The End of the Beginning

The contracts are signed, so I guess it's now official. I have a couple of book deals to share. After several years of friendship and collaboration, Dave Long and I have a new relationship: he's my editor. Not once but twice over.

Here's what happened.

Last summer, I met with Dave to discuss a brilliant novel by David Athey called Danny Gospel, which I'd read in manuscript. During our chat, he asked if I'd be interested in writing a straight-up crime novel. I'd dabbled in the genre already -- how about taking the plunge? After some soul-searching -- about five seconds worth -- I said yes. So I left our meeting with a proposal to write, something I hadn't anticipated.

A month and a half later I was down in Houston for a week, so I called Deeanne Gist and we met for coffee. Deeanne is one of Dave's authors, and we've been critique partners for a while, so I wanted to bounce this new opportunity off her and see what she thought. I wasn't prepared for her response.

Yes, she thought doing the crime novel for Bethany House was a good idea. But she had another project in mind. How would I like to co-author a book with her?

"What kind of book?" I asked.

Deeanne is the bestselling author of books like A Bride Most Begrudging, The Measure of a Lady, and Courting Trouble. In other words, a romance novelist. So I was curious to know what kind of project she had in mind. The first time she answered the question, it was a crime novel. As we discussed the idea further, it became a mystery with a "strong romantic element." The more committed I was, the more openly Dee started using the r-word, until finally she was asking me what I was going to wear to the RWA convention. But you know what? I was thrilled. Dee and I are great friends and have enjoyed a wonderful working relationship over the past couple of years. If there was anyone I could co-author a novel with, it was her.

So I said yes. That meant two proposals to work on.

As anyone who's been in the writing business for long will tell you, lots of ideas flap their wings, but relatively few actually manage to fly. I'd gone through the process before. An editor loves your idea, reads your manuscript, and takes it to the publishing committee -- and there it dies a long, slow death. Maybe it wasn't good enough. Maybe it wasn't marketable enough. Maybe the time just wasn't right. That's the nature of the business.

There was no guarantee, in other words, that either of these projects would see the light. Lots of work went into the proposals, then the waiting began. It seemed to take forever, though in retrospect the process was remarkably quick. Bethany House made offers on both projects, the contracts were negotiated and drawn up, and now they've all been signed. Deeanne and I will be co-authoring a book, and I've signed a three-book deal with BHP in addition. The co-write and my first solo novel will both hit the shelves in 2010, with my follow-up novels appearing in 2011 and 2012.

Kinda cool.

I want to thank Dave Long for making the offer, and Deeanne Gist for taking me on as a co-author. Chip MacGregor has been marvelous throughout the process, holding my hand, managing my expectations, and giving me the benefit of his profound knowledge of the industry. They're all wonderful friends, and I'm grateful for their belief in me.

So to sum up . . . I have one book out, two on the way, and two more coming after that. Now the real adventure begins.

-- JMB

J. Mark Bertrand is the author of Rethinking Worldview: Learning to Think, Live, and Speak in This World (Crossway, 2007). He's also the curator of the world's leading (and perhaps only) blog devoted to the design and binding of Bibles, appropriately called BibleDesignBlog.com. He writes about his book and Christian worldview issues at RethinkingWorldview.com, and tackles the life of a literary-turned-crime-writer at Write About Now. And of course there's the mother ship: JMarkBertrand.com.

Comments

[Nathan Knapp]

"Kinda cool." Mark, what an understatement! Congratulations, man! L'chaim to great things. :)

[Michelle Van Loon]

Congratulations!
Congratulations!

[Donna J. Shepherd]

Absolutely! No beginning writer anymore. You are going to burn up the charts. 2010's a milestone year! Congrats on the contracts, and may God bless and inspire you so much so that you can hardly get it down fast enough. Great news to read first thing in the morning.

[Nicole]

It was only a matter of time, Mark. Congratulations.

[Heather Goodman]

Congrats!

[Madison Richards]

Fantastic news Mark! Many heartfelt congratulations!

[michael snyder]

Big congratulations, Mark. I'm not at all surprised. But I am thrilled for you. Can't wait to see what you (and Deanne) come up with.

Mike

[Deborah Gyapong]

Congratulations! And to think I knew you when.

Great news. Great move on Bethany's part.

Deborah

[Dee]

Congratulations. It's about time.

Am I the only one un-published? :(

[Jim Sanders]

Congratulations! That's great news.

[Linda Gilmore]

Wow! That's great news and gives me more books to look forward to! Congratulations!

[Mary E. DeMuth]

WooHoo Mark! That's such lovely news!

[jessica]

Wow, well I love Deeanne Gist and have all of her books. Congrats on the multiproposals!

[Katy McKenna]

Wonderful news, Mark! And you tell a great story to convey it, too. :)

[Mark Tubbs]

Not to complain or anything, but do I really have to wait until 2010 for another JMB book to be released???

Congratulations, Mark. Can't wait to meet you in person one of these days.