Career Milestones

April 6, 2012 by Linda O. Johnston in category Pets, Romance & Lots of Suspense by Linda O. Johnston tagged as Berkley Prime Crime, Harlequin Nocturne, Linda O. Johnston, writing milestones with 4 and 0

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By Linda O Johnston

Every authorâ€™s writing career is different. We all share one thing in common, though. We remember our milestones.

Maybe we donâ€™t recall exactly when each occurred, but we think about the time that we stopped telling ourselves we would like to write and instead actually began writing. We think about the first time we finished a chapter. And then a whole manuscript.

If weâ€™re lucky enough to pursue our careers and succeed, we also recall our first publications. Our first agent. Whatever other things were meaningful to who and what we are as writers.

Iâ€™m bringing this up because I have just reached a couple of milestones. First, my new release HOUNDS ABOUND, my third Pet Rescue Mystery for Berkley Prime Crime, is my thirtieth published novel.

I also was recognized in a Harlequin newsletter for having published my fifteenth Harlequin story. They count novellas in that, so my Nocturne Bites were included, although I hadnâ€™t added them to my novel count. Iâ€™m delighted about that, too!

I do recall some of those earlier milestones as well. Iâ€™d tried my hand at writing before but had stopped while going to law school. Even so, I kept telling my husband I wanted to write again. He finally said, â€œWell, write, then,â€ and I did–and kept going.

Of course I recall my first published fiction–a short story in Ellery Queenâ€™s Mystery Magazine. Iâ€™d have remembered it anyway, but it was especially exciting since it also won the Robert L. Fish Memorial Award for best first mystery short story of the year. Plus, it was published again in an anthology.

Then there was my first published novel, A GLIMPSE OF FOREVER–a time travel romance published by Dorchester. Iâ€™ve been really sorry to hear of that companyâ€™s recent struggles.

I remember signing with my first agent, and then with the one Iâ€™ve been with for many years and adore. I recall my first Harlequin sale, my first mystery sale, and more. Itâ€™s always so much fun to revisit those times!

How about you? What are your favorite writing milestones?

Linda O Johnstonâ€™s Pet Rescue Mysteries, a spinoff from her Kendra Ballantyne, Pet-Sitter mystery series for Berkley Prime Crime, feature Lauren Vancouver, a determined pet rescuer who runs a no-kill shelter. Of course, in this cozy mystery series, â€œno-killâ€ refers to the animals, not people! Her most recent Pet Rescue Mystery is HOUNDS ABOUND , an April 2012 release.

Visit Linda at www.LindaOJohnston.com or KillerHobbies.blogspot.com

Author Details

Linda O. Johnston

Author Details

Linda O. Johnston, a former lawyer who is now a full-time writer, has published 52 books so far, including mysteries and romantic novels. More than twenty-five of them are romances for Harlequin, including Harlequin Romantic Suspense and Harlequin Nocturne. Her latest release is Colton 911: Caught in the Crossfire, for Harlequin Romantic Suspense. She has also written several mystery series including the Barkery & Biscuits Mysteries and Superstition Mysteries for Midnight Ink, and the Kendra Ballantyne, Pet-Sitter Mysteries and Pet Rescue Mysteries for Berkley Prime Crime. Nearly all Linda’s current stories involve dogs! Linda enjoys hearing from readers.

http://www.LindaOJohnston.com

Linda O. Johnston

Linda O. Johnston Featured Author

September 21, 2023

Linda O. Johnston enjoys writing, romance, puzzles, and dogs. A former lawyer, Linda is now a full-time writer and has published 57 books—so far.
Linda O. Johnston Featured Author

September 14, 2023

Linda O. Johnston enjoys writing, romance, puzzles, and dogs. A former lawyer, Linda is now a full-time writer and has published 57 books—so far.
A Break from Writing? Not Really.

August 6, 2023

What does a writer do between drafts of a story? Well, that depends.

I finished a first draft of my upcoming fourth story in my Shelter of Secrets series for Harlequin Romantic Suspense. It still needs some work, but it’s currently in the hands of my excellent beta reader.
The Second Half of the Year Has Begun–Already!

July 6, 2023

I’ve had a fun few weeks–including my usual writing. Plus, I heard that the Dog Writers Association of America, of which I’m a member, was looking for humorous articles for their upcoming issue of RUFF DRAFTS, their publication, so I of course had to submit a short article about how my puppy keeps me from concentrating on my writing by insisting that I play fetch with her while I’m sitting at the computer. Humorous?
This Year Continues – Fun!

June 6, 2023

I recently got word that my next Alaska Untamed Mystery, CRY WOLF, number two in the series, is now scheduled for publication on November 7. I love the cover! And the series is the first in which I’ve taken a pseudonym: Lark O. Jensen.

It’s not my only remaining book this year. I was already aware that my Coltons of New York book for Harlequin Romantic Suspense is also a November release. CSI COLTON AND THE WITNESS is officially out on November 27.

UNDERCOVER COWBOY DEFENDER

SHIELDING COLTON’S WITNESS

HOUNDS ABOUND

THE MORE THE TERRIER

BEAGLEMANIA

GUARDIAN K-9 ON CALL

BEAR WITNESS

UNDERCOVERING COLTON’S FAMILY SECRETS

HER UNDERCOVER REFUGE

COLTON FIRST RESPONDER (The Coltons of Mustang Valley)

THE SOLDIER’S K-9 MISSION

COLTON 911: CAUGHT IN THE CROSSFIRE

FOR A GOOD PAWS

VISIONARY WOLF (Alpha Force)

TRAINED TO PROTECT

PROTECTOR WOLF

BAD TO THE BONE

COVERT ALLIANCE

TO CATCH A TREAT

PICK AND CHEWS

UNLUCKY CHARMS

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Anonymous says:

April 11, 2012 at 9:42 PM

Another informative blogâ€¦ Thank you for sharing itâ€¦ Best of luck for further endeavor too.

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Anonymous says:

April 9, 2012 at 8:00 AM

That sounds like quite a special day, Ger. Glad that OCC came through for you–although I'm not surprised! And thanks for the congrats.

Anonymous says:

April 7, 2012 at 11:46 PM

And congratulations, Linda, on all your hard-won success!

-Ger

Anonymous says:

April 6, 2012 at 11:31 PM

Linda,
I will never forget my first OCC meeting! I was so nervous! I walked in, and Desiree Gonzales and Nancy MacFarlane, complete strangers to me, called me over to sit at their table – they could see how nervous and out of place I felt. Then I went over to the Ask an Author table, where authors Crystal Green and Judy Duarte were just talking to people! Then, president Marianne Donley introduced me to Jackie Diamond! Then I won the first chapter critique by Susan Squires! Then I met Sue Phillips and she said she could just tell I was going to get published. It was such an awesome day!!!!! That was one hell of a milestone!!!

-Ger