriber to win. If you're not already subscribed, you can sign up  HERE . You must be 18 or older. Void where prohibited.
Post a Comment
Read more