Take the Reins copies! :)

I got something AMAZING in the mail this morning.

Finished copies of TAKE THE REINS!!

OMG. The book that I've obsessed over, cried about, loved writing and enjoyed plotting is in my hands.

TAKE THE REINS started as a "I don't know if I can do this, but I'll try" NaNoWriMo 2006 project.

Wait, wait. How about a little time line instead? 'Kay. Here goes.

Oct. 2006--I want to switch from magazine writing to novel writing. Can I do this?

Nov. 1, 2006--Yes, I can! Let's write this book!

Nov. 15, 2006--Um, wait. Does this thing totally suck?

Nov. 17, 2006--Yes, this might really suck. But I'll keep going.

December 1, 2006--*tired* Wow. I have a reallly bad finished draft. But it's a draft!

December 2006--Revises.

January 2007--Agent A emails.

January 2007--OMG. An agent? Emailing me? Really? *Emails Diana Peterfreund for advice*

January 2007--Diana tells me to chill and not faint when I talk to Agent A for the first time.

January 2007--Talk with Agent A. We click and I don't faint. Sign with Agent A.

February-May 2007--Revise, worry that I completely suck, revise, ooh! TTR is getting better, revise, graduate.

Late May 2007--TTR goes on sub. No time to obsess--gotta start next project

Late May 2007--Offer from S&S. I cry, scream and go through every possible emotion in all of five minutes.

And that's how it happened! Of course, there were lots of revisions after that and all of the superfun stuff like the photo shoot, galleys, copy edits and finalizing titles happened between June 2007 and now.

But wow. The experience of holding your first book in your hands is a fantastic one that I'll never forget.

Pictures to come! :D