Every writer dreams of the day they get the infamous call from an agent offering representation. My story is not unlike countless others, but I shall share it here for those who are interested.

For the last six years, I have been an enthusiastic attendee of the Pacific Northwest Writers’ Association’s annual conference. This year, I registered for the PNWA 2022 writers conference in Seattle, thrilled that after two years of COVID-necessitated virtual conferences, I was going to finally attend an in-person event with hundreds of fellow writers. It was thrilling to be amongst my tribe once more after what felt like an endless series of Zoom meetings.

As a finalist in the yearly PNWA writing contest, I was hopeful that my two pitches with agents would bring forth opportunities to showcase my newest manuscript, a spicy Victorian romance. While both pitches went well, I also took advantage of the myriad classes being offered by some outstanding authors including Damon Suede, Gerri Russel, and Elizabeth Boyle. My brain exploded and my skills were sharpened by the wisdom of these fabulous people.

In addition to the knowledge gained from these sessions, I was also able to connect with author friends from all over the United States, including my three Virgin Author facebook phenoms, Mandi McGuire, Lyssa Reese, and Jana Vandelaar. Much fun was had over cocktails and conversation.

On the final night of the conference, we attended the awards dinner where I sat with my friends and family, noshing on gnocchi, holding my breath, and waiting to see if I was a winner in the competition. There were five finalist friends at our table and two of us won!! I was not one of them (insert crying emoji here.) But while my dream of winning the contest did not come to fruition, something far more fantastic occurred. I met a talented agent whose class I had attended earlier that day. During her class, I was so impressed with her knowledge, generosity, and humor. I wanted to ‘elevator pitch’ her after the session ended, but lost my nerve after shaking her hand. When I realized she was at our dinner table, I balled up my courage (super-powered by a glass of merlot) and pitched my story as they served dessert. She kindly asked me to send her the manuscript, and I did.

Several weeks later, my phone rang. It was the call and I almost peed my pants (because I’m a professional, damn it.)

I couldn’t be more excited to announce that I have signed with the talented and tenacious Katie Reed of Andrea Hurst & Associates! Stay tuned for more news as we travel down the road toward publication…