You Do Wurds Good? Legendary Editor agrees to work with me. (Yay. Oh, Crap.)

So, today, my Wonder Woman agent, Italia Gandolfo, sent me this text:

Betsy Mitchell is going to be your editor at Open Road.

I stared at the text for a moment in utter disbelief. Then I texted back with a link to Betsy’s bio

You mean, THIS Betsy Mitchell? 

Wonder Woman Agent texts back

That’s her.

(Madcap mayhem ensues as I alternate between exultation and absolute panic.)

For those of you wondering why I would panic, Betsy has edited some pretty legendary people.

Like who?

Try this list:

Pulitzer Prize Winner Michael Chabon, Hugo Award Winner Dan Simmons, William Gibson, Nebula Award Winner Octavia Butler, NYT Bestsllers; Dean Koontz, Naomi Novak, and Peter Hamilton. She was the Editor in Chief at Del Rey along with editorial positions at Warner books, Random House and Bantam Spectra.

This is a huge high point in my writing career. Wonder Woman agent and I call 3 Gates of the Dead the little book that could. It helped start her agency and paved the way for others at GH Literary. The book (now a series) started out in my shower, was written at Scottie’s Coffee Shop (now gone), and went through a billion rewrites.

After I got a publishing deal from Premier Publishing in Los Angeles, 3 Gates of the Dead has done the following:

-Received a glowing review in Library Journal, Midwest Book Review, New York Journal of Books, and at last count, has over 100 five and four star reviews on Amazon.

-Signed by Audible.com for a two book deal (Dark Bride comes out November 2014).

-Became a Best Seller on Amazon.

-Inspired a film adaptation contest

-Is currently under negotiations for a TV series or movie.

-Now being edited by Betsy Mitchell.

Whew.

I wish I could describe my feelings right now. Really. When I talked to Betsy on the phone (delightful conversation), I think I probably sounded something like this;

You do wurds good?

Maybe not that bad, but close.

Anyway, I’m beyond grateful and thankful to all the readers and fans. You got me here. And, to Wonder Woman agent, I say thanks for everything.