About › Forums › Den of Writers › Podium › Receiving an email headed 'Offer of Representation'….
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September 11, 2018 at 10:55 am #987KazGParticipant
…has been my dream for such a long time. Having that lovely agent by your side in the lonely writing world; someone who you connect with, is on your wavelength and cheering you on for the long haul (because your money is her money, let’s face it). Someone who knows the market, who understands publishing, who can bounce ideas with you, who can steer you along the confusing paths of publishing. I think the thought of having that relationship with an agent had become for me almost as enticing as being published itself! It had been so long that I was doing it on my own (well, not really of course, with my fabulous Randoms, who are lifesaving, and Cloudies/now Denizens) – but to have someone invested in me as an writer, in my own town, is my dream.
Well, today it happened π I have my lovely agent! An Australian agent based here in Melbourne, who I met and pitched to a year ago at a Literary Speed Dating event, when the idea for this version of my book was just that. She loved it and gave me so much encouragement, with such warmth, that she really spurred me on. She said to send her the full when it was ready, which I did a few weeks ago. She came back within a week saying she loved it and wanted to talk, but then Melbourne Writer’s Festival and her illness got in the way…
Until another email popped in my inbox today, from a senior editor at Penguin Random House. I had also pitched to her on the Literary Speed Date day. She also loved the book and is recommending it to her publisher, and I can’t quite believe it. I asked Danielle (the agent. MY agent!) what I should do and she told me, then said I maybe didn’t need an agent now that Penguin were expressing interest, but if I did…and she pitched herself to me, and offered representation.
I said yes straight away. I don’t think you’re meant to, especially if there’s another agent that you’ve submitted to that you haven’t heard back from (which there is – a London agent). You’re meant to tell the other agent you have an offer to give them a bit of a kick, aren’t you? But Danielle feels the one for me. She is warm, passionate, on my wavelength, utterly committed to YA in Australia (she represents YA within a quite small literary agency) and well respected. I just like her, and I love the idea of working with her on my writing career. Honestly, this is the most exciting thing for me.
So there it is. A dream come true π And another step along the long, long path to publication…and I would not have got this far, with this book, without the best, most generous, talented and supportive writing buddies you could wish for – in my Random group especially, but also on the wider Cloud/Den. So thank you all, you know who you are π π
- This topic was modified 5 years, 6 months ago by KazG.
September 11, 2018 at 11:24 am #992SandraParticipantSuperb news Kaz – I’ve always loved your writing so know this is very well deserved. I’ll be in Melbourne in November, but more whizzing in and out a couple of times, on our way elsewhere, Will send you a closer wave, at least.
September 11, 2018 at 11:27 am #993DaedalusParticipantThis is absolutely wonderful Kaz, and I can’t think of anyone who deserves it more. To find someone like that who ‘gets’ your writing and you click with, and the double endorsement of the PRH editor as well! Absolutely delighted with this, and can’t wait to read the book
September 11, 2018 at 11:31 am #994SquidgeParticipantSqueeeeee!!! So, so pleased for you! And Penguin Random House too? Flip – that’s the big time! Can’t tell you how delighted I am for you xxx
September 11, 2018 at 11:31 am #995KazGParticipantThanks so much for those generous comments, Sandra and Daeds π
September 11, 2018 at 11:32 am #996KazGParticipantAnd Squidge!! Thank you π so exciting!
September 11, 2018 at 11:34 am #998JulesParticipantThis is so well deserved. I can’t wait to see Ava meet a larger audience. I’ve loved the book since our SE days! Congratulations, Kaz. Really thrilled for you xxx ???
September 11, 2018 at 11:34 am #999PinkbeltParticipantBrilliant news. Well done! This gave me a happy feeling today.
September 11, 2018 at 11:44 am #1000KateParticipantHuge congratulations.
September 11, 2018 at 11:56 am #1004Philippa EastParticipantThis is fantastic news! Absolutely brilliant. Well done. And so exciting that you already have an editor at PRH lined up. I think it is great to get an agent too, to negotiate all those tricky contracts! Regarding the other rLondon agent, I think that you can simply inform her that you’ve signed with someone else and you wish to withdraw your submission. That’s fair, I think, given that you are sure.
Wow! This Den is full of success!!
Please keep us posted on next steps and developments from here. xx
September 11, 2018 at 12:03 pm #1007AthelstoneModeratorHey, Kaz – fantastic. And really well-deserved!
September 11, 2018 at 12:10 pm #1010KazGParticipantThank you all so much. I’m always blown away by the generosity of other writers here π
Jules – you are the one person to have followed Ava all the way through! Thank you again for all your help along the way xx
September 11, 2018 at 12:11 pm #1011JaneShuffParticipantHi Kaz. I am just so excited and thrilled for you. Am going rund he house with a stupid grin on my face.
September 11, 2018 at 12:20 pm #1013RaineParticipantHaven’t stopped dancing little happy dances since I heard. π
Ava will be so loved by everyone who meets her. I can’t wait to see where she takes us. (and Jack. I love him a bit) xxx
September 11, 2018 at 1:06 pm #1019HilaryParticipantHurray! Well done indeed, and all the best for the next steps. Keep us posted.
September 11, 2018 at 1:19 pm #1024GiselleParticipantKaz, this is so exciting – not one bit of good news, but TWO: new agent AND Penguin’s interest! Yes yes yes yes yes!!! Going with the agent you felt the most comfortable with seems the way to go.
I’m so happy for you!
September 11, 2018 at 1:30 pm #1026Mad IguanaParticipantI’m doing the moonwalk here for you, Kaz. Slippin’ and a slidin’ all over the place in celebration.
Well done!! Delighted for you and Ava and the agent and PRH who have a great book that’ll sell bucketloads.September 11, 2018 at 2:04 pm #1033SeagreenParticipantOh. My. Giddy. Aunt! Amazing news! So pleased for you!
September 11, 2018 at 3:33 pm #1041ElleParticipantThat’s amazing news! Congratulations! Please keep us updated, especially one you have a publication date.
September 11, 2018 at 4:19 pm #1046Tony LyttleParticipantThis sounds wonderful news. Hearty congratulations. Write on, Kaz!
September 11, 2018 at 4:41 pm #1048BellaParticipantHow lovely. I’m very happy for you.
September 11, 2018 at 5:20 pm #1050JT.ParticipantThat’s absolutely fantastic news! Well deserved. Break open the bubbly!
September 11, 2018 at 7:01 pm #1056Jackie WesleyParticipantWell done. That’s wonderful. It must be a fab book to have an agent and publisher chasing you and not without a great deal of hard work and effort behind it. Congratulations!
September 11, 2018 at 9:17 pm #1058Sophie Jonas-HillParticipantHeaven comes to she who waits – and of course works very hard and never gives up! Wonderful times, huge congratulations!
September 11, 2018 at 9:20 pm #1059KazGParticipantYou’re all brilliant. Thank you so much for your really heartwarming comments. I keep reading them with (another) stupid grin on my face.
And I have been VERY remiss in not singling out two members of the previous Cloud for special thanks – @debi and Emma Darwin, who run the phenomenally excellent Self Editing your Novel course – which first brought me to the Cloud, in fact, and where I met Random High Priestess @jillybean. Without them, this book would simply not be anywhere near where it is. Their toolbox still helps me every day π
I can only blame the giddy blur I was in all day yesterday…
September 11, 2018 at 10:01 pm #1061JulesParticipantThabks for the shout out, Kaz ? it was your talent and perseverence that won the day though xxx
September 11, 2018 at 10:25 pm #1062ClebsParticipantThatβs brilliant news. Congratulations!
September 11, 2018 at 10:36 pm #1063Debi AlperParticipantKaz! KAAAAAZZZZ! This is utterly brilliant news. I’m so delighted and excited for you. You’re absolutely right to have an agent too, even though you’ve already got what most people want from an agent. As soon as there’s somewhere online that I can link to, I’ll be adding you to the Self-Edit Hall of Fame. Lots of you are already listed there. Can’t tell you how happy it will make me to add your name.
September 12, 2018 at 12:02 am #1066FionaParticipantAbsolutely FANTASTIC! I cannot express how delighted I am! Ada is brilliant and her story deserves to be told and filmed and …. oh I am so happy!
September 12, 2018 at 3:52 am #1068KazGParticipantThanks @debi! I am indebted to you and Emma for getting me this stage π I’m so excited…I’m watching emails between my agent and the Penguin Random House editor fly, saying such nice things, and I’m having to pinch myself π
@bric – thank you love! You played a big part with your beta magnificence, too πAnd thank you everyone, for all the good wishes. It means a lot. xx
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