First Sale

Once upon a time there was an author - you could have called me unpublished or the politically correct term of the time prepublished.  Didn't matter.  I wanted to write, sell, and see my books on a store's shelf - even better know that some stranger in a distant land (like Florida) might actually be relaxing on a chair and reading my book.

I did everything wrong.  My first manuscript was hundreds of pages long, single spaced (I'm telling the truth) and I didn't plot at all - nada.

I realized that I knew nothing (think Schultz) so I joined a creative writing class at a nearby college where I had a topnotch teacher, found a critique group, and as a posse we all went to an RWA conference together.

I wrote and wrote and wrote and wrote.
Submitted, submitted, submitted, submitted.
got rejections, rejections, rejections, rejections.

When I finished one book, I started another.

At church one day, someone said to me, "Hey, you're trying to be a writer, right?"

"Yes."

"Well, Darlene Mindrup sold a book."

Huh?  Darlene Mindrup?  I didn't know she was writing.  She hadn't attending any creative writing class I was a part of.  What?  There'd been no mention of a critique group or going to conferences.

What!

I'd been following the plan.  You know what I'm talking about - do everything in order, check off boxes and all.

That's next Sunday I cornered Darlene.  "You sold a book?"

"Yes, to Barbour Publishing, a line called Heartsong."

"Never heard of them."

Darlene told me they were mail-ordered and then gave me a few.  I promptly sent them a book and heard nothing.

For a year.

Then, I went to my first RWA National Conference.  Back then, ACFW didn't exist so all the Christian publishers came to RWA.  I signed up for an appointment with Rebecca Germany, pitched my book, and she said, "Sounds good, send it."

I told her she already had it.  She suggested I send it again.  I did.

Two months later I headed to my apartment mailboxes.  It was early afternoon, probably 4:00.  Back then, I was an elementary school teacher and finished at 3:00.

I found an envelope from Barbour inside the mailbox.  I ripped it open and saw, "If you make these revisions, we'd like to publish your book."

Yup, I was standing alone in front of a row of mailboxes whooping and jumping around like a happy mad woman.

I made the changes - btw, the edits were done by sticky notes put on the pages that needed changing.  That was my first book It Only Takes a Spark.

Cool beans, eh?

My first book ever.
It came out in 1999.
It was my fifth completed manuscript.

 

My first book with Love Inspired Suspense (this is the Thorndake version)
It came out in 2007.
It was my eighth published manuscript.

My first book with Love Inspired

This is my sixth book with Harlequin Heartwarming
It came out this month!!!!!
Go ahead, read the blurb.

Did Tom Riley arrest the wrong woman? 

For six years, the Sarasota Falls police chief has been hunting the cunning beauty involved in his partner's death. Now here she is, back in his New Mexico town, her face a match to the one on the wanted posters. But the woman Tom Riley knows as Rachel Ramsey insists her name is Heather Graves. 

Is Heather really as innocent as she claims? And what is he supposed to do about their undeniable mutual attraction? As his search for answers uncovers secrets in Heather's past, Tom realizes that Heather is the woman he most wants…

Buy me

I Wrote a Book or 30!

This is what Pamela Tracy looks like today

This is what I looked like in 1999 

This is my 30th book!

This was my first book

In looking at the pictures, the only thing that hasn't changed are my Spock eyebrows.

In looking at the books, a lot has changed.

It Only Takes a Spark was written on a computer that didn't have the world wide web
When I printed it, it was on dot matrix paper.
I got the idea because I accidentally turned in my personal journal to the library.
 It was a bookclub book (mailing list), not in stores.
It lead me to the girls of Barbour, years of friendship, and a learning curve I've still not mastered.

Second Chance Christmas was written on a Mac where I could do research in a matter of seconds.  I now know more than I dreamed possible about the Lost Dutchman Mine.
I never printed it.  I emailed it right to my editor.
I got the idea because of a chance remark a kindergarten mother said to me more than 20 years ago.  She was a social worker.  She told me about going to a home and laying down on the floor in order to get the head of the family to actually look her in the eye.  The idea amazed me.
It's in book club, but also in brick and mortar stores as well as ebook.
My world is one of writers.

Critique Group Christmas 2015

I'm the chubby one you see first. Next to me is my best friend Cathy McDavid (Harlequin American).  Across from her is Marina Myles (Kensington) and across from me is Connie Flynn (multi-published).

They read most of Second Chance Christmas. 

They could tell you that the heroine has a  hard time forgiving herself.

They could tell you that the hero doesn't give up on anyone.

They could tell you that life wasn't always fair to Elise and Cooper.

They could tell you that small towns, in my book, are characters too.

They could tell you that risk, redemption, and romance are my mottos.

They could tell you, but they won't, because they want you to read the book for yourself.  Go ahead.  It has a happily ever after, too.

What a surprise.  

Friday Sisterhood with Terri Reed

Family Status: Married with two kids (21 and 17)

          What Is Your Favorite Beverage: Izzy's Tangerine 

What Is Your Favorite Food: Pizza-Marguarita style

What Is Your Favorite Thing to do During Free Time: hang out with my kids

Who Has Been the Most Influential Person in Your Life: Hmmm, that's a tough question. There have been so many influential people over the years.  The person that started me down the road of writing toward publication was my creative writing college professor who told me I should be writing for Harlequin.  I was twenty, and though I'd heard of Harlequin, I thought he was nuts.  Me a writer?  I never forgot his words and when I decided that I did want to become a writer I sought publication with Harlequin.  

First Book You Fell in Love With:The first book I remember falling in love with is A Tale of Two Cities by Dickens.

A Book You Wish You’d Written: Les Miserable by Victor Hugo

First Book Published: Perfect Love, a novella published by Barbour Publishing,  Love Comes Home my first full length Love Inspired

Most Recent Book:Undercover Marriage, book six in the Witness Protection continuity series

Out Next: Danger at the Border, book one of my own series titled Northern Border Patrol

How Many Have You Written: 31 

What Do You Know Now That You Wish You’d Known Then: That writing the book is only half of the job.  

What is Your Favorite Bible Story:The story of Esther

What is Your Favorite Bible Verse: Proverbs  3:5-6

What is Your Favorite Hymn: Amazing Grace 

What is an Ongoing Prayer Request You Have: That God would bless my writing and be a blessing to Him