Annie grew up loving books and travel. Her childhood dream was to become an archaeologist ... or a national parks ranger ... or a bookseller, so of course she became a public servant. In the meantime she travelled and read books and met the man of her dreams. They live with their family on Australia’s eastern seaboard.
After years of writing, in late 2005 her work was accepted by Harlequin Presents. Now she enjoys fantasising about wonderful men and their love lives. It’s hard work but she has no regrets!
Nalini, this is definitely the blog party for me. Christmas is my favourite time of year! Thanks so much for inviting me along. It’s a real thrill to be here.
When I read the theme for the blog party I panicked – I looked at the calendar and realised I’m not organised for the holiday season. Perhaps I’ll just relax and hope someone else organises everything for me to enjoy (hey, I’m an optimist!).
Maybe the reason I’m feeling so laid back about the festivities is that Christmas really has come early for me – two years running. I count myself to be one very, very lucky woman. (Santa was obviously making up for past years where I slaved over a hot Christmas turkey in sweltering Aussie heat to keep the family content).
Last year, in early December, my dream came true. After nine years
writing fiction, I woke to find an email from an editor in Richmond (London). I’d had several full manuscripts rejected by editors of other lines. I’d had people tell me they loved my writing but it just wasn’t what they were after. The luck seemed always against me. I’d submitted revisions on this manuscript and, frankly, I was waiting for the rejection. I skimmed the email looking for the inevitable ‘thanks but no thanks’ and couldn’t find it. I read it twice before I realised the editor really wanted to buy my book. I’d been too nervous to notice the title of the attachment: ‘Mistress for the Taking acceptance doc’. Duh. I printed the email and kept reading it through the day just in case I was hallucinating and it was really a rejection. (You think I’m joking, don’t you?).
That book, my first for Harlequin Presents, is rolling out to the bookstores now and in just a few days I’ll be able to pick it up off the shelves! What more could I want for Christmas?
Well...as I said, I’ve been doubly lucky. I’ve recently sold my fourth book to Harlequin. Believe me, the festive season has started early here!
What about you? Has Christmas ever arrived early? I’d love to hear your story if it has. Or maybe you’ve got ideas on what would make this Christmas extra special for you and yours. Join the party and send in your thoughts. Now, there’s an easy way for you to win an early Christmas present. I’ll send one contributor a signed copy of my lucky first book ‘A Mistress for the Taking.’
Merry Christmas to you all!
Annie
‘A Mistress for the Taking’ is out in the UK now, in Aus/NZ Dec06, and in North America Jan07. To find out more, or for a second chance to win one of Annie’s books, visit her at http://www.annie-west.com
26 comments:
I can't remember a time when Christmas arrived early, but I'm sure it has.
Christmas day this year will be the first one spent without either family, just me and my husband since I work right up to Christmas eve, but I think it'll be nice. Just the two of us. And the cat.
And congrats on your book being on teh shelves. I'll have to look for it at SuperTarget.
Hi Annie, great blog. What better Xmas present can you get than a publishing contract? Oh, I know, having your first baby actually arrive on the shelves for Xmas.
Woohoo - nothing but good times ahead. Must trundle down and get me a copy.
Congratulations on your debut book, Annie. I'm looking forward to reading it. I hope that you and your family have a great holiday season.
Congratulations on publishing your first book!
Congrats on your fourth sale! My birthday is a week before Christmas so you could say Christmas always comes early for me.
Annie, I've said it before but it bears saying again - congratulations on all your success. I've read A Mistress for the Taking and ooh, la, la, is it a great book, or what? Congratulations too on your fourth sale!
Congrats on your first sale, Annie! And your fourth. what a year!
As to Christmas coing early...doesn't it come earlier every year? I'm sure the tinsel, and musak was in place before we even hit November!
But I don't mind in the least. the longer the celebreations, the longer the fun.
Can't wait to read your first book.
Ally
Annie,
Always great to hear your story and you will have a FAB December with your first book out on shelf in Australia. I can't wait to stand in the aisle and say, 'I know that author':-)
Not sure about christmas come early but one year I missed it completely. We flew out of the US at 11pm on Christmas Eve and arrived in Australia 14 hours later on Boxing Day !
Christmas coming early? Well, we have a card store in the mall we go to that starts putting their ornaments up for sale in July...a wee bit too early for me.
I really don't feel Christmasy until we have some snow on the ground
I'll be celebrating Christmas with a new knee. It's working great and I'm real happy with it!
What a wonderful story :) Congratulations!
Congrats Annie, sounds like you've had a wonderful year :o)
If I could get an agent to request the full of my ms would be great. Have 2 requests for partials that are going out this week so fingers crossed. Other than that, I'm not sure what Santa could bring lol
I guess Christmas is coming early at my house this year... Christmas shopping that is! With all the blogs I visit there's talk of the upcoming holiday, so I decided to start getting ready now instead of later. In a way this is much better as I won't have to deal with big crowds (I'm just not a mall person). Though I have to admit that most of what I've purchased was from on-line stores!!☺
Congrats on your books being picked up for publishing, looking forward to reading all of them.
My b'day's 4 days before Xmas and it can be a blessing and a curse. My husbands is the 4h and my daughters is the 31st so we have a verrrrry busy December in our house. My daughter always laments her birthday being on the very last day of the year. But as I always tell her she'll be the birthday girl at every New Years Eve party when she's older so she'll be the toast of the town and they'll always be a party to go to.
Congrats on your book being out, Annie. Woohoo!!
Snow here in Canada is indicitive of Christmas coming soon and we are getting snow as I type. The wind is howling also so it is a good time to curl up with a good book and drink hot chocolate or I could even wrap Christmas presents that are sitting on a table behind me. Goodness, Christmas is coming soon.
Annie, what a wonderful post--thanks for sharing. And so good to hear about your box of books too.
There's always something wonderful about getting a parcel in the post and your books, well, even better!
Tessa
My Christmas came early last year when I(a person who never gambles on ANYTHING) won $2000 in a raffle! EVERYONE had a great christmas gift that year!
Congratulations on the publication of your first book.
Last year, Christmas came early when my neice had a successful heart surgery to repair a defect artery. She is doing great and I look forward to sharing a second Christmas with her.
Since my Dad passed this February it would be extra special if my Ma, Sis, and I could get together for Christmas. We're trying to work something out but I dunno....
Merry Christmas, Annie. Looking forward to reading your books.
I think Nicole's holiday, spent at home sounds like the perfect way to spend the day. I'll be bustling between winding up Hannukah, the Swedish Christmas Eve, Italian Christmas Day, and thank to my cousin's marriage, a traditional English Boxing Day (what is that?). I'm exhausted just thinking about it!
Congrats on the books!
For me Christmas and all other holidays combined came early few years ago when I got the chance to study translating in the university.
We have sometimes celebrated Christmas early because of conflicting holiday plans...but I have never had Christmas come early unexpectedly.
Congratulations on your first book! That's a wonderful early Christmas present!
Being with my family makes every Christmas special!
Congrats on your sales!
Well, Christmas came early for me the two years that I had my children, both born in December.
Fab party and Annie you know how I feel about your debut book it is absolutely wonderful and you have such an incredible career ahead of you.
Signing off, it's snowing here in Seattle and must get up early am to get to work.
PS I've learned that holidays have a way of working out....why? Family, friends and peace and joy that it brings.
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