Tuesday, October 12, 2010

Sale Story and Superstitions…

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When a woman is nearing the end of her pregnancy, she is generally miserable, ungainly and desperate for her child to just hurry up and come out already! At this time, well-meaning friends and relatives shower her with advice on how to trigger labor. “Go to the mall and walk,” is common advice. Or, as my Aunt Cindy always says, “Go bowling. I went bowling when I was 9 months pregnant and ‘poof!’ Labor.” My cousin, on the other hand, would advise you to go to the 54th Street Grill and order a spicy Philly…threw her into labor 3 times.

Well, I don’t have any advice on how to help you if you’re impatiently waiting for Junior’s arrival, but if you’re out on submission and you are miserably waiting to hear news and your nerves are nearing their breaking point, I can tell you just what to do:

Get a Pedicure.

And while your feet are soaking, and you are pondering the book-deal just handed down to Snookie, your agent will call.

Oh yes, she will. With an offer for a 3-book deal. It will go something like this:

(Phone rings, causing instant guilt that you forgot to turn off your ringer and are now disturbing fellow customers who are just trying to relax while nail technicians are filing away their calluses. You glance around with an apologetic smile and reach to turn the phone off when you notice it’s your agent calling. You snatch the phone up, other pedicurees now forgotten.)

“Hello?”

“Hello! What are you doing?”

“Well, believe it or not, I’m having a pedicure,” you say, sheepishly.

“Isn’t that nice? Well, you might as well sit back and relax, sweetie, because today’s the day.”

(And much whooping and hollering ensues, drawing surprised stares from other customers, but that is another story.)

That’s pretty much how it went September 30th, at high noon (CST). Going to auction is a whole 'nother story indeed, but after the dust settled a week later, I am very proud to say that "Sweet Enemy" will be published by NAL Signet Eclipse in Spring 2012.

So, if you’re out on submission, and the least bit superstitious, hie yourself to the nearest nail salon and plop yourself down in the self-massaging chair. If you’re REALLY superstitious, here’s a picture of the actual pedicure, so you can have it replicated exactly…



Sadly, the little sticker on the OPI bottle that told me the color had been pulled off, so you’re on your own for that…

See you next week!

Blurb from Publisher’s Marketplace:
2010 Daphne Du Maurier Award Winner and Golden Heart nominee Heather Snow's SWEET ENEMY, where beakers and ball gowns don't mix, but chemical attraction is hard to ignore, to Laura Cifelli at NAL, at auction, in a three book deal, by Barbara Poelle of Irene Goodman Literary Agency. Foreign: Baror International

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19 comments:

  1. Now see? That's some advice I can use! I'm tucking that little gem away for later :)
    Of course, I'm up for any excuse to get my toes done ;)

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  2. Great story!! Yay again!! Oh, and it looks like OPI's "Dear Santa" to me

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  3. Great way to celebrate ahead of time. Just keep going for pedicures each time you're waiting to hear about a book submission!

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  4. Congratulations!!! I read the deal on PM and immediately thought: I can't wait to read that book. The premise sounds fantastic, and I love the scientist heroine character. And yay on going to auction!

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  5. Excellent story! And your toes look so FANCY, as befits an auction...ish? Auction-y? Auction-worthy?

    Anyway, they suit you perfectly. I wonder if you can deduct the pedi as a business expense?

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  6. Great story. And weird thing here, I got a pedicure with a pretty little flower in my big toes and sold my book three days later. Coincidence?? I don't think so.

    Congrats on your sales! You're a star!!!!

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  7. Oh, NO!!! I hate getting pedicures. I'm not fond of people touching my toes AT ALL.

    Congratulations, Heather. What a fun story. And I like the little flower on your toe.

    -Abigail

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  8. How fabulous Heather and now we know "The rest of the story".

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  9. What a fun story, Heather. Congratuations! I'm not into pedicures, but I'll take a massage any day.

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  10. Congrats, Heather!!!! I'm so excited for you and can't wait to read it!
    And you have somehow managed to remind me, I need a pedicure. :)
    Hugs!
    ~D~

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  11. Congratulations again on your sale, Heather. And good to see you are supporting the economy. I expect to see pedicure sales sky rocket in the next few weeks as we all rush out :-)

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  12. Well, that does it, Cat. Booking in for my pedi today :)

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  13. So awesome! I knew that day would be coming soon. :)

    Beautiful pedicure, too (and your second toe is longer than your first, just like mine, lol!)

    Hugs & mega congratulations!

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  14. I'm all for pedicures. lol

    Congrats, Heather.

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  15. I'm off to get a pedicure!

    Congrats, Heather. This is just sooooo amazing.

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  16. Erin ~ There are many good reasons for a pedicure, but this is a great one!

    Gabrielle ~ Dear Santa, huh? Sounds about right...it definitely brought me what I was wishing for!

    Marianne ~ Yes, Ma'am, Pedicures for me from here on out

    Elyssa ~ Thank you so much! I'm so glad the story premise interests you...I hope when it hits the bookstores in 2012, throngs of readers agree!

    Erica ~ Auction-worthy toes? I like it. And good idea about the business expense...I'm calling my tax accountant now ;)

    Cat ~ Oooh! I think we're on to something! One more person and it will be a trend!

    Abigail ~ No toes? Hmmm....well, we'll have to think of another way for you to pamper yourself that will be just as effective :)

    Gretchen ~ Eerie how I totally heard Paul Harvey's voice as if he were whispering in my ear...

    Darynda ~ Thanks, my friend! But I saw your recent deal in Publisher's Marketplace last week...you clearly don't NEED the pedicure! (But I totally support your getting one anyway)

    Jacqui ~ Ha! A...pedicure economy stimulus package :)

    Sandy ~ Yes, don't we all! Well, except Abigail

    Linda ~ Thanks! It's been amazing, for certain...of course, with all of your sales of late, you don't need the pedicure either! Congrats :)

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  17. Jennifer,

    Thanks so much! They say that our longer second toes are a sign of intelligence, and I must agree. Love your books, so smart!

    (Not that I think those without longer second toes are unintelligent, mind you...please don't sic the PETT people on me...people for equal treatment of toes...okay, yes, I'm a dork).

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  18. Heather,
    Congratulations on your big book deal. How exciting! I can't wait to pick up SWEET ENEMY in the bookstore. (And the other two books, of course!)

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  19. Having been through a pregnancy that went 9 days past due (with a homebirth looming on the horizon and unknown challenges to face) I have to say being on submission is harder ;-) Or, maybe I have just forgotten about that hormone infused waiting time, while I am out on submission now. And impatient now! And, with a baby, at least you know you will give birth sometime, somehow. With a book, who knows...

    I am making the pedicure appt now ;-)

    Congrats again and I am looking forward to reading your novel!

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