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From Aspiring to Contracted, A Very Big Change

I bring good news and tidings this merry December, as I’ve gone from aspiring to contracted author and I have much to celebrate. And I wanted to share this very big change with all of you.

My word CHANGE was the perfect word for me this year. 

From a writing perspective I chose this word because I wanted to change how I approached my writing. To not be afraid to change my opening or what my characters said. I wanted to be able to try new phrasing and change my manuscript for the better. 

Besides being able to do all that, I can now add several additional changes that have happened this year! 

• 1. I finaled in a contest and had to submit my entire manuscript 
• 2. That entire manuscript won 1st place in a contest
• 3. And won the grand prize in a contest
• 4. And that grand prize includes a contract
• 5. And that contract has grown from 1 book to a 3-book series titled Best-laid Plans
• 6. And my first book will be published in 2024

I’m excited to share I won the grand prize in the Scrivenings Press #GetPubbed writing contest. My novel, When Plans Go Awry, won first place in the Historical Romance category, and then went on to win the grand prize. The grand prize includes a book contract. My novel is scheduled to be launched into the world on June 4, 2024. The contest results were announced on November 16. I think I will always remember this day. It is a pivotal turning point in my writing story. Where I went from aspiring to contracted.

What’s amazing is looking back over the past thirteen (yes, 13!) years of working on my stories, making friends, learning, and growing as both a person and as a writer. I’m so thankful for the journey. And yes, there has been a path for me getting here. Sometimes it’s been a lot of winding cross-backed, up and down, narrow dirt trails, and sometimes it’s been paved and flat. Just last month, I wrote a blog post of Attitude is Everything, which posted on Nov. 12. It was posted after reviewing results from another contest, where yet again, I didn’t final. Then, November 16, these contest results were announced, and everything changed.

Very Big Changes in My Personal Life, Too

Change has been up front and center in my personal life this year as well. With one college graduation and our youngest’s high school graduation, we are moving on from being booster presidents and weekly performances or activities to attend. Our middle son asked his sweetheart to marry him, and we are experiencing new things with being parents of the groom. We’ve been blessed with new responsiblities in our day jobs, and been able to travel quite a bit this year.

So in the month of June we will celebrate a book launch and a new marriage for my son. I’m so excited for 2024.

Contracted Means Changing and Adapting

I’m already feeling how going from aspiring to contracted is changing me. And as the year 2023 ends, it is the best change possible. I have a plan and I now have deadlines. And all this makes me excited about my word for 2024. You’ll have to wait till next post to find out what it is.

Denise M. Colby loves to write words to encourage, enrich, and engage with others. You can find similar encouraging posts on A Slice of Orange such as meeting writing goals or when your confidence wavers, and on her own website denisemcolby.com , including a blog post about Moments of Encouragement. Or you can scroll through all of her archived posts on A Slice Of Orange here. She also loves to write about her word of the year and share quotes that include that specific word in them. Each word builds a new layer in her writing journey (and her life). In 2022, her word was Work. This year, her word is change.