Inspy Romance

Inspy Romance—Fall in Love With a Good Book

Happy 20th Anniversary to Me

by

You might be wondering what I’m talking about since Valerie just had a post about Inspy Romance’s 10th anniversary. Well, February is a month for anniversaries. My husband and I were married on Valentine’s Day, and we just celebrated anniversary number 48. So you may be wondering why I have a “Happy 20th Anniversary” as my title.

On February 20, 2004, I sold my first book, so I have a writing anniversary as well as a wedding anniversary in February. I thought I would share my “CALL STORY” with you.

I had been writing for many, many years before I sold. Winning the Romance Writers of America’s Golden Heart in 2003 was something that gave me a lot of encouragement and kept me writing, but my targeted publishing house had already rejected my winning manuscript. So I was a little down after all the hoopla of the conference and the excitement of winning had worn off. However, I had two other completed manuscripts. One of them I had entered in some local chapter contests. A couple of months after the Golden Heart win, I received word that a manuscript I had titled Second Chances had won the Dixie First Chapter Contest and the judging editor had requested the full manuscript. I gave that baby a once over and sent it off to Steeple Hill (which is now Love Inspired). Then I got busy and polished that other manuscript, Miracle Baby, while I was waiting to hear about the other one.

In the meantime, Miracle Baby won a contest judged by the senior editor at Steeple Hill. She requested that I send the full to the editor that had my other manuscript. Talk about everything falling into place. I sent that manuscript off after sending the editors a letter to make sure they wanted to have both manuscripts there at the same time. A few weeks later, I called the editor to find out what was happening with the first manuscript, but I always got her voice mail. When she returned the call, I was always out. Finally, one day she talked to my husband, and she indicated that she was sending the manuscript to the senior editor.

So here’s how it all happened. Friday morning February 20, 2004, I went to get my haircut and stopped to pay our water bill. When I got back home and walked in the door, I saw the light blinking on the answering machine. I punched the button to play the message. “This is Diane Dietz from Steeple Hill. Please call me.” My heart was racing, and I was thinking this has got to be THE CALL. (I missed it!!!) At least this time my husband was busy on his business phone and didn’t have the chance to answer. But then I thought maybe she wasn’t calling to buy my book, but I thought surely she wouldn’t call unless she’s going to buy the book. (Was I a little neurotic or what?)

My husband was still on the phone, so I couldn’t even scream or talk to him. Instead, I got teary eyed and waited around until he got off the phone. I told him Diane Dietz had called. I think she called to say she wants to buy my book. He said to call her. I said that I was afraid. What if she wasn’t calling to buy the book? He just shook his head. I said that I would call when I got myself together. So I took a few minutes to calm myself down. Then I punched in the number, hands shaking. She answered and asked me if I was sitting down. I was. She said, “I’d like to offer you a contract on Second Chances.” At least I think that was what she said. I had to be very calm because my husband was still on his business line just up the stairs. I told her that was fabulous. I think she was a little disappointed that I was so calm. I told her I’d taken plenty of time to calm down after I listened to her message. Anyway, she went into details about money, time lines of revisions, option book, publication, etc. And she explained some of the revisions they wanted. I told her I’d call back later. I wanted to check out the offer with some other authors.

After I hang up and my husband wasn’t on the phone, I screamed, “THEY WANT TO BUY MY BOOK. I GET TO GO TO THE HARLEQUIN PARTY.”

Not too long after I had hung up, our younger daughter just happened to call to talk to her dad about business stuff. I told her that I had sold my book. All kinds of excitement there. I called my mother-in-law. She was thrilled because she knows how long I had been at this. Minutes later, my older daughter called to say congratulations. Younger daughter had called her and just happened to catch her at lunch. I was so excited I couldn’t eat. My stomach was churning, but I decided I’d better eat something or I’d faint away. So I had lunch. My husband asked when I’m going to call back. I told him at 2 o’clock. So at 1:58 pm, I called and accepted the offer. We chatted for quite a while about all kinds of stuff.

During the rest of the afternoon, I sent e-mails to everyone I could think of to let them know I’d sold. Then I went for my walk so I could burn off some of the adrenaline. The weather had finally turned nice so I could do it at the beach. I was grinning from ear to ear, but I resisted the urge to go up to complete strangers on the beach and tell them I’d sold my first book. When I got back home, I saw the flowers my girls had sent while I was out walking. I couldn’t believe they got there so quickly.

That evening my husband and I went out to dinner. I had a pina colada to celebrate. We have a restaurant here at the harbor that makes the best pina coladas. I was tempted to have two but told my husband that he might have to assist me out the door if I did. I rarely drink so one is enough for me. What a day—one I’ll never forget.

Here is the book I sold that day. It took about eighteen months before it was actually published. The first photo is the book published by Steeple Hill. The second photo is the current version. I now have the rights back and have reissued it with a new cover and new title.

Things in the writing world have changed a lot in the last twenty years. There are still call stories out there, but lots of authors can publish books themselves without having to go through a publisher, and the books get published much sooner. That is what I’m doing now. So here I am twenty years later having a good time thinking up stories to share with readers.

What is a special anniversary that you celebrate?

I will give away an ebook copy of Second Chance Love to one person who leaves a comment. I will draw the winning name on February 28, 2024 at 9PM MST.

“Void where prohibited; the odds of winning depend on the number of entrants. Entering the giveaway is considered a confirmation of eligibility on behalf of the enterer in accord with these rules and any pertaining local/federal/international laws.”

Merrillee Whren (105 Posts)

Merrillee Whren is an award-winning author who writes inspirational romance. She is the winner of the 2003 Golden Heart Award for best inspirational romance manuscript presented by Romance Writers of America. She has also been the recipient of the RT Reviewers’ Choice Award and the Maggie Award for Excellence. She is married to her own personal hero, her husband of thirty plus years, and has two grown daughters. She has lived in Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Chicago and Florida but now makes her home in the Arizona desert. When she’s not writing, she spends her free time playing tennis or walking while she does the plotting for her novels.


Comments

  2. Congratulations on your wedding and first book anniversaries! It was so exciting to read about your journey to selling that first book.

    I think I only really celebrate birthdays and our wedding anniversary.

  3. I really enjoyed your story today. I mainly celebrate birthdays and anniversaries. We really celebrate my grandson’s birthday because he spent 2 months in children’s hospital after arriving 2+ months early.

  4. Hi Merrillee! Happy Anniversary to you and your hubby! Happy Writing Anniversary. A special anniversary that I celebrate is March 7 – this March is 69 years since I arrived with my parents in New York City harbor from Bremen, Germany as legal German immigrants to the USA. This 5 year old had her first airplane ride from West Berlin to Bremen, then a 7 day ocean journey across the Atlantic Ocean, and a train ride from NYC to South Bend, Indiana where my great aunt and uncle awaited our arrival. Living in America instead of worn torn divided Berlin gave me lots of advantages my cousins didn’t experience. Each year in November I also remember the day I became an American citizen. Two major events in my life. I usually Happy Writing and best wishes.

  7. Happy Anniversaries! Generally, I just celebrate my wedding anniversary and family birthdays. However, that includes February 20th! My youngest turned 21 this year on that day, so he celebrated his first birthday on the day you got THE CALL!

  13. Hi Lori,
    Your grandson’s birthday is definitely important. My girls were both preemies and had to stay in the hospital for a couple of weeks after they were born, but not 2 months.

  14. How fun to reminisce about how you started! And congrats on still being happy and motivated now.

  21. Happy Anniversary!
    Thank you for the many books I’ve enjoyed reading!
    Hoping I win your drawing!
    I have hip replacement surgery later today and will have plenty of recuperation time to read it!

  22. Congratulations!!! For my family it’s mainly birthdays, and deaths. Though I wouldn’t say we “celebrate” the death anniversaries, but there’s always 40 days, then 6 months, a year, and so on.

    For my dad’s death anniversary, if it’s not a really big/round number (in which case a priest is called, food has to be prepared, more than family comes to the graveyard), my mum and I go, make sure the grave is nice and clean and leave him some purple flowers because purple was his favourite colour :)

  23. Happy Anniversary on all your special events. I’ve been a fan of your books for so long. My favorite books you have written are the ‘Front Porch Promises’ book series.

  24. Love this!! Nothing happens overnight, but God’s timing is perfect!!! I have to admit, I used to only read traditionally published authors, but since I received my Kindle as a Christmas gift back in 2012 (I think it was!), I’ve discovered so many great authors, and don’t have to wait so long between releases!!! I love being able to read the books so much faster!!! Here’s to many more books over many more years from you!!!

  25. Happy Anniversary Month! Two wonderful milestones to celebrate! Thank you for sharing your exciting story.

  26. I took a trip to Dusney World a couple of years ago and have celebrated the anniversary of the day we spent at Magic Kingdom with a Disney-inspired meal for dinner since then. It has turned into a fun little way to brighten a winter day.

  28. Happy Anniversary!

    I think we really only celebrate birthdays and our wedding anniversary but when I was growing up my grandma used to celebrate the baptism days of all her grandkids – she said it was a special day that had made us part of God’s family, and would bake a cake and give us a card.

  30. Hi Milica,
    Thanks for the congratulations. I think we all remember when our loved ones die. We remember the life they lived and shared with us. So it’s kind of a celebration of their lives.

  32. Hi Trudy,
    For sure, God’s timing is the best. I love being able to get books out quicker and on my own time line, but I have to admit I have slowed down a bit as I’ve gotten older.

  33. Hi Cheri,
    I am having a terrible time with the blog responses today. For some reason they keep winding up under the wrong person’s name. Thanks for the congratulations.

  34. Hi Trudy,
    For sure, God’s timing is the best. I love being able to get books out quicker and on my own time line, but I have to admit I have slowed down a bit as I’ve gotten older. This got posted twice. Once here and once under Cheri’s comment. The blog is not my friend today.

  37. Happy Anniversary on both your exciting events!! We mostly celebrate our wedding anniversary, 52 and counting.

  41. Happy Book Anniversary!!!🎉 And Happy Anniversary to you and your husband!🎉
    I don’t have any anniversaries to celebrate.

  43. Oh Merrillee, congratulations on all of your anniversaries! What a wonderful story! I am so glad that you were published and we are able to enjoy the stories you have written and the ones yet to come. Thank goodness you are in it for the long haul and had the courage and perseverance and support of those who love you to bolster you until you were published and ongoingly. Will miss your IR posts

  44. St. Patrick’s day is the anniversary of our first date. I will be 38 years this year. Congratulations on your anniversary. Thank you so much for sharing. God bless you.

  45. I used to celebrate the anniversary of when I went on an exchange program, but I think I stopped after the 5th year. Still, good memories. :)

    Happy anniversaries!

  46. We celebrated my nieces 1st birthday yesterday. I’m single so no anniversary and never dated.

  48. late replying we sweltered through a hot night around 80 most of the night and today hasn’t been much better and add strong gale force winds. (being on top of the hill I hear it)

    don’t celebrate a lot of things besides birthday (turned 60 Monday) and Gotcha day (day I rescued my two cats 21 feb)

Discover more from Inspy Romance

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading