Today I have the great privilege of being the first blogger to interview the amazing Colette Ballard about her recently sold book, Middle of Nowhere. Before I begin, let me tell you a little about Colette. First, she is amazing and tenacious. She tells her story below, so I won't go into that, but she made it through close calls, and almost-theres and came out on the other side. Second, she's really funny. Really really funny. Third, she's talented, and soon everyone is going to get to see proof of that!
IT’S OFFICIAL: June 27th, 2013 PUBLISHER’S MARKETPLACE ANNOUNCEMENT!!
Colette Ballard's debut MIDDLE OF NOWHERE, when a
seventeen-year-old girl is brutally attacked by her controlling boyfriend, she
accidentally kills him in self-defense and with the help of her closest friends
eludes police until she can find evidence to clear her name and face the boy
who has stood by her for years and who she has loved for as long as she can
remember, to Marie Romero at Tulip,
by Kevan Lyon at Marsal Lyon
Literary Agency (World English).
- Tell
us about your journey to publishing, especially the close calls.
Four score and seven
years ago…
Okay, maybe not that
long, but it feels like it, I started researching and learning how to write
picture books. I bought a couple of HOW TO books—Writer’s Digest Children’s
Writers and Illustrators Market Guide is a must-have. After ruining lots of
paper, and more research, I found contests to enter and focused on the ones
where you’d get written critiques.
Somewhere along the road…
I had a dream; so
intense and vivid I couldn’t stop thinking about it. I found myself creating a
story around it and imagining it as a novel—even though I had zero knowledge of
novel writing, but had secretly daydreamed of the idea for years.
Eventually…
I allowed myself to
write down my ideas but didn’t take it any further. I was in the process of
polishing one of my children’s book manuscripts for the 2008 PNWA contest when
I noticed the young adult category. Six weeks later, I had the first thirty
pages and a synopsis ready for entry.
A few months later…
To my utter shock
and joy, I received a phone call that I was one of eight finalists. I didn’t
win, but this achievement and the two rave critiques from established writers
gave me the courage to finish the manuscript.
Sometime later…
After more contest
critiques (not all favorable by any means) and a few honorable mentions in The
Writer’s Digest short story contest, I gained enough confidence to venture out
of my solitary writing cave and join the SCBWI. I’d read about the importance
of joining a critique group and three and a half years ago, I worked up the
nerve to answer a life-altering e-mail from Katie McGarry looking to start a YA
critique group in the Louisville area. I responded along with Bill Wolfe,
Bethany Griffin, Kurt Hampe, and eventually we added Kelly Creagh. I cannot
stress the importance of this decision—I would NOT be where I am without these
people!
After maybe a year
and a half…
And a major overhaul
of the manuscript, it was time to send out agent queries…I attended an SCBWI
conference and signed up for an anonymous query critique session with agent
Kelly Sonnack. She really liked my query letter so I contacted her after the
conference and stayed in touch until I completed the manuscript. She ended up
rejecting it because it simply wasn't her thing, but she referred me to the
amazing Kevan Lyon who snapped it up. BTW, Kevan happened to be Katie’s
agent as well—crazy, right?
In July of 2011…
Kevan sent MON out
on submission and we had some very close calls—three times going to
acquisitions—inevitably resulting in a “NO”. Heartbreaking to be so close!
But then…
Little did I know
that Kevan had an intern named Marie Romero who read MIDDLE OF NOWHERE and requested
to take it on as a project when she moved up as editor-in-chief at Spencer Hill
Press’s newest line, TULIP ROMANCE.
Fast forward to June
2013 and TADA…
MIDDLE OF NOWHERE is
scheduled for digital release November 25th, 2013!! Print release to
follow at a later date…
- Tell
us about the moment you got the phone call.
This all happened
within three days and the book wasn’t even out on submission—I was in complete
shock and sat staring at the computer screen for a reaaallllyy long time. J
Oh, and super fun
fact: I got the news of my book deal exactly five years to the weekend that I
got the phone call about finaling in my first contest for Middle of Nowhere!
- Tell
us how things feel now.
SURREAL!!! That is
all.
- Tell
us what you can about the book inspiration, a short summary.
The inspiration for
the book came from a crazy dream—described in the non-short summary in question
one. J
Thanks Bethany, for my very first
interview!!
6 comments:
Woo-hoo, Collette! You already know I've been cheering for you since we met at the very start of YA Fusion. Thanks for sharing your story - it will encourage others to follow their dreams too.
The book sounds fantastic!!!! I loved this interview. It was great getting to know you!
Congrats on the debut Colette. When the book comes out, I want to post a short reading here using my tractor-pull commercial voice.
Thanks, Kristen-I really appreciate your support through this. It's been great to share the journey with someone who's going through the same thing! I have faith it's going to happen soon for you too. :)
Thanks, Jen! I'm very excited about it-i worked very hard. :)
Kurt-please, yes! That's the one with the hillbilly accent and the neck tattoo, right? It's my favorite:)
Thanks for the interview, Bethany. Colette, your a natural with interviews - informative and entertaining. Congratulations!
This is awesome!
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