Join A Slice of Orange

Enter your email address and never miss another post on A Slice of Orange.

Subscribe to our Monthly Newsletter

Archives

Calender

September 2017
M T W T F S S
« Aug    
 123
45678910
11121314151617
18192021222324
252627282930  

Career Milestones

April 6, 2012 by in category Pets, Romance & Lots of Suspense tagged as , , , with 4 and 0

By Linda O Johnston


Every author’s writing career is different. We all share one thing in common, though. We remember our milestones.

Maybe we don’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 we’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.

I’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 hadn’t added them to my novel count. I’m delighted about that, too!

I do recall some of those earlier milestones as well. I’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, “Well, write, then,” and I did–and kept going.

Of course I recall my first published fiction–a short story in Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine. I’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. I’ve been really sorry to hear of that company’s recent struggles.

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

How about you? What are your favorite writing milestones?

Linda O Johnston’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, “no-kill” 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



< Newer Article
Older Article >

4 Comments

  • Anonymous
    on April 11, 2012

    Another informative blog… Thank you for sharing it… Best of luck for further endeavor too.

    Real Estate for Sale in PA

  • Anonymous
    on April 9, 2012

    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
    on April 7, 2012

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

    -Ger

  • Anonymous
    on April 6, 2012

    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

Comments are closed.

Copyright ©2017 A Slice of Orange. All Rights Reserved. ~PROUDLY POWERED BY WORDPRESS ~ CREATED BY ISHYOBOY.COM

%d bloggers like this: