Monday, April 26, 2010

Three New Book Contracts!!!

I am so excited I could burst! I just signed three new book contracts with Midnight Ink which will result in moving my Claire Hanover gift basket designer mystery series from Five Star Publishing over to Midnight Ink. I FINALLY have an answer for the readers of that series who have been asking me for paperback, electronic, and audio formats of the books. Paperback and electronic are coming, and I'll set my literary agent to work on selling the audio rights next!

The first two contracts are for the first two books in the series, which Five Star has already published in hardcover, and in the case of A Real Basket Case, in large-print. Midnight Ink will bring A Real Basket Case out in trade paperback and electronic formats in Fall, 2011, and To Hell in a Handbasket in Fall, 2012. The third contract is for a brand-new third book in the series, to be published in Fall, 2013.

Both I and Terri Bischoff, the acquisition editor at Midnight Ink, hope the whole schedule can be moved up if I can finish the third book in a timely manner. The ultimate plan is for me to write one Rocky Mountain adventure mystery per year for MI and a gift basket designer mystery every other year for MI, putting me on a book every eight months schedule. I have never written a book in less than a year before, so this is a scary proposition for me, which is why I didn't commit yet to a more ambitious schedule.

I plan to finish the second Rocky Mountain adventure mystery, due in November, at least five months early, so I can start on the third gift basket designer book this summer. I'm really looking forward to visiting with Claire Hanover again after a long absence. If I can finish the rough draft, at least, before I need to start writing the third Rocky Mountain adventure mystery, then I'll agree to a faster release schedule. Wish me luck, because I'll need it!

I owe profuse thanks to my literary agent, Sandra Bond, for her diligent work in reviewing these three contracts and requesting modifications. Midnight Ink changed their contract boilerplate right before we started this process, and Sandra had to renegotiate many clauses that had already been decided in the previous contract for my Rocky Mountain adventure series. Her hard work and sharp eye underscored for me how important it is for an author to be represented by a knowledgeable literary agent in the publishing arena.

I also owe profuse thanks to Terri Bischoff for being willing to take a risk on me and and break new ground for Midnight Ink by acquiring a mystery series that had already been started with another publisher. Terri, I will work like a DOG to promote the series and prove you right in this decision!

Lastly, I owe a huge debt of gratitude to all of the staff at Tekno Books and Five Star Publishing, especially my Tekno editor, Denise Dietz, and the acquistions editor at Five Star, Tiffany Schofield, for giving a brand-new mystery author a chance and educating me about this wonderful, yet screwy, business.

I started this wild ride wondering if I could write a mystery, then if I could publish it, and now I have contracts for five books in two series in various formats. I couldn't be happier, and I'm looking forward to what future adventures lie in wait for me. Who knows? Maybe river ranger Mandy Tanner will have to rescue klutzy Claire Hanover when she falls into the Arkansas River on her first whitewater rafting trip. ;-)

43 comments:

Alan Orloff said...

CONGRATS, Beth! That's great news!

rodsummitt said...

super Beth --- I am really glad for you!!!

Rod Summitt

Dana Fredsti said...

Beth, that's wonderful news!!!! Celebrate at Bouchercon?!!

Beth Groundwater said...

Sorry, Dana, but I won't be at Bouchercon. I'll be celebrating at the Malice Domestic conference this weekend, though!

KK Brees said...

Terrific!! I am so excited for you Beth! You can do the 8 month gig - When I do an Idiot's Guide they give me three whole months for all the research and the writing. 4,000words a day. Pedal to the metal. Rock on!!

Deb Baker said...

Way to go Beth! You'll love working with Midnight Ink.

Hank Phillippi Ryan said...

Fantastic--Beth, that is SO exciting!

Congratulations!

Elizabeth Spann Craig said...

Great news, Beth! I'm so happy everything is working out so well for you!

Elizabeth

Steve Liskow said...

Terrific, Beth. Congratulations. You deserve it.

Peg Brantley said...

Fantastic news, Beth! It's wonderful to see you make a successful move to a new publisher and grow your readership. I have no doubt you can rev up your motors and deliver some fabulous manuscripts—ahead of schedule! ;-)

M Pax said...

Congrats, Beth! That is exciting. :D

joane kennedy said...

Congratulations, Beth! That's wonderful, and very much deserved. And don't worry about the time frame--it's amazing how motivating a deadline can be!

Dru said...

Congratulations and I'll have to revisit the Claire books again.

jbstanley said...

This is awesome news, Beth! Way to go! And you can do the 8 month schedule - you're very organized and that really helps!

chris v said...

Fantastic Beth, hope it goes well for you. yay!

June Shaw said...

Beth, I'm thrilled for you!!! So glad that Midnight Ink is giving you such great support. Of course I agree--the Five Star and Tekno teams are wonderful. Kudos!!!

Jill said...

You must be over the moon! Good for you! Congrats & may the good karma keep coming your way!

jenny milchman said...

Beth, this is wonderful news, and you are clearly a hard-working, envelope-pushing writer! I know you can do every eight months, ambitious though that is. Best of luck at your new home :)

Jan Christensen said...

Wow, Beth, this is fantastic news. All your hard work is paying off. Congratulations!

Earl Staggs said...

This is fantastic news, Beth, and I hope you're proud of yourself. You earned it the hard way -- by hard work and determination.

Don't worry about meeting the eight month schedule. All you have to do is give up mundane chores -- like laundry, cleaning house, and cooking.

Kathy McIntosh said...

Terrific news, Beth, for you and your readers.
Now, keep flexing those fingers.

Beth Groundwater said...

Thanks, everyone, for your congratulations and kind words. It's very inspiring to know that so many of you think I'll have no problem meeting the deadlines!

PamelaSueJames said...

Beth,
I'm very happy for you it's great news!
Pamela from Cozyarmchairgroup

Janet Lane said...

Beth, a big HUZZAH! I am so happy for you! Well deserved, and I wish you continued success! Hugs and hugs! --Janet

Natasha said...

Awesome. This is perhaps the first comment I have left here, despite following you forever, but special occasions call for a bit of de-lurking.

~ Rayna

Patricia Stoltey said...

Awesome news, Beth. Congratulations! I know you'll do great (and I'm really looking forward to reading your first Mandy Tanner novel).

Nancy J. Cohen said...

Congrats, Beth. That's great news, and you've worked hard to deserve it. Wishing you much success!

Chester Campbell said...

Great news, Beth. That's a tight schedule, but I'm sure you can do it. Knock 'em dead!

Keith Raffel said...

Great news! Good luck and good writing.

Maryannwrites said...

What wonderful news. Congratulations.

Anonymous said...

Beth, you inspire. I wonder if Midnight Ink will be interested in any of the rest of us. Maybe you are trail-blazing. Congratulations!

Sharon

Sheila Deeth said...

Woohoo! Congratulations Beth! Wonderful wonderful news! Paperbacks at last, and more in the series... And success in more than one genre (so very encouraging to the unpublished)...

And thank you so much for sharing your good news and brightening my email box (not to mention brightening a very rainy day.)

Morgan Mandel said...

Congratulatoins, Beth!
Sounds like you will be very busy.

Morgan Mandel
http://morganmandel.blogspot.com
http://facebook.com/morgan.mandel

WS Gager said...

Congrats Beth! You can do a book in eight months. I was at Spring Fling in Chicago over the weekend and there was a great session on keeping your deadlines in sight without stressing out about them. Email me and I will share it if you are interested. It was called the Chunk method and made great sense to me.
Way to go on the contract.
Wendy
www.wsgager.com
wsgager@yahoo.com

Anonymous said...

Beth, I was so pleased to read this news! Wish we could meet at the Great Manhattan Mystery Conclave again this year to talk, and I could congratulate you in person at that special conference. Sorry, also, that you won't be at Mayhem in the Midlands this year! (At least I don't see your name on the author list yet. But, with all that writing and blogging to do...... Ah! Radine

Tracy H. said...

Beth, congratulations! I'm so happy and excited for you.

Beth Groundwater said...

Thanks for coming out of lurkdom to comment, Rayna! And Wendy, thanks for the offer to share you notes on the Chunk method. I'll email you. Radine, sorry I won't be at GMMC or Mayhem this year--I'm too busy with the writing and selling the house & moving (if the house sells). Everyone else, you're warming my heart. Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment and join in my virtual party!

Lori Johnston said...

Fantastic news, Beth!
Congratulations to you!

Kathleen Ernst said...

Congrats, Beth! Fantastic! Looking forward to meeting you at Malice.

Jane Kennedy Sutton said...

Congratulations, Beth! You have three very special reasons to be excited.

Patricia Stoltey said...

Beth, I've tagged you in my blog post today -- if you want to play, there are questions to answer (it's like a writing prompt for bloggers).

Donna Volkenannt said...

Hi Beth,
That's wonderful news. Congratulations!
I discovered your blog through Patricia Stoltey's blog, and I plan to visit again soon.
Donna V.
http://donnasbookpub.blogspot.com

Beth Groundwater said...

Many thanks to those who've posted recent comments. I returned from my East Coast trip late Tuesday, then had to exit the house twice today for real estate agent showings, so I'm waaay behind on catching up with emails and blog comments. Pat, I hope to respond to your "tag" soon.