Wednesday, August 6, 2014

The Call

July 31, 2014 will be a date I always remember--the date I received "The Call."

My search for a literary agent began in May 2014. I'd read articles on Seekerville, searched agency blogs, and asked a writer friend of mine about potential agents.  
All I knew was I wanted someone who loved my story and cared about more than the business side of things (I didn't want to simply be someone's ticket to a paycheck). Researching agencies became my favorite pastime. I checked my email inbox approximately 10,000 times a day, waiting for that message.  

Fast forward to July.
 Picture me sitting in my car in the bank drive-thru, Southern gospel music humming from the radio, the air conditioning cooling my cheeks. My phone dings as I'm waiting for my deposit receipt. A message for me.
My eyes catch a few words as the message blinks on the screen. I gasp.
Nope. This could not possibly be happening. No way.

My fingers tap until I can read every word. Heart thumping, I start laughing.
Laughing by myself in the bank drive-thru.
Mary Keeley wants to read my work.
Seriously? An agent from Books and Such is interested in me?
Thank You, Lord.

I collected my deposit receipt and zoomed out of the parking lot. Didn't waste a second spreading the news to my family. A little while later, Ms. Mary requested a phone call. That threw me off a little bit. I'm not a phone conversation person, especially if the call has the power to change my future. My nerves tend to trip my tongue and paralyze my brain.
Supportive friends and family were praying for me, though. The Holy Spirit calmed me enough to ward off a heart attack. Ms. Mary was wonderful.
And the call ended after I accepted representation.

I'd fretted over choosing the right agent. Stayed awake late at night praying for both patience and peace. Wisdom. Understanding. Guidance.
God answered my prayers in a way I never ever would've imagined.

Me after officially signing with Mary Keeley.

 He has shown me so much grace. So many blessings. I'm undeserving.


http://www.booksandsuch.com/our-agents/meet-mary/
My agent, Ms. Mary Keeley. (Wow, that's fun to type.)
How has the Lord surprised you with blessings? Has there been a time when His goodness has drawn tears from your eyes (possibly in a bank drive-thru)?
How did you receive "The Call"? Pretty awesome, huh?
"Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen." Ephesians 3:20-21


16 comments:

  1. Aww, this is great! I loved that you were in a drive-thru. Normal life colliding with The Dream.

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    1. Haha! The bank tellers probably thought I was a tad crazy...which I might be. ;)

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  2. Congratulations! You're with a winner.

    God is great!

    http://blessed-are-the-pure-of-heart.blogspot.com/2014/08/toxic-friends.html

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    1. Thank you, Andrew. And yes, He is!
      I'll be sure to check out your blog. :)

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  3. Congratulations! There's nothing quite like the thrill of getting The Agent Call, is there? So happy for you.

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    1. One of the best moments of my writing career by far. :)
      Thank you, Keli!

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  4. Congrats, Courtney! Woohoo! :)

    I'll tell you what, the Lord's incredible goodness nearly brought tears to my eyes when I checked my email and saw where you signed with Books and Such! What a great big spontaneous God! :) And I love that we had just been talking about it and praying about it! "He is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think!" I'm so tickled, Courtney! Now I grin every time I think about you and your book. :)

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    1. Thank you!
      I thought about your prayer request box--the Lord is amazing, huh? I never would've imagined He would work things out like that.
      I can only dream of what He's preparing for you, Natalie. Goodness. It's going to be AMAZING. And so are you and your book. :)
      Oh, and I'm a wee bit tickled too. Ha!

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    2. I know! I thought about that, too! :) He is so good!

      Aw! Thank you for your sweet words of encouragement!

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  5. Love reading your agent story! It's an amazing moment, isn't it? Mary is a wonderful agent, and you're in good hands. Congratulations, again. :)

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    1. Thanks for visiting here, Gabrielle! It was a WONDERFUL moment. Unbelievable. Shocking. Beautiful.
      It'll be a long while before I'm over it!

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  6. I was sitting my on sister-in-law's couch watching our weekly show when I got the email. It had been 5 months since I submitted, so I was totally surprised! You're in great company with the Bookies.

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    1. Love the real-life collision with your dream, like J. Major said :) It's so fun, isn't it?!

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    2. Five months? I would've gone crazy! Lol. I love how the memory sticks out...I'm pretty sure I'll always remember.
      Oh yes, it's super fun!
      Thanks for coming by, Laurie, and for joining my newsletter.

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