We would like to give MJ Fredrick a big welcome to the site!
The Call by MJ Fredrick
The call: About 15 minutes before lunch, my phone rang. The kids were in centers and I was doing grades. I saw the area code and stood up even as I answered. I knew. I’d been waiting a bit longer than the stated guidelines at that point, and had sent an email the previous week, after a lot of hemming and hawing.
Now, I’m not supposed to answer the phone when I’m in the classroom, but I think you’ll agree these were special circumstances. When the voice on the other end said, “This is Angela James,” I squealed. (Okay, I have admired her for a LONG time. I think she’s damned smart and talented. I won’t tell her she’s the reason I started sewing again because that just sounds stalker-ish.) She laughed and said, “So, how do you know I’m not calling to wish you a happy Mother’s Day?” While that would also be very cool….but then she said she wanted to acquire Sunrise Over Texas.
By now the kids realized something was going on and they were getting noisy and coming to my desk. Later they told me they thought it was Johnny Depp on the phone. Don’t ask. I had to excuse myself and shush them, but really, I don’t remember much. She said my editor loves historicals, and another person on the acquisition team read and loved it, and that the revisions would be minor. (I got the revision letter by the time I got home and it wasn’t toooooo bad.) She said something else about knowing before RT and she apologized for not getting back to me. I’d sent an inquiry earlier this week and she mentioned that, yes, no news was good news. She went over the contract terms and congratulated me and wished me a happy Mother’s Day.
After I hung up I went into the hall and saw the reading specialist and ran to tell her. She gave me a big hug. Then another 4th grade teacher was coming down the hall and I told her. Susan, our youngest team member, wondered what the commotion was so I told her. Only then did I call the dh!!! At lunch I called Trish Milburn, who has been with me on this journey almost every step of the way. I’m like, “This is Mary.” It took her a minute (it WAS the middle of the day. Also her sister is named Mary.) Then I said, “Why would I call you in the middle of the day?” She said, “You sold something!” Much squealing ensued and then we realized we’ll both have books out in August. Very DIFFERENT books, but still. (Later my book got bumped to September.)
Then I called my baby brother (straight to voicemail) and then my step-dad, since he took me on the big research trip last spring break. I posted to Facebook, told my bosses and the other people at lunch. The kids got a REALLLLY long recess. Too bad it was so hot!
So while I’d sold books before, and since, this was my first call, and it was everything I thought it would be.
Big thanks to MJ for sharing with us her special call. And without these special calls, we wouldn’t have all of the awesomesauce books to read.
MJ Fredrick’s new title, Sunrise Over Texas, is released tomorrow with Carina Press. And just lookie at the cover:
Gorgeous!
MJ is also published with Samhain Publishing, and with The Wild Rose Press.
And with big thanks to MJ, she is going to give away a $10 gift certificate to Amazon or BN.com for one lucky reader. To enter, just comment below.
Good luck!
Giveaway is now closed.
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Lou, thanks so much for having me today!
What a great first call story. I’ll look forward to reading Sunrise Over Texas.
seriousreader at live dot com
You gave me goosebumps, Mary! Plus a kick in the pants, ’cause I want the call, too! Continued success, and again–congratulations!
Mary! I’m absolutely THRILLED that your Carina Press book is, not only a Historical, but is coming out tomorrow!
I’m glad Carina Press recognizes quality when they see it. They’re doing an amazing job.
MJ.
I could almost feel your emotion in that story! I couldn’t imagine working so many years on something and have it pay off in the end. You believed in yourself and had wonderful friends and family to support you. This is a great lesson for our future generations. NEVER GIVE UP!
Thanks so much, Linda and Leslie! Leslie, consider yourself kicked
Wow I think it is so fantastic that you got so excited about “the call” even if it was during school. Just don’t let your kids get caught reading it
Yours is one of the most special The Call stories because you deserve it so much!
That was a great first call story. I’ll bet the kids enjoyed it too, LOL. Congrats on your book, Sunrise Over Texas.
Thionk I could look at that cover all day! Thank you, MJ for the giveaway.
CarolNWong(at)aol(dot)com
Diane and Soni, thanks! I definitely DO have supportive friends and family!
Thanks, Tanya and Barbara! The kids were certainly excited. My previous class was too because they remembered when I came up with the idea!
Aww, thanks, Natalie! I’m so glad we are Carina sisters as well as Supernatural Sisters!!
Carol, LOL! I made a purse with the cover and am wearing a t-shirt with it now!
Enjoyed the post, congrats on the release!
Thanks, Teresa!
Okay, I really want to know why your kids thought it was Johnny Depp.
I love the great variety of books that Carina has been putting out. It’s so hard to find a good Western romance, I’ll be looking forward to this one.
What a great The Call story! I, too, want to know why the kids thought you were talking to Johnny Depp. No one else is worthy of squealing over?
Yes, why did they think it was Johnny Depp? Inquiring minds need to know!!
Congratulations and I loved the story, can’t wait to read this one, the cover is gorgeous!!
Sweeettt, MJ! Congrats on Sunrise Over Texas, and thanks for sharing your call story! I love hearing how authors find out about and react to that exciting moment
Hmm… maybe next time the phone rings, it WILL be Mr. Depp… 
Can’t wait to read your latest!
LOL, y’all! I have a big thing for Pirates of the Caribbean, and have posters in my room of Johnny and Orlando (which former students have bought for me.) I guess Johnny was the first person who came to mind!
Martha, I do so love this cover!
Thanks, Jen, Sylvia, Martha, Cories and Fedora
Thank you!
Great call story! And I heard Angela speak on a panel in Orlando and you’re right, she seems very together and she does have such a fun blog.
Congrats!