The Perfect Writing Jeans

Heather Woodhaven, here, wondering if you enjoy shopping for clothes.

If so, please share the secret because I have always disliked the hunt for a new outfit. As such, I have a minimalist wardrobe. Not on purpose.

 I have to gear myself up to go, which is what I did a few years ago on a cold January day.  I’d been particularly melancholy that day, so since I was already in a bad mood I thought I should get the shopping done as I really needed a decent pair of jeans.

While I browsed my local Maurices, I wondered what was next for my writing.

I’d always wanted to write novels but after umpteen rejections, I’d found marginal success in writing non-fiction articles for websites and magazines. A few months prior, author Lisa Phillips dared me to enter a Love Inspired Suspense idea to the Happily Editor After contest. 

So I did. 

And received yet another rejection. 

Going back to my non-fiction felt painful. It wasn’t until my friend, Becky Avella, also received a rejection from the same contest that my eyes were opened.  The feedback from the editors to both of us made me realize that these editors really did want to publish us, but we weren’t giving them what they needed. Yet.

So I’d studied the twitter feeds of the editors for the line. I read the books and took notes. I essentially wrote a synopsis for the books I'd read  to see what they had in common and then…I completely rewrote my own manuscript, submitted, and waited. 

There’d still been no news. So, I wasn’t sure what I was supposed to work on next. Would it be a waste of my time to keep writing fiction until I heard back?

Two employees—one in training—eagerly helped me pick out some jeans to try and showed me to the nice dressing rooms. My phone buzzed. The caller ID simply said New York. Normally I ignore numbers I don’t recognize, but New York? I couldn’t stop myself from answering. “I have some good news,” the editor said.

 I started jumping up and down in my socks while the editor spoke about what to expect. I tried to sound nonchalant and cool, but I said “thank you” at least a half a dozen times. After I hung up, I let out a whoop and opened the dressing room to find the two employees eager to see the perfect pair of jeans they assumed I’d found.

I don’t know if they’re the perfect pair, but I did buy them. They're my "writing" jeans. In fact, I’m wearing them now, almost four years later and trying to ignore the holes developing. 

Sigh. It’s probably time to go shopping again. But first, I think I’ll finish writing another book.

Available for Preorder here.

Someone wants accountant Rebecca Linn—the granddaughter of a federal judge—dead, and it’s Deputy US Marshal Kurt Brock’s duty to figure out why and protect her. But her powerful family insists Kurt keep his relationship with Rebecca strictly professional…no matter how much he’s drawn to the feisty, fast-thinking beauty. Rebecca is sure the suspicious evidence she uncovered in her latest auditing case has put a target on her back. But staying ahead of those out to silence her is bringing her dangerously close to Kurt—and putting both their careers on the line. With the attacker closing in, can Rebecca and Kurt survive long enough to reveal the would-be killer’s secrets?