Tuesday, January 25, 2011

THE Call (How Michelle Wolfson Offered Representation, part III)

I think we have a psychic in our blogosphere.  It’s Carrie, since last week she asked in the comments section if—to climb to the second floor and answer The Call—there was a trampoline involved.

There is! 


I’d seen my nine-year-old dangle from the upper railing of the trampoline’s enclosure net.  If he could do it, I could do it, too, right?  I mean, I’m much taller.  Could I hold on to that railing and, with the help of my kids, pull myself up to the terrace?  

Well, I just had to. 

We pushed the trampoline until it was right next to the wall, and I climbed up through the net—without looking down.  So scary to look down.  After all, this IS a pretty high second floor.  I think the adrenaline of knowing Michelle was waiting for The Call, too, made me get there all right.  Because now, I look at the terrace from below, and I have no idea how I got up there.

Finally, I opened the window, and sat at the computer’s desk.  And trembled like crazy—my heart thumping as much as I make my MC’s hearts thump in the scary scenes.  I clamped my eyes shut, leaned back in the chair and tried to relax.  No relaxing thoughts came, though, only the ringing of my computer arrived.  The Skype call had started!

I pushed the button to answer.

At first glance, Michelle seemed like an incredibly nice person, and I thought she didn’t look at all like her WriteOnCon picture.  (Her hair was shorter and her face appeared even peppier, if possible.) After looking at her, I took a sneak peek at the picture-in-picture to see my own face.  Eek—my eyes were bugging out, my jaw practically hanging.  I quickly tried a more normal expression, and then we started with the small talk.  Which was great, obviously, since I needed to relax. 

Turns out I couldn’t even manage a decent small talk.  Something like this happened:
-Michelle:  “So, Monica, what’s the weather like today there?”
-Me: “Um, warm.”  *thinks it’s a great moment to let Michelle look at something else other than a blushing face* “See for yourself.” *Turns the computer’s camera toward the window*
-Michelle: “Oh that’s a nice view you have there.  Do you want to see my view?”
-Me: “Okay.”
-Michelle: *shows me a lovely view of Manhattan.*
-Me: “Oh.  A building!” *Thinks: a building?? That’s your best reply??? Duh! Michelle lives in New York, of course there are going to be buildings there! What a hillbilly, Monica! Why couldn’t you say something normal about the view, like Michelle?* *Blushes even more*

Well, you get the picture of what a terrible “small talker” I am.
But luckily, Michelle wasn’t nervous like me and she took up the reins of the conversation and led it through all the agenting process and answered all my silly questions. She even excused me when I just couldn’t pronounce “Paranormalcy” when we were talking about her recent book deals. (Thanks for your patience, Michelle!)

I was so impressed by her enthusiasm about my book, her ideas for making it better, that I knew that she was the one.  The perfect agent for me. 
So when we hung up, guess what I did???
I honestly don’t remember! I mean, I was so elated, that it was kind of like being drunk.  Because the next thing I knew, I was next door, picking up the kids from my mom’s house, screaming that I finally had an agent!!!

37 comments:

  1. ROTFL!!!!! You have to use that in one of your books some day! Wahoooo!!!!!

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  2. So, so happy for you! And that story is hilarious! Congratulations, and the best of luck!

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  3. Hilarious. When you mentioned trampoline, my mind went nuts. I pictured you jumping, springing higher and higher with each leap, until finally your fingers just grapped onto the upper ledge, and then with much effort you managed to pull your entire body up. Oh never mind - climbing the frame is pretty darn funny, too. I'm so glad you made that climb! Good job -and mucho congratulations, again!!

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  4. I'm so glad you survived, because I'm sure if I ever get "The Call" I'll be in the same boat, so maybe there's hope for me? ;)

    Thanks for sharing and congrats!

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  5. Haha! That's a pretty epic story... would be great in a book!

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  6. Kimberly and Empress Awesome! I <3 that you think I could make a book out of my story! Thx for the thought! :D

    Jamie and Linda! Hilarious? I was going for suspensful! LOL. But I <3 hilarious too :P Thanks for stopping by--you know I love comments!

    Hey Kelly! You mean in the same trampoline, instead of boat, right? I'm sending you good vibes right now so you get The Call soon! :D

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  7. LMAO that was hilarious. It couldn't have happened to a better person!

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  8. Glad you were able to shimmy up to the second floor and what a great story you have to tell.

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  9. Congratulations! What a wonderful feeling.

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  10. Lol, what a great story! Good material for you to use in a novel. :) Congrats!

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  11. Hey Shelley! It could have happened to a better climber! LOL

    Patti, thanks! Hmmm I'm not sure about shimmying up... it was more like a clambering up! Ha!

    Juliette, thanks for the good vibes :D

    Hey Pam! I'm glad you think it was novel material! YAY! :D

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  12. I love that your agent story has action! So hilarious!

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  13. Wow, you really went above and beyond for that call! LOL! Thank goodness you weren't injured. It sounds like you and Michelle are going to make a dynamic team. I can hardly wait to hear the good news of your book selling!

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  14. You're so funny! I love your story. And I know what you mean about feeling drunk... I felt the same way.

    Sounds like you two are a perfect match. So happy for you! HUGS.

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  15. Holly! And I <3 that you helped me with the Skype call! :D Thanks again, so much!

    Heather, and I can hardly wait for your good news, too! Which I'm sure are just around the corner! :D

    Jenny! LOL about feeling drunk, but yeah. It was really something like that. Because TRUTHFULLY I CAN'T remember what I did right after the call. No kidding!

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  16. Lol that is my first psychic experience and I laughed to hard when I read about it! I am so happy that you made it...your kids must have been amazed at their supermom!

    Congratulations again and I look forward to hearing more about your journey to getting published!

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  17. I just found your blog today but it's fabulous!! Just in time to congratulate you on the awesomeness!!! Yay for being agented!! That's huge!

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  18. Hey Carrie! Congrats on your first psychic experience! I also want to have some of those soon, lol. And thx for stopping by!

    Hey Jen! I'm glad you found my blog! :) I just found yours too! So see you around! & thx for your comment!

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  19. I'm so excited for you Monica, and I love your agent story. Those always make me feel like I'm not the only one who has to work this hard for what I want. :)

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  20. Monica, this is hands down about the craziest The Call story I've heard. Having to push a trampoline w/ the help of your boys to scale your own house!!! I LOVE this.

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  21. I love it. :D Epic way to get an agent all the way around!

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  22. Hey Jenn! Thanks so much! And sure, nowadays we all have to work so hard to get what we want! :D

    Kristin! LOL, I agree. It was crazy! :P Thanks for stopping by!

    Alina! Great to see you here. I <3 comments!!

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  23. That's hilarious! Maybe I should record my call...on second thought, maybe not. In the future people could use it to blackmail me, lol!

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  24. AWriterGoneMad, hey! And ROTFL! I mean, great point! I'm glad I didn't record mine! Nice to meet you btw! :D

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  25. LOL! Great Call story! Michelle does great "phone," doesn't she? She's such a hoot. I floated for hours after she called and made me an offer.

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  26. Yessss! She does! And I'm so happy to learn that you know EXACTLY how I felt when I hung up! ;)

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  27. OMG what an awesome agent story! And truthfully? I NEVER would've guessed that English is your second language -- you're an old Pro!

    Congrats and here's to the next step!

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  28. Hola Monica!

    Que maravillosa historia! Es una verdadera inspiracion para otros escritores que escribimos en Ingles. (Yo soy de Ecuador pero vivo en EU.) Una de mis amigas y colegas con quien tengo un blog tambien es chilena.

    Te invito a que nos visites aqui: http://divinesecretsofthewritingsisterhood.blogspot.com

    Muchas felicidades por tu nueva agente y un gusto leerte.

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  29. Hola Lorena!!
    Que gusto encontrar a otras personas que andan en las mismas que yo! Ya voy a tu blog a verlo--gracias por escribirme.
    Y también muchas gracias por tus buenas vibras! :D Estamos al habla, bueno?
    Abrazo!

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  30. I see that Sister Lorena preceded me, and I see the success-story was real! I didn’t believe her.

    Let me remember my good manners. Mónica, congratulations! Felicitaciones and every other word in the dictionary!

    I am Violante the Chilean friend Lore mentioned. When she found your blog and told me about you, me quedé p’adentro, because your story had some parallels with mine. I also wrote a novel a couple of years ago, in English, and tried to find an agent. Eventually, I gave up thinking “Hey who wants to represent a writer on the other side of the world?”. So I went and wrote a second novel in Spanish, and yes, I found that aside from Jovana Skarmeta, there are no agents in Chile. But you are much more perseverant than I am (¿o más porfiada?) and it paid off. You are truly inspiring!

    Please, do come to our blog (Divine Secrets of the Writing Sisterhood) and thanks for becoming our 100th follower!

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  31. Hey Violante!! I'm so happy to meet more writers that are exactly on the same boat! And thanks so much for your felicitaciones and every other word in the dictionary! jajaja

    And really, I almost have goosebumps bc you're the only other Chilean writer I've "met" that writes in English, too!

    And sure...porfiada is the word for me, jajaja.
    But according to my hubby, bruja is the word that describes me better. :P

    Anyway, I'll stop by your blog later today, and I'm really, I mean REALLY happy to meet you!
    I'll send you an email later..and see if that addy you have there is working, okay?

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  32. My sentiments exactly!
    My last boyfriend also nicknamed me brujita! (I guess now he is coining worse names to call me!). Well, let´s start a writers'coven!
    I answered your mail,thanks for stopping by The Sisterhood, and in Bogie's words in Casablanca, I hope this is the beginning of a beautiful friedship.

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  33. I hope that too! :D And YAY for writer's covens! :D

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  34. Thanks for stopping by, Tamara :D

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  35. Of course! You have a great blog :)

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  36. Aw, thanks! You've made my day :D

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