When I Sign A Book Deal

It’s been almost a year to the day that I signed the Looking For Lovely book deal with B&H/Lifeway. I don’t have the time or space to tell you how that all worked out, but it was a total God thing for me for sure. I’ve been dyyyyyyyying to tell you so many details about it and finally, now that it’s available for pre-sales, I can tell you all the things. Hallelujah.

I don’t know if I’ve ever told y’all this, but anytime I sign a book deal, I have to sign three copies of the contract. I don’t totally know why, it’s a lawyer thing, but everyone signs three. (I should know why. Sorry I don’t. I just obey.)

It’s actually really fun for me, because what I do is sign in three very important places with very important people. Then, I take a picture at each place with said people. In one of the halls in my house, every book deal I’ve ever signed is framed, with three pictures.

Now that we have a cover (which I LOVE and can’t WAIT to tell you who designed it and how!), I can print out the pictures and frame them all together and hang them up. I also want to show you.

. . . . .

#1: With my roommate Amanda at Red Bicycle

Looking For Lovely with Amanda

And here’s why:

Amanda has been an amazing friend to me since we were in MIDDLE SCHOOL. And high school. And college. God bless her. And last year, when her job moved her to Nashville, we got to be roommates, just like our days at the University of Georgia when we lived together. (Crazy, huh?)

I asked her to come with me to Red Bicycle where, a few weeks before, sitting at this very table, I had a very significant conversation. I was deciding what publisher was right and where I felt I wanted to be, and sitting here, talking to someone else over chai and a gluten-free crepe, I knew the right home for this book. So I came back to this table to sign one of the copies of the contract.

(Two points to notice: those are not our drinks. They are other people’s drinks. We asked the strangers to get up so we could sit there and take a picture. I HAVE NO SHAME. Also, I’m so glad we did this when we did, because since then, they have repainted all the tables! No more cool green. Whomp.)

. . . . .

#2: With sweet Sarah in my dining room
us

And here’s why:

Sarah was my assistant for a few years and truly was my second brain. Sometimes, truthfully, my first brain. My better brain. DEFINITELY. And she walked side by side with me while we went through some major changes at Downs Books Inc, including this publishing change. I couldn’t imagine that season without her. She lived every page of Looking for Lovely with me, long before I ever wrote it.

. . . . .

#3: At Radnor Lake
Radnor

And here’s why:

The day of that conversation at the green table at Red Bicycle, I was about 90% sure of the decision I was going to make of which publishing house was the right fit. It was cold that day- super cold- but I knew I wanted to go to Radnor Lake. So I wrapped up in my animal pelt coat and went to the bridge. You’ll understand more when you read Looking For Lovely, but this place has become sacred to me. So I wanted to stand on this bridge, pray, ask God and thank God, and say a few things that mattered to me before making this huge professional change in my life.

And then I got back in my car, warmed up my hands, and called my agent. And the rest is history… 🙂

. . . . .

Looking For Lovely doesn’t come out until April 5, but it is available for pre-order with some super fun prizes! So go ahead and order it today and let it surprise you in the mailbox in a few weeks! 🙂

lookingforlovelybook.com

 

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