BIG ANNOUNCEMENT!!!!

So after nearly bursting for several days, I can finally announce that my new historical romance, Love in Three-Quarter Time, will be the LAUNCH TITLE for a new ZONDERVAN imprint called ZONDERVAN FIRST!!!! Zondervan First will have a digital focus, although print books will be available as well. Think of it as Zondervan's response to the changing market. It's a low risk way of diversifying and investing in new authors. “We are thrilled to launch Zondervan First,” notes Scott Macdonald, President and CEO. “This digital imprint will give voice to notable content utilizing our editorial, marketing and creative expertise.”

On my end, this all happened really fast. My agent got the call Friday. Since we were both on vacation, I didn't get the news until Saturday afternoon, and a decision needed to be made by Sunday at 9 AM. It wasn't an easy call, because we had to make concessions on some issues, like no advance and no guarantee on the following two books of the series. And there was no time to contact the other editors who were looking at the manuscript. However, there were many advantages as well, including great publicity as the launch author, the chance to be involved in something new and exciting, and a quick release date of October 2012, which keeps me on track for releasing a book a year.

As I weighed everything a few factors stood out. 1) I could see God's hand in how everything had unfolded. Especially how He provided an opportunity for me to meet and even hang out with my new editor, Sue Brower, at Blue Ridge Christian Writers conference just a week earlier. 2) I felt incredibly honored that Zondervan had enough faith in me to choose me as their launch author in this new endeavor. 3) As I deliberated my decision, two scriptures kept popping into my head. First from Romans 8, This resurrection life you received from God is not a timid, grave-tending life. It's adventurously expectant, greeting God with a childlike "What's next, Papa?" As well as the simple phrase from Galatians 2, My ego is no longer central.

Finally I decided, a door is standing open before me, and I'm going to walk through it. So, at the risk of mixing my metaphors, I hopped on this roller coaster and buckled myself in for the big launch. I'm adventurously expectant and waiting with a childlike, "What's next, Papa?" I can't wait to see what God has in store.


For more info on the Zondervan First imprint and the opportunities available to authors (even pre-published and unagented authors) visit their webpage. http://zondervan.com/first/faq 

And if you'd like to see the full press release about Zondervan first and Love in Three-Quarter Time you can see it here. http://www.digitaljournal.com/pr/739293