We are thrilled to bring you yet another awesome success story from PitchMAS!
We'll give Jennifer Novotney the floor so she can tell you all about her recent publishing deal with Anaiah Press!
Take it away, girl! And HUGE congratulations!!!
It all started when I saw the Twitter/blog contest for Pitchmas, a pitch party run by Jessa Russo and Tamara Mataya, where editors and agents can see your novel pitch and request material. The first part of the event was on the blog and only the top 75 entries got in. Honestly, I was hesitant to enter it. During the query process for Winter in the Soul, while I had managed to rack up at least 40 agent rejections, a successful, high powered literary agent expressed interest in it and was reading the full manuscript. I didn't know if I should try and pitch it, but I gave it a shot anyway. I also sent in two other pitches for my other unpublished works. One of them, not for Winter in the Soul, got in and was displayed on the blog. The first request I received was from Kara Leigh Miller, the managing editor of Anaiah Press, who requested to read the first three chapters. It got even better because just four short hours later, she asked to read the entire manuscript. I was ecstatic! This was the farthest I had gotten with a publisher and I couldn't wait to hear back from her.
The next day was the Twitter Pitchmas pitch party where any writer could pitch their work for the day. No one was biting on Winter in the Soul. The other work, the same that had come in at number 11 on the blog contest, was getting all kinds of requests. I saw that Kara from Anaiah Press tweeted about wanting a young adult story written in third person and I told her I had one. She asked me to send the first three chapters and I waited patiently for her to request the full, just like she had so promptly with the other one. Only this time, nothing happened, at least not right away. Six days later, she requested the full manuscript and then the next evening, just 31 hours later, she emailed to offer me a contract for publication with Anaiah Press.
I couldn't believe it. I wasn't even seriously pitching it and now, I had a bona fide offer. I had some thinking to do. I didn't even have an agent yet and I didn't plan to publish my work before getting one. I let the agent who was reading the full manuscript for Winter in the Soul know about the offer, but without a written contract from him, I decided to go full speed ahead with Anaiah Press. For one, they are amazing. Every single staff member I've interacted with so far has been professional, positive, and excellent at their job. This gave me so much confidence in them that the choice was clear. I wanted someone passionate about Winter in the Soul to be behind the book and since Kara had read it in nearly a day, I knew they were the ones to do it.
I am looking forward to working with a small press who can give me the attention I deserve for my debut novel. I'll be posting updates along the way so follow my blog to keep up to date on my publishing story.
Website: JenniferNovotney.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/
Facebook: https://www.
Congratulations, Jennifer, on your debut novel! I participated in #Pitmad and received a book offer for one of my picture books. I'm thrilled to know that everyone is as nice and professional at Anaiah Press as my first impression of them. I can't wait to get started...;~)
ReplyDeleteTake care,
Donna L Martin
www.donnalmartin.com