September 25, 2012
The following is a
guest post by the author of Faking Normal, a YA contemporary fiction debut
novel that will be published by Harper Teen. Courtney C. Stevens posted it January
15, 2012 on her blog at quartland.blogspot.com the day after she received an
offer from agent Kelly Sonnack (Andrea Brown) for representation. Reprinted
with permission.
Prayers of a Newborn
Author
I have been on a print journey since September of 2007. One
fall day, I woke up with an idea for a series of books (which will probably
never see the light of day). And I was obedient to this idea, a slave to the
concept that I would someday become an author.
And because I know I’m not the only one out there who has
been on a quest for an agent and someday a publisher, here is a little bit more
of the back story. A short timeline from idea to agent.
September of 2007-2009- I wrote and re-wrote the first book
of said series
September 2009- Joined SCBWI (Society for Children’s Book
Writers and Illustrators) and attended my first Mid-South Conference
October 2009- Joined a critique group in Bowling Green, KY.
July of 2010- I started my first realistic fiction
manuscript SOME SECRETS BLEED
March 2010- I sent out my first ever query letters on the
series book to the faculty of the conference
September 2010- Attended my second SCBWI Mid-South
Conference and got an honorable mention in the fiction contest for SOME SECRETS
BLEED (Met Kelly Sonnack for the first
time)
June 2011- I queried a handful of agents on SOME SECRETS
BLEED
July 2011- I joined a second critique group in Nashville, TN
August 2011- Attended my first SCBWI National Conference in
Los Angeles. I had a critique on that series book with Beverly Horowitz, who
told me to go write the book I HAD TO WRITE
August 2011- I started TWENTY-THREE- the book I had to write
September 2011- Attended my third SCBWI Mid-South Conference
and pitched TWENTY-THREE to agent Erin Murphy
Between August 8th-October 18th- I
wrote and re-wrote and re-wrote TWENTY-THREE, following the request of agent
Kevan Lyon
November-December 2011- I started two next realistic fiction
manuscripts to explore which would become my next project. I decided to pursue
one titled Unit 42
December 2011- I queried agent Kelly Sonnack of Andrea Brown
Literary Agency
January 5th-12th 2012- The week all
the amazing agents read TWENTY-THREE
January 12th 2012—I signed (agrees by phone) with
Andrea Brown agent, Kelly Sonnack
Upon getting my dream, dream, dream agent, what did I do???
-scream.
-shout.
-dance.
-cry tears of happiness.
-cry tears of fear.
ALL OF THE ABOVE.
Since I am a youth minister who makes no apologies for the
fact that I use the lens of faith to understand my life, the first thing I did
was sit down with God and process how I felt. And in a moment of transparency
I’ll share with you my journal entry from that evening.
January 12, 2012
There is a moment of fear, terror really, that follows the
moment of peaceful success. Yes. For this very breath and second, I hold this
accomplishment, this achieved goal in my hand, but my fingers are not yet
conditioned to hold on. What if I can’t maintain? Why does this thief named
SELF-Doubt sneak in and so quickly make my heart beat fast with fear instead of
excitement?
All I can do is pray.
Oh God, Father, Abba, Creator, when you breathed into me and
brought me to life, that breath contained words. Words of a future, a plan for
me - a good plan for me - a story I
would tell that you’ve been telling: LOVE IS REAL. LOVE IS REDEMPTIVE. (As I'm
fond of saying, everything has
redemptive possibilities.) Help me to believe these words won’t run out. Help
me to believe that you gave me a lifetime supply instead of a mere 80,000. Help
me to know I won’t let you down.
I am happy.
I am scared.
Of failing. Of succeeding. Of only succeeding just once. Of
letting people down. Especially Kelly. Of not enjoying the moment in front of
me because of future fears.
I said yes today to a career in books. Today, I make the
first step toward being an author. I might have my name on a spine someday. But
I know, God, that it is your name that rightfully goes there. You did this. Not
me. I prayed and words came. You came. I trust you to keeping coming and
breathing words, poetry, dialogue, life into me.
I trust you to help me believe this prayer. Even now, when
it’s hard. Help me rise to the occasion by falling on my knees in thanks and
praise. Give me the patience and faith to believe without seeing. Because right
now I don’t know how to write what is next. Or I’m scared that I’ll never write
better than now. And God, that sucks, because the whole goal of my life is to
always be on a journey toward better. What if I can’t?
Be the whisper, God. The whisper that says, You WILL. You
can. You have to... not because I’m pressuring you, but because you’ve got the
creator in you. THE CREATOR. And I like to share.
Share with me.
Share the words of a 1000 books
Share the words of a 1000 books that matter
Share the words of a 1000 books that matter and are
beautiful
Share the words of a 1000 books that matter and are
beautiful and connect me to people in need
And now God, if it’s not asking too much, I pray for the
people around me. Kelly. Give her the plan for me. Give her wisdom and favor.
Build and multiply her career. Tell her how to challenge and encourage me. For
Twenty-Three. For Book Two. For books two-to-a-thousand. And for the way Kelly
leads her other clients, especially Jess and Sharon; give her a vision beyond
our todays into our tomorrows. Please give them all ten times their hopes and
dreams.
And the people around me- the creative folks who share their
lives with me- my mom, dad, Adam, CJ, my amazing, amazing critique groups,
Ruta, Jess, Erica, and all the cheerleaders (Katie, Leah, Brooke)- the
professionals who have encouraged me (Sarah, Kevan, Erin, Tina, Tricia, Emily)
Bless them. Bless them more than you bless me. I need them all. Raise them up.
Let them have their dreams come true the way mine started coming true today. I
wouldn’t be here without them. I wouldn’t. This I know.
And it is You – the path-crosser of destiny, friendship and
love - who puts me in their life’s way. You told them to chant, move, keep
going, you can, you will; just move
on the path toward your dream.
And I move.
Today, I move toward the unknown to me but the certain for
you. Oh, how I’m scared. Oh, how I’m grateful.
Courtney C. Stevens
