Author: Amy

“The Call” Blog Hop

| Amy

Every published author has a story to tell about when they first got the call that they were signing with their agent or publishing house. I wish I could tell you this fabulous story about getting the call from Mary Sue Seymour of The Seymour Agency and it being so totally unexpected that it took my breath away. But that’s not how it happened.

TheCallBlogHopActually, it went a little something like this…

I had sent out 16 (yes, 1-6) query letters to agents.  I had decided that if I was going to get anywhere in the writing  business, I needed an agent on my side. And I was determined to find an agent. Thankfully I did, and  one of the the best. (Waves to Mary Sue).

But as with most transactions in the  writing world, there was a lot  of “hurry up and wait” that went on. I sent her my query. I got a letter back  saying she would like a partial. I sent her a partial. I got a letter back  saying she wanted to see the complete. Squeee…I sent it out. And I waited.

Now, I have to tell you that every time I’ve gotten back my manuscript over the years, it has never been good. Nev-ver. So when I got home and saw a big fat envelope-package waiting for me, my heart sank. I didn’t even have to read the  return address to know who it was from. I trudged up the stairs to the mail box and pulled it out, telling myself for the millionth time in my days of trying to publish that one more rejection wasn’t going to break me. I wasn’t all that disappointed. (I was crushed, but I wasn’t going to admit  it).

I didn’t even open it. I didn’t want to read what she said. If it was anything like my previous letters it would say how my writing was good, but it needed “more”. More what I hadn’t figured out and it was looking like I never would. I sat the package on the dinning room table and walked away.

My son, at the time young enough to covet any unclaimed mail, asked  me if I was going to open it. I shrugged. Did I really need to be told again that my characters were lovable and sympathetic but…

“Can I open it?” he asked.

“Sure,” I  said, with another half-hearted shrug.

Let me just say that I am so glad I  had a young reader! And to think that I had almost shoved it in the filing cabinet without even seeing what Mary Sue had to say.

Not a breath taking moment, but momentous all the same.

Want to read about how other authors received their “call.”? Check out our The Call Blog Hop. Details and a full list of participants are available here: http://www.tonyakuper.blogspot.com/ Be sure to check  it out, there are several giveaways along the hop.

My giveaway? A copy of Saving Gideon and a Bag of Swag. To be entered all you have to do is answer this question: Have you ever thrown away an important piece of mail? Or maybe shoved it in a drawer, unopened and forgotten?

Be sure to check my Facebook fan page more ways to increase your chances to win. The winner will be contacted after Friday and so everyone knows, This giveaway is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with, Facebook.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Amy-Lillard-Author/177732292332322?ref=hl

Good luck!

And the winner is…

| Amy

Well, actually, I had such a great response and so many fabulous entries that I decided to draw twice. So…in a random drawing conducted by my very own personal neutral party (my son) the winners are …

Kira Saucedo  and her friend Leighanne

and

Susan Fletcher and her friend Velma

Susan and Kira, congratulations! Send me an email so  I can get your addresses and mail your books!

And to everyone else, I’ll be hosting another contest shortly. So  hold onto your socks. There’s another chance to win Saving Gideon coming up!

Party balloons decoration

A Very Special Christmas

| Amy

christmastreeI thought I might take a  break from the norm today–this week  actually–and focus on Christmas. I love Christmas–everything about it. Well, except for the grumpy shoppers.

If all goes according to plan, I’ll get to spend Christmas with my mother this year. The first time in over twenty years! And my big sister, too!  I’m very excited and feeling blessed. Christmas is special every year, but this year it’ll be more special than most.

Is there something extra special happening at your house this year?

Praying for Connecticut

| Amy

Just wanted to take a minute to say that like all of you, I’m praying for the families of the victims in Newtown. Today I wanted to dedicate my blog to all those suffering. Families, friends, first responders. And to say that there just aren’t enough prayers for those hurting. But we can try.

Feel free to leave a comment and join a prayer chain for this devastated community.

Illustration of an angel praying by candlelight.

Oh, Christmas Tree!

| Amy

Christmas tree 2012

I love Christmas and I adore my  Christmas tree. All my decorations are one of a kind  and many. It takes me days to decorate it, but instead of a chore, it’s a walk down memory lane. Not all of my ornaments are special. Some are just Christmas balls that I have picked up over the years, but the majority mean something, even if only that shopping trip with my mother and finding another must-have addition to my tree. But others are so special they bring a smile to my face as I get them out of their boxes each year. I have an ornament from every year that my husband and I have been together. There’s one for our first and our first married, the year we lived in Texas, and the year we moved back to Oklahoma. There’s also one for each year we lived in the Caribbean.  I have two for every year since our son was born. That’s one for me and one for him when has a home of his own. I ‘inherited’ a fourth of my mother-in-laws collector Santas from Hallmark.

I say each year that I need Christmas intervention, but is it really so terrible to love the holiday? I think not. But soon I’m going to have to rank the ornaments in order of importance in order to make them all fit. Or buy a bigger tree, which in turn would need a bigger house. Hmmmm…

What’s your favorite part of Christmas?

Amish–What Intrigues You?

| Amy

amish_boysWe here all love the Amish. At least I assume you do or else you wouldn’t be reading this. But each of us has something special they love most of all about these conservative and inspirational people.

I can remember the first time I heard about the Amish. I was young–still young enough to be living at home–though I can’t remember my exact age. I thought the person who was telling me about the Amish was not telling me the truth. How could these people live without electricity? Wear old-fashioned clothes and drive horse and buggies? In the 20th century even. How was this even possible? But I started reading up on the Amish and found out what I could, which wasn’t a lot. (Keep in mind here this is before the internet and the world was a much larger place.) But I found out one very important thing–the Amish were real.

I still have that same awe about them now–one that makes me nearly tongue-tied whenever I have the opportunity to talk with them. (I know, right? Me speechless!) But to me they are that special, frozen in time. And yet not. They see the world around them , but they (for the most part) choose not to live in that manner. Instead they carve out their life in an old fashion way that is both commendable and charming.

So I’ve asked myself why I find the Amish so intriguing and each day my answer is different. But the gist of it is always the same. Community. I love the fact that they live together, depend on themselves, each other and God for almost all that they need. How much better a place the entire world would be if we paid more attention to community instead of just ourselves.

What is it about the Amish that intrigues you?