Woo-hoo!! I sold my book!
My new agent, Rita Rosenkranz, just closed a deal for me with Globe Pequot Press for the story of my great-great-grandmother, entitled Martha: A Pioneer Woman’s Journey to a Place of Her Own. It will be released around June 1, 2014.
This breakthrough has been a long time coming, as many of my friends know. Of the many books I’ve written, this will be my first published. I find it particularly satisfying that my grandmother led the way.
I started researching Martha’s story in 2009, shortly after moving to the farm she bought almost 150 years ago. When I took ownership of the place after my dad died I knew I wanted to write about her. What she acquired in 1868 had become the Martha A. Maupin Century Farm, one of the few Century Farms in Oregon named for a woman. But I didn’t realize what a powerful story she had until I began the search.
In the summer of 2012 I went to the Pacific Northwest Writers Conference in Seattle to pitch the completed book to agents and editors. There I met Rita Rosenkranz, New York agent, who had an idea which publishing house might offer a good home for Martha. From that time on it happened fairly quickly, given Rita’s sharp focus, some clear editorial direction from editor Erin Turner at Globe Pequot, and a little midnight oil for me on revisions. After working our way through the intricacies of acceptance—from editor to publishing board, from negotiation to fine tuning of the contract—we have finally emerged with the fully executed agreement. A deal.
Globe Pequot Press is a mid-sized publishing house with an international reach, founded in 1947, and today providing a wide spectrum of imprints and categories. They offer many titles on the American West, including portrayals of pioneer women like my great-great-grandmother Martha.
My thanks to Rita Rosenkranz and Erin Turner, to my readers—Leslie Budewitz, Judy Emmett, and my daughter Carisa Cegavske—to those who helped dig out information, especially cousin Linda Noel, to everyone who kept the faith.
Cheers! 🙂 🙂 🙂 !!!
Janet fisher 
So excited for you, Janet — I know what a great story this is — looking forward to reading the real book!
A big congratulations, Janet! I’ll look forward to reading it.
Awesome Janet. Really looking forward to purchasing your book.
Wow, Janet! All is well in the universe. Good job. Carol
Thank you all for your good wishes.
OMG I am Sooooo happy for you , Janet! You deserve it! Looking forward to reading your wonderful book.
Best,
Nina
Yaaaay, Janet! Persistence pays off! Looking forward to reading Martha’s story.
Good for you. Your hard work is paying off. Congrats.
Janet, I am very proud and excited for you and your book. I can’t wait to read it – after all, she is my great-great grandmother also. A very big congratulations to you!
Wow! This is fantastic news. I am so thrilled that your hard work and dedication has brought your amazing story closer to its rightful place in the world. Count me in as an eager reader ready to snap it up as soon as it hits the stands. Huzzah huzzah!!!
Again, thank you all for your kind words and for the encouragement each of you gave me along the way.
Congratulations! I look forward to reading about Martha.
Wow! Congratulations on being a presenter at Pacific NW Conference! And I love the daffodil photos! Crocuses at my house, too soon for daffodils.