Wednesday, February 6, 2013

New Pitch Session for Love Inspired

Ever wonder if entering one of those pitchs for Love Inspired is worth it? Well, I'm living proof that it is. I entered one for the Love Inspired Suspense last summer and got a contract out of it.

Guess what? The Love Inspired Editors are at it again. This time, it's called, Happily Ever After and here are the details:

 Love Inspired Editor Emily Rodmell and Associate Editors Elizabeth Mazer and Shana Smith are looking to fall in love…with your manuscripts. If you think your story will make our hearts pound and palms sweat, then we have a great opportunity for you.

We’re are on the prowl for new authors for Love Inspired, Love Inspired Suspense and Love Inspired Historical, and we’ll listen to your ideas in a new speed dating pitch opportunity called Happily Editor After.

This opportunity is open to anyone who has never been published with the Love Inspired lines and who doesn’t currently have a full manuscript under consideration with a Love Inspired editor. It only requires that you get a synopsis ready and have a desire to write for the inspirational (Christian) romance market. You’ll have a chance to peruse our online matchmaking profiles and pick the editor who you think would love your story. Then you’ll get to pitch her your idea in one paragraph, and your chosen editor will respond by filling out the following comment card with her first impression of the idea.

The pitch takes place on May 8th at 1:00 PM
Here's the link: http://community.harlequin.com/showthread.php/1042-Happily-Editor-After

If you have a manuscript that you think might work for this pitch, I suggest you enter it. You never know, you might be the next one to get THE CALL.

Good luck!


Mary Alford
www.maryalford.net

Sunday, February 3, 2013

The Journey

It's been said that the journey of a lifetime begins with one step. For me, as a writer, the journey of a lifetime began with more than just one step, it began with one word and a dream.

I tell people that I started seriously writing more than ten years earler, but the dream began many years before.

As a child, I discovered reading and fell in love right away. When I became a pre-teen I found romance novels and I was hooked! That's when the dream first began for me.

I wrote my first novel as a pre-teen  (It's tucked away somewhere never to see the light of day). Although I continued to read romance and occasionally write it as well, as is in most cases, life got in the way of the dreams.

About ten years ago, with the kids gone and before the grandbabies arrived, I made up my mind it was time to pursue the dream once more and so I did.

I wrote many stories that were not inspirational romances and had several of them published, but through it all, I felt God's presence there beside me telling me, 'this is not where you need to be'. I knew what I should be writing. So, I stepped out on faith and wrote my first inspirational romance. It was rejected, but I kept trying and writing and reading and submitting.

Last Summer, I entered a contest hosted by Love Inspired Editor Emily Rodmell. On the day of the contest, I was so nervous. My husband and I were in Colorado and it turns out at the time of my pitch, I was away from our cabin. I ended up sitting in the parking lot of a Ace Hardware store in Pagosa Springs, Colorado doing the pitch on a laptop.

Emily requested a synopsis of the book. When I sent that in, she asked for a partial. I sent that in as well and she was so kind. She recommeded changes to the story and asked for the full. I sent that in all the while refusing to get my hopes up. Emily got back to me and let me know the story wasn't right for Love Inspired as it was and suggeested changes as well as let me know that if I wanted to resubmit with the story, she'd be happy to read it again.

I did and a few months later she called and told me that Love Inspired wanted to publish my story. You can't imagine what that felt like.

Ten years + and the journey of a lifetime started with a single word and a whole lot of frustration and faith.

It's been said that sometimes God speaks to us through the voice of thunder. Sometimes it's a still small whisper at the darkest point of the night, but He always speaks to us. We just have to choose to listen.

I hope you listen.

Mary
Somet



Sometimes it's a still small whisper in​​ the darkest point of the night.



He always speaks to us. We just have to choose to listen