Saturday, April 02, 2011

Twenty Years since "The Call"

Twenty years ago today, I received the phone call that would change my life. I'd been helping in my daughter's kindergarten class that afternoon. At four o'clock, the phone rang. I picked it up and heard "This is Tracy Farrell from Harlequin Historicals. We love your book and we want to buy it."

I did not scream. I tried to sound professional, although fire works were exploding in my brain and I'm sure my voice was both higher pitched and louder than normal. I don't remember what I said.

I do remember phoning my husband at work and giving him the news. His answer was "Holy expletive!" Given that he doesn't usually use words of the expletive nature, this suggested a level of excitement on par with my own.

So it was that my life changed - but not only my life. My daughter who was in kindergarten that day? She now works in publishing, helping to decide who's going to get a call that will change his or her life.

And yes, that boggles my mind. :-)



3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Happy anniversary! I, for one, am very glad you got that phone call. You've given me many hours of pleasure (not to mention escape from a sometimes lousy reality) over the years.

I haven't seen the latest yet, but I've looked for it when I gone shopping. I hope I find it soon. Right now, I'm rereading "The Notorious Knight". Again.

I also have a cat named Connor. Not neccesarily after the character on one of you books, but because he was found on Concord Road here in town, and Connor is easier to say than Concord. His "real" name is "Connor the Conner", because he conned my husband into keeping him.

Please keep writing, and I will keep reading.

Rosemary

Jeanne M said...

Margaret,
I loved your news and am so glad you will have a book coming out next year. I miss the IBM Selectric I used to have but then I miss my old manuel typewriter as well. I learned to type on a manuel with no letters on it when I was in High School in the 1960's and still wonder how I could type 96 words per minute than and I can't now typing on a computer! My husband says it's called "old age"!

I'm glad you had a chance to take a break but am looking forward to more of your wonderful books that have given me so many hours of pleasure.

Margaret Moore said...

Thanks for the good wishes! I still can't believe it's been twenty years.

Jeanne, I don't know if I'll have a book out next year or not. I'm still in the "wait and see" phase re new books. I'll be sure and post if/when I have confirmed news about future books.