Medical romance writer Deanne Anders shares the moment she received ‘The Call’ to write for Mills & Boon and her journey to getting her debut romance published!
My story has been a journey which started with making the SYTYCW contest finals, starting back in the slush pile, and then receiving the call.
Harlequin romances were some of the first romances I read so when I decided to take my obsession with romance books from reading them to writing them, I did two things.
First I joined my local writing group and then I started researching how to get published with Harlequin. What I discovered was a great community of aspiring authors in their writing forums and the SYTYCW contest and Harlequin Medicals. As a nurse with over twenty years of experience I knew this was the path I wanted to take.
After entering the 2013 SYTYCW, I was shocked to learn that I made it to the top ten finals so when I received what I thought was a rejection from the editor I was working with I wasn’t surprised. At the time my mother’s Alzheimer’s was progressing so I had to set my writing aside. Later I learned with the help of the HQ writer forums that what I had actually received was a request to revise and resubmit.
While my mother had been sick I had been taking classes, reading books on writing and attending workshops. I knew that I could write a better book now so I started over hauling my manuscript and a few months later I resubmitted the first three chapters and started back in the slush pile. When I received a request for a full from Carly Byrne it was ready so I sent it in that day. And this time when I got the request for revisions I knew this wasn’t a rejection but an opportunity to resubmit. Working with Carly was an amazing experience and with her guidance I worked through two sets of revisions that made my story stronger and a better fit to the Medical line.
I was at work the day I got the email requesting a time she could talk with me and I knew this was good. I walked through the hospital that day as if I was on cloud nine. With the time difference between the UK and the US I got up early the next morning and sat waiting for the phone to ring the whole while thinking I was prepared. I would be calm and collected. I had my note pad next to the phone to take notes. I was ready.
Then my phone rang and my brain turned to mush. I stammered and stuttered through the conversation and by the time I hung up I knew Carly had to think I had lost my mind. I looked down at my note pad and could barely decipher what I had written. A two-book deal was more than I had ever hoped for and I am so excited to begin a new journey now with Harlequin Medicals.
Best wishes to you as you travel your own journey and choose your own path to your call story.
Get Deanne’s newest romance From Midwife To Mummy here!
