The deal: My novel, THE RUBY CUP, will be published by Harper Perennial!
A few details: On Friday, I got a call from my agent with an offer from Harper Perennial. It’s my favorite publishing house (everyone who knows me best knows this), so it was an extra thrill.
Earlier in the week, I’d spoken with the woman who will be my editor to see if we’re on the same page with edits. Do you know the feeling when someone talks about your work with ideas that are so in-line with yours but with an original twist you never considered? It sets off fireworks in your head. You can’t stop the new ideas; they find you when you’re driving and while you’re sleeping.
I always thought, when I got a book deal, that I’d shout it from the rooftops. My reaction surprised me. It felt intensely private, like giving birth; and then, after something full of seemingly endless pain and worry and utter exhaustion, you’re holding this baby. And he’s healthy and looking at you. And in the back of your mind, you know you have to call everyone to say he’s born and tell everyone his name and how much he weighs and all about the labor, but you kind of can’t move. You just want to stay in that quiet space for a while, just the two of you, and let it all feel real.
I spent the weekend cleaning. Can you believe my first real urge after getting a book deal was to wash and fold all the laundry?! And I just hung out with the family and gardened and threw a tennis ball to the dogs. Hardly went near the computer.
I feel good. Feel like getting to work. And I want to tell those of you who feel like Sisyphus, pushing that boulder up the hill, or who feel like a mother in some kind of cruel false labor, that I hope it happens for you soon. Because the second you’re standing on the top of the hill, or you’re holding that newborn, all that pushing doesn’t seem so bad.
Thanks to all of you for being here. xo
{ 145 comments… read them below or add one }
AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!
THIS IS THE BEST NEWS!!
I’m jumping up and down in my seat!
Sue!
WOOHOO!!!!! wonderful news. I am thrilled for you!
and I completely understand your reaction–and your insights to your reaction.
YES! I’m so thrilled for you, Sue. Absolutely thrilled!
Oh, Sue, this is on the far side of wonderful. Writers and friends around the world are cheering. Deserving has about 35 too few syllables to capture it. Enjoy every annoying minute of the publishing process – something just like kids, sorta, kinda…sometimes it even loves you. Meanwhile, we all do and are so happy.
This is the grandest news! I am beyond thrilled for you. And I can’t wait to hold your novel in my hands. I’ve read a bit of it and the writing is so astonishing, moving, delicious and wonderful. What a treat for future readers! And lucky Harper P for snapping up your novel! They got a great catch!
You’ve worked hard, Susan! Congratulations!
Jessica Keener
I can’t think of many more occasions where I’ve been more thrilled or proud of someone. As I’ve already told you privately, I think success is so much sweeter when it’s something you have worked so hard for. It proves you are no flash in the pan and the entire universe is going to know your name sooner rather than later. I also want to add heartfelt thanks for your support and inspiration to authors all over the world and I hope you realize how much you mean to all of us.
Here’s to a long and glorious career! You have so, so earned it.
Now about that party in New York City. Who is up for a major celebration?
xo
Yay! Such great news!!!
As one of many boulder-pushers out here, it does me well to see you on top of the hill, flag planted, now catching your breath.
Well done!
Congrats, Susan! I know just what you mean and had a similar experience myself–well, except for the urge to clean. Congrats, again!!
Awesome! So happy for you and so happy for all the future readers of your fireworks!
Yay! Great, great news! Congratulations to you, dear Susan!
Great news!
Oh and not that this is important right now, but just FYI that when I posted my above comment (using my twitter log in), it came up on twitter as this: ” RE: @TerryBain Yay! Great, great news! Congratulations to you, dear Susan!”
wonderful!
This is such fabulous news. And I completely get your reaction.
Congrats! And your reaction to the news is so special – well, actually, very Susanesque. Thanks for allowing us to jump up and down on the bed with you.
Susan, Congratulations to you! I cannot wait to read it and look forward to your book’s birth, launch and growing up!
Meredith
Susan,
All your hard work and deep thinking and long hours of pondering and writing and editing are paying off now, and you certainly deserve to feel gloriously joyful about your book deal! Congratulations!!
Best,
Richard
CONGRATULATIONS, SUSAN!!!! Fantastic news!
This is the best. news. ever.
Next dinner’s on me!
What a lovely post and thanks for thinking of us at such a joyous time for you!
(Sisyphus)
What a sane and beautiful reaction. I could almost feel your calm serenity–and strength–as you threw that tennis ball and folded that laundry. And of course, you end by encouraging others, rather than celebrating yourself. Love you and can’t wait to read The Ruby Cup!
I love this post, Sue!!! I can’t wait to read your new baby and woweee what great news for all of us!!!
xoxoKat
Well done, you and congratulations!
I don’t even know you, but as a Zoetroper, I am very happy to hear about your great news! I am currently writing my first novel after years of journalism and your great news is another spark to my own motivation. I’m sure you spent years of hard work toiling away with your writing before you got to this great achievement. I’ll certainly buy the book as soon as it’s out! BTW, what’s the book about?
BTW, I’m in Seoul, Korea.. it’s great to have some encouraging writing news for a fellow writer as I toil away here in the Far East.. Once again, congratulations! I hope that you get to do a nice signing tour!
Congratulations to Susan Henderson on her book deal with Harper Perennial for her novel, THE RUBY CUP! Follow Sue at her amazing website http://www.litpark.com and on Twitter @litpark
congrats!
I know that feeling well, and I’m so happy you’re getting it now.
from the same imprint even.
so happy for you, wondertwin! I’ll be in the basement if ya need me.
xo.
Congratulations, Susan! I’m so happy for you — both for the deal and for the fact that you got to spend the weekend just “being” and enjoying life/family.
Alright!!! Congratulations, Susan. That is such wonderful news. So glad your novel will be with Harper Perennial. And I love your reaction. And I hope everyone here gets to go through it too. Looking forward to hearing more. Congrats again.
That is so awesome! Congratulations!!
WOO!! HOO!! Congratulations, Sue! I’m so happy for you! And your announcement was so moving, it made me cry. You deserve this wonderful success. Enjoy every minute of it! I’ll Retweet your announcement on Twitter.
Congratulations, Susan. Here’s to YOU and faithfulness and hard work and talent. This is YOUR time. Blissings.
Huge congratulations, Sue! I look forward to reading the novel!
What a beautiful reaction, Susan. You’re so thoughtful, in addition to being brilliant. I, however, am just going to say: EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!
I just noticed this as well. I’ll have to look into fixing that. In the mean time: woo hoo Sue!
Congratulations, Sue. And blessings.
Congratulations Susan!! That’s wonderful news-ain’t that the truth-when you least expect it-life often works out the best!
This is SO awesome and soooooo deserved!! Congrats, Sue! I will buy that novel the second it goes on pre-order. A million hugs and congrats to you!! Love, h
Success!!! Wow, this is like watching all the prodigy kids grow up. I’m just thrilled for you, Sue.
Can’t wait to buy it.
Woooooohooooo! Fuck yeah! Amazing news. So happy for you. And so well-deserved. Can’t wait to see it in print!!! XO.
Oh, Sue. This is just the best news.
Hearty congratulations. I’m delighted for you.
Wow, to all of you, and thank you for the things you’ve said here. Tomorrow I’ll respond to everyone individually, but for now, just know that all of you mean a great deal to me.
Oh happy day! That’s just so awesome, congrats!!!
Couldn’t happen to a more generous, talented writer. Hearty congratulations to you, and thanks for encouraging the rest of us.
Congratulations, Susan! Great news…
Oh, yayayayay!!! Such wonderful news, Susan. And thank you for once again making it a little bit about all of us in the trenches, too. Such a generous, gracious person you are. Couldn’t have happened to a more deserving writer!!
Congrtulations, Susan! What amazing news! I have not been able to log in since I became a member but saw Maria’s tweet on twitter and wanted to stop by and post my heart-felt congrats! Well deserved! Could not have happened to a more deserving person. Best of luck- Georgia McBride
That’s Great Sue! Can you say NY Times Bess Seller?!
RAJ
http://twitter.com/FollowMe_RnBE
Oh, Susan, how absolutely wonderful…and natural–we all expected that it would be so. I’ve been meaning to write and tell you how much I enjoyed “Motorhead”! It’s been months, and I haven’t done it yet. You’re a wonderful writer. You have a way about you in your writing that helps us to “get it”, to be there and to see it as the character/s see it. Even in your blog posts here, I’m amazed at how beautifully, soulfully and efficiently you are able to introduce topics and close things out with your “wrap up”.
I’ve never met you in person, but the internet allows me to see a bit of your sweet self on here and I really like it. I’m glad to know you (even in this limited way), and to know that this couldn’t have happened to a kinder, more deserving person.
Congratulations! Or as we say in Australia, goodonya!
Susan, this is too terrific for words!! Super-duper congratulations–I LOVE that this happened for you after all your hard work (and I can’t wait to read it)!!!
Congratulations Susan! All your hard work is starting to pay off. This is a huge accomplishment!
Whoa, I’m behind. And I’m going to start here in the thread since you’re a little to do with why I’m behind.
Remember when we walked from Lower East Side to Penn Station and I was saying, “These probably aren’t the best shoes for this walk”? Well, I thought it was just regular blisters, and that it was cool that I couldn’t walk for a few days because my foot was hurting. And then I was getting fevers and it hurt all the way up the leg bone, so I went to the doctor today. Thank God for antibiotics!
Thanks, Joe!
Thanks, Maria!
Thanks, Despina!
Oh yeah on that NY Times Bessseller, Ray!
Thanks, Georgia!
Thanks, Mary! Hard to forget the trenches when that’s been home for so many years!
Thanks, Peter! (…on phone with my agent…)
Thanks, Jim!
Thanks, Laura!
Thanks, Liesl! Hopefully the book tour goes through South Africa!
Thanks, Brad! For lots and lots of things.
Thanks, Bev!
Thanks, Heather! And yay that you’ll pre-order it cuz that makes it sound like a real book!
Thanks, Carmelo!
Thanks, t! (Just sent you a note.)
Laura, I’ve always wished I could say EEEEEEEEEEEEEEE! but I get too self-conscious. Thanks for EEEing for me!
Thanks, Xujun!
Thanks, Colin!
Thanks, Carolyn!
Thanks, Kirk! And for what you wrote in your blog… very sweet.
Thanks, Tanya! And I’ll see you at Squaw Valley, right?
Thanks, Wondertwin!!
Thanks, David! And so nice of you to send out that tweet!
Susan,
Congratulations! My first novel, The Summer We Fell Apart was bought by Harper Perennial as well and will be published January 2010. They are absolutely AMAZING to work with – my editor is a dream -the entire team is more than a first time (or anytime) novelist could ask for!
Funny, I had the same reaction to publication… altho my call came when I was standing in a big box store buying party supplies for an anniversary celebration I was throwing for my in-laws that weekend. All the years we toil away writing in earnest and you think you know exactly how you’re going to feel when THE moment arrives… and yet, I know for me, I held it close like a secret, at least for a little while, just reveling quietly….
Enjoy the feeling!
Thanks, Brian! And I owe Zoetrope so much for teaching me to write better and edit better and care about community as much as self. I hope I go to Seoul on my book tour!!
Thanks, Nathalie!!
Thanks, Kat!
Love you, Patry.
Thanks, Nora! (It’ll happen!)
Seriously??? That’s terrible! Fevers from blisters??? Wow! Who knew? Hope you’re feeling better soon so you can fully enjoy the wash of success that’s about to hit.
Thanks, Lori!
Thanks, Richard!
Thanks, Meredith!
Hee. Thanks, Ric!
Thanks, Maureen!
Thanks, Claudia!
Thanks, Cliff!
Thanks, Myf!
Thanks, Robert!
Thanks, Paul! I didn’t realize you were at Writers House, too.
Let me link you so others can spy: http://www.paulelwork.com/
Thanks! I had a dream about your Easter eggs. They were rolling. I think this is good, right?
Thanks you really and truly and from the beginning.
Thanks for picking me up whenever I was face-down on the ground.
I love it when you call me kiddo!
Aww, thanks, Jessica!
Thanks, Jim!!
Thanks, MAS!
I just now got your phone message because I’m totally retarded with picking up messages. And thank you!!
Hi Robin!
Look, you already have your slot at Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/You-Should-Have-Said-Hello/dp/0061782165
Can’t wait to see the cover!
Gee, I hope so. Were they rolling up hill or down?
It’s the realest real book there ever was. I’ll even make a spot of honor for it ON TOP of my desk in the book-infested reading and writing room.
*grins* Fifty times congrats! Love, h
xoxo
I don’t remember. But it’s possible they were rolling around in ecstasy after crossing the finish line!
Congratulations, Susan!
Sue,
This is so awesome and so deserved! I can’t wait to hold that baby in my arms!
Darlin’
Lisa! Thanks!
xo!
Congratulations, Sue. Great news and so well deserved — I’m not surprised but that doesn’t lessen the delight!
Aww, thanks, Richard!
Susan! Beautiful news. Congratulations. I love your description of this as a birthing.
Congrats Susan! I am so happy for you! YAY
Great news, Sue. Couldn’t happen to a better person.
Haven’t talked to you in ages. Not since Night Train. You’ve done so much for other people. I’m so pleased.
Richard Madelin.
Thanks, Richard. And hi!
Thanks, K! xo
Thanks, Shelley!
That’s wonderful! Congratulations.
I was out of town for a few weeks — no internet — when this all came to pass. I am so happy for you Susan. You have been such a kind and generous spirit, a shining light. I am doing cartwheels here in my office.
Hi Petula, and thank you!
Paris with no internet = heaven.
Dying to see you do a cartwheel!
Thank you Susan!
Reading your post is a fresh breath of inspiration, even if I am still stuck at the estranged end of being ready for an agent or publisher.
This is a nice chance to wonder what it will be like when I “break on through to the other side!”
Thanks for keeping some of us going during these times when burning old manuscripts might be more gratifying than useful!
Hi Lee! Just remember: every successful writer today was once without an agent and without a publisher and had a manuscript they thought of burning.
Oh how I smile when I’ve been on temporary mental vacation here!
Congratulations Sue! HP published my novel in paperback too!
Well, let’s link it, then: http://www.amazon.com/Sound-Butterflies-Novel-P-S/dp/0061357707
Nothing shameful here, I just blurbed a short blog about you on my new blog!
http://leecrase.wordpress.com
That is so cool, Lee. And that you linked to Lance and Frank.
I’ll return the favor next Monthly Wrap!
Wonderful news! I can’t wait to read it!
Thanks, Maria!
Congratulations, Susan! Fabulous news, I so look forward to reading it and HarperPerennial publishes so many amazing books, it sounds like the perfect fit.
Holy smoke, Susan, I should stop by more often. That’s wonderful, terrific news. What good sense Harper Perennial is showing! Looking forward to reading it. (Oh, and edited to say you deserve it for all you do.)
Thanks, Rachel!
Thanks, Jim!
Wow!! Huge congratulations! I’m so very happy for you, and can’t wait to read The Ruby Cup. Like you, my reaction would probably be something very quiet and private. It’s such an intimate thing – writing a book and then having it sell. (not having gotten to the sale part I’m speculating on that bit, but all the rest leading up to it is, so I can’t imagine the sale changes that aspect).
What a great mid-summer announcement – inspires me to keep pushing.
That’s wonderful news, Susan! Many congratulations!
Roger
Thanks, Roger! Linking your new one: http://www.amazon.com/Vengeful-Longing-R-N-Morris/dp/0143115499/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1248464324&sr=1-2
Thanks, Billie! Glad you’re inspired!
P.S. The poem you tagged me on is gorgeous.
Cool write-up about my book deal in Publisher’s Weekly: http://www.publishersweekly.com/article/CA6673043.html?
(…though “1950′s” should read “1970′s.”)
Super congrats, Susan! We’re celebrating for you over at Backspace as well. What a terrific thrill this must be, no doubt.
Aww, that’s so nice to hear. Thank you!
And let me link your blog here so others can have a visit: http://biscuitcream.blogspot.com/
Susan!!! I’m wildly happy for you and believe the world is finally in order. Even better is that we’re both with the same house. Harper Perennial is simply the best. Huge congratulations.
Aww, thanks, Tish. I’m so so happy about it!