Sorry for the blog silence lately. I went out of town last week to visit my dad, and somehow during that trip, I threw my back out. The pain had me convinced that I must have herniated, bulged, slipped, crushed or otherwise done major damage to a disc, so I dismissed my husband’s assertion that I’d only pulled some muscles. That couldn’t be all it was – I couldn’t get out of bed without looking like an upside-down turtle, and every move I made sent pain shooting through me as if I were being stabbed!
One trip to the Emergency Room later, and my husband’s diagnosis was confirmed. My discs and spine were fine, so it was just pulled muscles combined with spasms. I am now on muscle relaxers and pain killers, which allows me to move around without constantly squealing in pain (thought I was the strong, stoic type? You thought WRONG ;)) but also gives me the mental capacity of a toddler. However, when I saw my editor Tweet about this week being our 10 year anniversary working together, mental mush or no, I couldn’t let the day go by without marking the occasion.
I remember exactly what I was doing ten years ago. I was working full-time in data processing for a telemarketing company, and I was starting to lose hope of ever being published because the first round of editors that my agent had sent my book to had all passed on it. We were now on the second round of editors, and it had been a couple weeks with no word from any of them, either. I had become so despondent, I no longer hit “refresh” on my inbox every ten minutes (if you’re an aspiring author on submission, you know exactly how that feels.) Then, at lunch time, I saw that I had an unread email and I clicked on it. Here is what it said:
“Dear Jeanniene:
We have an offer for HALFWAY TO THE GRAVE! It’s from Erika Tsang at HarperCollins / Avon Books.$20,000 each for two books. (HALFWAY & the next one.)
May I accept this offer? Please call me at [redacted] to discuss! I’m at Book Expo America (BEA) right now in Washington D.C. (I will also be checking my e-mail later today.) I’m sorry I don’t have your phone number with me, but please call me ASAP.”
I must have screamed when I read this. I don’t remember doing that, but my boss ran into my office and said “What’s wrong?” while looking around to see if the computers had blown up or something. I pointed at my email and said “Read that and tell me if it says what I think it says.” Yes, I had suddenly lost all ability to comprehend the written word because it could not say that someone wanted not just one of my books, but two of them, and for more than I made in an entire year at my full-time job.
He read it, and soon he and my coworkers were all congratulating me. I called my agent and screamed something like “Yes, accept it quick before she changes her mind!” Then I called my husband. I was pretty much babbling with delirious excitement by this time, so all he heard was “two books” “published” and “40K.” Very gently, he said, “Honey, I know you really want this, but we don’t have 40K to pay to get your books published.” To which I replied, probably still in hyper-babble, “We’re not paying that, they’re offering to pay ME 40K to publish my books!”
I’ve been with my husband for over twenty-five years, and I can only remember three times that he’s been rendered speechless. This was one of them. I had to read the entire email to him twice before it sunk in. To tell you the truth, I kept reading it over and over that night myself, and it still seemed too good to be true. In fact, I was so convinced that this couldn’t be happening; I wouldn’t have been surprised if the next day, I heard “Sorry, Erika changed her mind and she no longer wants the books.”
That didn’t happen, of course. Later, I found out that Erika had made the offer before she’d even finished reading Halfway To The Grave (imagine her surprise when she eventually did get to the ending! Heh.) Erika has since been my editor for every vampire novel and novella I’ve published, and ten years later, I am still endlessly grateful that she took a chance on a debut paranormal romance with an unconventional ending by an unknown author who had no platform, publishing connections, blog following, or anything else to recommend her.
Once again, thank you, Erika, and happy 10th anniversary 🙂
Congratulations! That was one smart woman 😉
You make me cry, i loved cat since the very beggining and then all the caracthers were So fantastic, every single one and every single story was just perfect
Congrats for all your effort
Im your fan since 2010 :’)
I think they got quite a bargain. Cat, Bones and crew are priceless! Love them! I did a complete reread (I don’t normally reread) before the #8 Outtakes were released a few months ago and they are still a favorite after all these years. Happy Anniversary and Congratulations!
I’m so glad she took a chance too! I love your books!
Well, a great big high five to Erika for seeing your talent.
I love your writing and loved every minute spent with Cat and Bones. I still miss them loads, and can’t help but compare yours to other books I’ve read, that series will always be my number 1. I think I’m going to have to re read them all over again…..again!
Thank you for your imagination and art of putting words on paper and making it into a story.
whenever i am starting to feel down (i suffer with depression), i read your books again and they keep me going………..will never be able to get enough of your books.
Happy anniversary and good luck for the future
thank you
a greatful fanx
Congrats Jeaniene and a HUGE thank you to Erika!
It’s no wonder she gave you an offer without even finishing your book. You can tell how well it’s written and how good the storyline is from page one! I am super happy she realized it. I bet the others are kicking themselves right now. Feel better soon!
Sorry about your back:( Congrats on ten years!
Well I want to wish Erika a Happy Anniversary also because without her we would not have met Cat and Bones and all the rest of your wonderful characters!
Thank goodness they knew they had something wonderful. All the books are so good in the Cat and Bones universe. I happily reread all the books just to meet these characters time and time again.
Clever lady Erica and brilliant, wonderful, clever lady Jeaniene 🙂
That’s a great story. Congrats and we, as readers, will look forward to the next 10 years collaboration
Awesome story. Congratulations. We look forward to the next 10 years.
Congratulations and may you have a hundred more years of great success I had the pleasure of meeting you and you are a wonderful person and writer I love all of you books (PS still waiting for Ian’s though lol)
Sincerely Maria DiLeo
i just finished one foot in the grave and at graves end for like the 6th time lol , lent a friend the frist book and never got it back so have to order it again but they have been packed up due to me moving so much that i was like it time to read them again and i still laugh at all the funny parts and cry at the sad parts like when they all think Bones is dead . when i am down i can always pick up and start reading them and just get lost in it .
Congratulations on your anniversary with your publisher. Hope your back gets better soon.
I want to add to the congratulations. It brings a huge smile to my face to think of how exhilarating that first acceptance must have been. We all are thankful for Erica’s vision. I can’t imagine my world without Cat and Bones, but most of all, Mencheres. Sigh. Major hugs to you. (Very gently of course!)
My head was twisted up thinking about Mencheres and I spelled Erika wrong. Sigh. He does it to me every time.
Congratulations here also…can’t believe it was 10 years ago. I don’t remember how found your books but I do know after the first one I was hooked & brought them as quickly as they came out. Your books have given me endless hours of enjoyment so keep them coming 🙂
What a wonderful time for you and your husband then and thanks for sharing this memory with us! I hope your back gets better!
Lucky us!!! Congrats — and hope you feel much better very soon!!
So glad Erika recognized how great a world you had created. These books have always had a special place in my heart. I picked the first book up years ago at the book store and read it virtually non stop once I got home. I then turned to my wife (who was not much of a book reader) and said you have to read this. She did, and now reads more than I do! I’m not sure how many times we have read it, but it is a lot. Sorry for the long post. Just wanted to say thank you and let you know how much of an impact these books and characters have made.
Awww…
I usually don’t save emails, especially not from 10 years ago. I’m so glad I saved this one to remind me of that fortunate day.
And thank you to all you readers who shared my love for Cat and Bones.
Also …geez my dress is kinda low-cut there…:)
Great eye for talent. We have reaped the rewards of your collaboration. Thanks!
But just think how much Ian approves, poppet! Congratulations to you ALL!
Just wanted to add, as someone who HAS had two herniated disks since a college cheerleading accident… if you don’t care for the side effects of the meds (and I’m sure you know how dangerously addictive they can be), please find yourself a good chiropractor and set up long-term maintenance. It’s been the lifesaver that has kept me from dependence / addiction for two decades now. Feel better!