Three years ago, I stumbled across an intriguing opportunity online: Harlequin’s From Blurb to Book: Pitch, Write and Sell Your Book in Five Months Contest. I had entered Harlequin contests like this before and received a rejection paired with helpful feedback. While the process is nerve-wracking and I didn’t have a plot brewing at the time, I couldn’t ignore the opportunity, because who can resist a fast-track to an editor’s inbox? The first phase of the contest required only 100 words of back-cover copy + an opening paragraph, which didn’t seem too daunting, so no harm in entering.
As my grandmother used to say, “Isn’t life funny?”
I had no idea what one somewhat spontaneous decision might lead to. While I did not win the contest, I did advance far enough to submit my complete manuscript. After revisions, I eventually sold the manuscript in late 2016 (the best Christmas present for an author is a publishing contract, by the way).
Harlequin Love Inspired will officially release The Firefighter’s Twins on June 1st.
I still can’t believe this is actually about to happen. Ironically, one of the themes in the novel is chasing big dreams and the fears that sometime hold us back. Crafting and revising this novel was some of the hardest work I’ve ever done. The team at Love Inspired is incredible to work with, and I’m so grateful they believed in this story, and coached me as I shaped and honed it into the book that’s about to hit the shelves. The twins in the story were super fun to craft, and I’m quite smitten with Shay, the hero of the story. What’s not to love about a firefighter single dad, right?
Here’s the official blurb (not the one I wrote… all credit for this one belongs to Harlequin).
One single dad plus twin toddlers. A formula for her new family?
Since his wife left, fireman Shay Campbell has focused on work and his twin toddlers. But the lovely Natalie McDowell is making him rethink that decision. She’s great with his boys, and they adore her. But he can’t go through losing someone again. Will a dream job offer win Natalie’s heart, or does it belong to Shay and the twins?
The paperback and E-book are available now. You can buy your copy here.
If you prefer to shop directly from Harlequin, click here
Thanks so much for celebrating with me. The arrival of this book is a dream come true.
