The Call: Guest Blogger Ju Dimello

I'm so pleased to welcome Ju Dimello today! Ju has been a great friend over the last few years, since the time both if us began writing seriously. And, as fate would have it, she received super exciting news just days after I received my contract offer with Evernight.

Since we parallel each other very well, I'm also blogging over in her space. Go check me out! But make sure you give Ju loads of congratulations because this girl has earned it!

Without further ado, may I present Ms. Ju Dimello!

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I want to say a big Thank You to Renee, who has been a lovely friend and a fab CP, forever…ahem, since the time I started writing at least. She’s right there at my blog, celebrating her “call story” since we got the respective “acceptance” from two totally different publishers within a couple of days of each other! How fantastic is that?

Yeah, now for the call, umm… email story:

“OMG! I got a contract!!!”

Repeat about 1000 times, each time in a different tune and there! You know what I'm singing from the moment I wake up until the instant my head hits the pillow.

Once upon a time, in my blissful, ignorant, aspiring writer days, I decided that when my “call/email” came, I wouldn't become as excited as a kitten in a wool shop. 

I only wish. 

I got up a bit late that morning (after a sleepless night worrying about stuffs as usual)..and bleary eyed, I opened my inbox at 6.45am. Not many mails…just some newsletters. :blink blink: Another 10 mins passed and suddenly I see my book title as the subject from someone I don't know. :Gulp: I seriously didn't feel like starting my day with another R...and the teeny weeny bit of info shown in the inbox didn't enlighten me as to it's contents. 

I calmed myself almost immediately since I try not to let the R's faze me. One more wasn't going to be so tough (who was I kidding?) right? I clicked away, thinking it's easier to rip a bandaid off than peeling it bit by bit.

It was a lovely email from the editor at Ellora’s Cave, and I stared open-mouthed at the line where it said, "would like to extend a contract" and my brain shut down. I barely recall breathing, let alone feeling anything.

I walked calmly to my DH and said - I got a contract. He, the ever neutral person, smiled and said, "It's about time. Congrats." I smiled back, my brain feeling like cotton, and said, "I haven't read the full email yet. But I think it's an acceptance." He was like... "Go ahead, read it fully. Of course, it must be positive." 

That's when the trembling began. First in my legs, and soon, I found I couldn't walk that few steps back to my chair. I managed somehow, plopped on it, and willed myself to go below that that first line in the email. I think I read it, but the words blurred. No, I didn't cry, but the shock settled in right away. This whole "I'm calm" disillusion must have been for about half a minute, but gosh…once the reality sunk in, that it really was an OK, I wanted to shout, jump. I think I did, but I'm not sure. LOL! I knew it was just an initial email, and that it would take a while before I got the actual contract in hand, but no way could I process such things. 

Then the excitement started... I looked down to find out who was online.. whom could I contact. I sent out "Help me!" emails to a couple of fabulous Ellora's Cave authors who were my good friends and told them the news, asking "what should I do???", when obviously I just had to click a reply and say "YES".. LOL! As if I could think this clearly then. And I immediately pinged my super-duper CP's (even while they were shown offline) and even when they got back later in the day and held my hand throughout, it really, really took me a couple of days to even calm down enough to think.

And when I did start thinking, it was all about author bio's and websites.. uh! I guess the tough part begins….like edits, filling out cover art forms, create a website etc. But, WOW!

For now, excited is a mild word to describe the mix of euphoria tinged with anxiety that's churning my stomach. Sweet heavens (to stronger expletives)! The world is going to read my stories... The writer in me is both terrified and as pleased as punch, especially because Ellora’s Cave was one of the first publishers in my submission list!

I want to use this moment to thank everyone who has helped me get where I am today! I'm so glad to have found such a great network of really helpful authors and more than helpful friends :) The relationship might be online, but the companionship and encouragement I have gotten so far really has no boundaries!