Jessica Alvarez |

If you’re a writer, you know what I mean by “The Call”. Its when the phone rings and the dream you had, the goal you’ve been working toward for months or years has finally been realized. The Call can come from an agent or an editor.

Over the years I’ve received a few calls that can qualify as The Call. When I published my very first book, A Forever Kind of Thing, with a now-defunct publisher. When I was offered a contract for my first Carina Publishing book, Her Dark Knight.

Last week I added another “The Call” to my list. I’d been shopping my latest manuscript, a historical romance, to various agents. Why, after eleven published books, did I just now start searching for an agent? Because I was ready to take that next step and while I had advanced my career this far without the help of an agent, I knew if I wanted to take that next step I needed help.

After exhaustive research and talking to other authors, I emailed three of my top agents on my list at three top literary agencies. Two showed interest and asked to read the full manuscript. One emailed me a week later asking to set up a phone conversation.

I’ll be honest, I was completely nervous because I’ve been in this business a long time and I knew an agent didn’t want to talk to you to tell you the manuscript sucked. I immediately plugged my cell phone in because, of course, it was ready to die (story of my life).

The conversation went well. We talked about the manuscript and some things she’d like to see revised. We talked about writing in general and, to be honest, I can’t remember what else we talked about because I was so nervous.

At the end of the conversation she said she would like to represent me. I literally pumped my fists into the air and kicked my legs. LOL.

And so, I’m very, very happy to announce that I am now represented by Jessica Alvarez from BookEnds Literary Agency.

::fist pump::

I can’t wait to start the next leg of this crazy but completely satisfying journey that I started so long ago.