‘Why don’t you write a mystery set in York?’ my agent, Joanna Swainson suggested over the phone one Tuesday afternoon in November 2016.
I was living in York at the time and was standing on Ouse Bridge whilst taking the call.
After writing two romantic suspense novels in rather quick succession for Avon Books, I had found myself at a bit of a loss over what to write next. So I wrote a vague outline for a novel about a pioneering female jockey in the 1920s. Then I toyed with the idea of writing a retro spy adventure set in East Berlin. After that I wrote a pamphlet of poetry. Even when procrastinating, I like to be productive.
Looking over the river as dusk closed in on a winter evening in the medieval city, I realised that the idea of writing a story set in my home county appealed to me immensely.
I swiftly made my way home to turn every available cupboard into a storyboard.
I had never written a cosy crime novel before and it’s fair to say my first draft wasn’t going to win any awards. After some forthright feedback from Joanna however, I was able to craft a manuscript that I felt was worthy of publication. Luckily, my agent did too and in July 2018 she sent the book out to editors.
A few days after it was sent out, the manuscript had immediate interest from one of the most powerful genre imprints an author could hope to land. The commissioning editor sent me a stream of questions which I answered with bushy-tailed enthusiasm. She agreed to talk it over with the sales and marketing team. A week passed, then the news came back that it wasn’t a fit for them. They weren’t convinced they could sell my book because it is set in the present day and their audience preferred vintage backdrops.
August came and went. September too. Rejections rolled in with apologetic comments such as ‘cosy crime is a tricky genre to market,’ and quietly encouraging notes like: ‘I loved the writing but I’m afraid it doesn’t feel quite right for my list,’ and ‘Helen’s writing is such fun, Kitt’s character is intriguing to follow. Annoyingly though I don’t think this is one for me.’
I pulled out my tarot pack. The three of cups sat in the outcome position. The hard work would pay off, the cards insisted. You will soon be celebrating your success.
So, I remained patient and wrote some more poetry.
Leaves turned gold with the coming of October. There were stirrings on Halloween – a sort of climactic new year celebration for the pagan-minded. An editor wanted to know how quickly I could write the follow-up books in the series. Four to six months per book, I told them – depending on the advance.
An unearthly silence prevailed for the first two weeks of November. On my birthday, I laid out my tarot cards again. The strength card was followed by the chariot in the outcome position. Triumph was imminent. It didn’t feel like it. It had been more than two weeks since I’d heard a thing about my submission. But, the cards said there was no need nor room for fear of failure.
The next morning when I logged into my email account there was a message from my agent to say that an editor at a well-known publishing house wanted to offer me a three book deal in paperback, audiobook and ebook. Three is an important number – perhaps THE most important number – to those of us who believe in signs and magic and anything except coincidence.
I cried then. In relief that this part of the journey was done. That the weekends I had given up, the sunny Sundays spent in the dark, the nights when I’d tapped away at the keyboard until way past my bedtime were going to be formally recognized. This would be my first paperback deal, a dream I had harboured since the age of six.
But that isn’t the end of the story.
Before the week was out I had interest from two other editors (that makes the magic three). One editor from a smaller publishing house and another from Quercus Fiction, who also offered me a three-book deal but in addition agreed to release a hardback version of my book. Ultimately, the editor from the small publisher had to withdraw because they weren’t able to match the offer like-for-like.
Both remaining editors were beyond enthusiastic about my work and downright lovely people. But, one of my top goals as an author is to get my work into as many formats as possible and consequently I accepted the offer from Quercus Fiction. There, I have since been lucky enough to work with Therese Keating on the final edits to my manuscript.
I signed the contract with Quercus precisely three years after I signed my first contract with Harper Collins. My third novel Murder by the Minster, the first in the three book deal, will be released in ebook, hardback and audiobook in July 2019. Three years, almost to the day, after the release of my first novel. In fact, their release dates are separated by three days.
You’ve got to love those threes.
And my publisher has decided that the paperback release date will be… Halloween 2019.
Naturally, I wouldn’t dream of writing a post about my book deal moment without telling you how our Mam reacted to the news…
‘Mam, I’ve been offered a three-book deal by Quercus Books.’
‘Quercus?’ Mam replied with a frown. ‘Are they real?’
‘No Mam, I just go around the place pretending I’ve had offers from fictional publishing houses.’
Despite her initial skepticism that I’d managed to land another book deal, she was nice enough to send me this card through a few days later. Addressed to ‘The Yorkshire Author’ and signed by the family dog.
The ultimate seal of approval.
For more information on my third novel Murder by the Minster, click here.