WELCOME to my first blog post ever!!
I’m Kathy Aarons, author of Death is Like a Box of Chocolates, first in the Chocolate Covered Mystery series, by Berkley Prime Crime, which will be out on September 2, 2014.
I typed that very calmly, but in my head I’m thinking, “OUT ON SEPTEMBER SECOND! MY FIRST BOOK EVER!”
(Deep breaths.) It’s very exciting.
Since authors are supposed to have blogs, this one is mine, and this first posting will be all about me, which is my favorite thing to talk about besides my kids and my husband.
But back to me. I’ve been writing for a long time and once my oldest daughter went off to college, I decided to get serious about the whole publishing thing, and prove that I wasn’t writing just to avoid housekeeping. (But that was, and continues to be, the main reason.)
I signed on with the amazing Jessica Faust, super-agent with BookEnds LLC, and in about a minute, she got me a book deal with Berkley Prime Crime. She’s that good.
And then I had to learn how to write a book in a year. My first book, which is what convinced Jessica to sign me, took 17 years. I’m kidding. 10 years. Really, 7 years on and off. Mostly off. I was the queen of volunteering including: PTA president, education foundation fundraiser, youth theater costume chair, puppet making business assistant, basketball, swimming and soccer mom, room parent, and all around “crazy mom.”
Now that I have actual deadlines that I always, always meet (don’t show this to my editor), the only volunteering I do is helping with the Canyon Crest Academy Writers Conference, the only free writing conference for high school students in the country. It’s a truly amazing day full of writing workshops by wonderful authors and other writing professionals and students who love writing so much they spend a whole Saturday inside. (Go ahead and Google it to see articles from previous years.)
Oh wait. I just joined the board of Playwrights Project, an awesome non-profit with the mission to advance literacy, creativity, and communication by empowering individuals to voice their stories through playwriting programs and theatre productions. A truly amazing organization. http://playwrightsproject.org/
Anyway, I did it! I finished Death is Like a Box of Chocolates in one year. My wonderful editor, Robin Barletta, helped to make it a heck of a lot better. I learned a ton about the publishing industry. I’ve been around a lot of published authors for years and thought I knew what to expect, but each milestone was thrilling. Signing a contract! Attending the Berkley dinner at the Malice conference and sitting across the table from THE Carolyn Hart! Seeing my cover art – OMG! Reading galleys – my book is so pretty!
Did I mention it’s coming out soon?
I’m not sure what else should be in a first blog post but here are a few things I LOVE:
My family. My friends. My critique group – the amazingly talented Barrie Summy and Kelly Hayes. Coffee. Chocolate. Theater. My Artist Way group, book club and mom’s night out group. Ssusan Forte O’Neill’s Yayas. The Walking Dead TV show. Any postings anywhere by Allie Brosh – she’s just genius. San Diego weather. Walking on the beach. RWA-San Diego – the most amazingly supportive group of (mostly) women! More coffee. Obviously, the word “amazing.”
I’m sure I’m missing way too many other things that I love, so I will add them in the comments.
Welcome!
Kathy Aarons
