This thing…
This thing, that honestly me, Mrs. Blabbermouth doesn’t even really know how to put into words here on ye old blog. I guess I’m kind of afraid if I do put it into words then, poof, it won’t be real anymore and it will all disappear into the internet cloud somewhere. So is the story of my life. But here goes… no guts no glory.

Over ten years ago after losing the sitter for my twins and then not being able to get flex time at work to pick the twins up early from school I realized I could not handle the demands of being a designer that did it all for a mid-level (and I’m embellishing here with the mid) house and I became a stay at home/work from home mother. Thinking I’d find all these great freelance jobs instead I found myself doing all sorts of things from, hand sewn wedding gowns, to becoming a closet design “expert” at an organization store, to making a line of cute baby blankets, to selling stylish though not terribly well executed denim handbags at a local flea market. All this to say I’ve tried a lot on my road to tapping at the keyboard and writing my first romance.

And with that first came the first rejection, the first of more than I dare to count over all these years and six complete manuscripts. But for some reason, though with each rejection the pain never dulled, I kept writing and sending out queries. Still believing in the love and the dream.

I like to blame friends (you know who you are), my writing groups, the love of my family (unconditional) but I think most of all it was my own stubbornness. You see I could not forget that the day I got that first rejection and (silly) me saying (out loud), “it’s too hard I should just give up.” I can still hear my DH’s calm voice as he said nonchalantly, but with the slightest challenge. “It’s up to you, but maybe you give up too easily.” Grrrr! It’s the challenge that pulls me to that man. He had me and I love him for it.

Gosh, how many years ago was that? We weren’t even living in our current house and the twins were still so young and really he should have known that I never back away from a challenge. Part of me thinks maybe he did. It’s just not in my make up to give up. So I didn’t. I forged ahead. Stopping and starting. Hopeful and then doubting. Sometimes hating the new story ideas that would pop in my head at the most inconvenient times. Always cursing the day I decided to be a writer and that stupid challenge.

And then just a few weeks ago I get an email from an editor, the fabulous and may I say super smart, Jennifer Lawler saying, “I hope this manuscript is still available and I’d love to offer you a contract.”
What the what?! All I could do, Dear Friends was look at my phone in disbelief. After all these years I didn’t know how to react. The DH was home and all I said to him was, “Hmm, that’s interesting.”
You see after so many years of NO (ok, sometimes no thank you.)  I didn’t even know a yes when it was looking me in the face. No fan fare. No jumping. No shouting. No good  job you. Just a cautious, “interesting.”

But weeks later, with contemplation, some pats on my back and some ‘good on yous’ and letting this get in my spirt I can now say this is a YES. This is real!

Yes, I’ve been contracted by Adams Media to be a part of the launch of their new line: Crimson Romance with my contemporary romance that is as of now titled THROUGH THE LENS. It’ will be e-pubbed and POD and hopefully out late Summer.
Holy Smokes things are moving fast! That is a Yes!
Finally a YES!

You all sit with that and ponder on how it’s “interesting” too. While you’re at it head on over to Facebook and like Crimson Romance’s page over there.
In the meantime I’ll be figuring out my next steps. What the what?!

Best,
Kwana

P.S. I’ll be writing my contemporary, a little bit sexy romance under the name K.M. Jackson.

P.P.S. Yikes! Does this mean Nana and my mother will be getting a Kindle?

Image from here. LOL I’ve used it before and it works here again.