About a year and a half ago, I had an idea for a book. About 13 months ago, I wrote the first words of the first draft of that book. Three drafts (and many, many query letter revisions) later, I was offered literary representation by the amazing Alyssa Eisner Henkin, who has been nothing less than the best agent I could have asked for. And about a month and a half ago, my book went out on submission to editors at various publishing houses. Now...
I am so excited to announce that my debut novel, THE CREATION OF HALLELUJAH CALHOUN, has been acquired by HarperCollins! And sometime soon (most likely early 2015), my book will be on the shelves in bookstores across the country (and on digital platforms) for everyone to read!
As you might imagine, I am over-the-moon excited. This is something I've been dreaming about and working toward for years. I'm so proud of this book and I can't wait to find out what my editor, Alexandra Cooper, has in mind to make it even better. I know there is more work ahead, but I am so ready to tackle it—and to eventually share this book with all of you. Yay!!!
But first, some thank-yous:
Thanks to my family, who always believed I could do this and who have supported me along the journey. Thanks especially to my wonderful, smart, sweet, kind husband, who is always willing to be a sounding board and a cheerleader and a shoulder to cry on, and who is easily as excited about this big next step as I am. Thanks to all of the friends and friends of friends who have listened to me talk about writing for years, and who have encouraged me to keep at it. Thanks to every single person who read HALLELUJAH in draft form and offered thoughts; you helped shape the book in so many ways. Thank you ALL for listening, for commenting, for caring, for critiquing, and for understanding when I can't do social things because I have to write. And finally, my heartfelt thanks to Alyssa and Alexandra, for believing in me and my manuscript and for helping guide me to this exciting moment. I couldn't have done it without any of you.
I am truly lucky.
THE CREATION OF HALLELUJAH CALHOUN is about a 16-year-old girl who gets lost in the Smoky Mountains in Tennessee, along with two other teens. Even as they're fighting to survive in the mountains with no supplies, Hallie is fighting to overcome her own personal issues—in particular, the fallout from a lie told about her by a popular, cruel boy about something that happened between them a year ago. Hallie has to find her voice and her strength—and let go of her past—if she wants to make it home alive.
I can't wait to give you more details about the book! In the meantime, please enjoy this gif of Lucille Bluth from "Arrested Development"—and imagine me doing this:
~Kathryn