Author Annie West tells us about her path to becoming a Harlequin Presents writer in honor of the Presents series spotlight for Harlequin’s 60th anniversary…
by Annie West, author of The Savakis Mistress (out in August in the UK)
My parents played a huge part in me becoming a Presents author. Some of my earliest memories are of stories: books and fairy tales at bed time, visits to the local library and finding all sorts of fascinating books in the house. Because of them I spent most of my childhood with my nose in a book when I wasn’t racing around in the rainforest wilderness that was part of our back yard.
I’m convinced being a writer comes first and foremost from being a lover of stories. I write romance because I love to read it.
In my early teens I discovered Harlequin books via my best friend’s mum. She had stacks of them (literally) piled up on the bedside table, in the lounge room and anywhere else there was space. It was natural for me, to pick one up and WHAM! The impact was instantaneous. I devoured stories by Anne Hampson, Violet Winspear, Anne Mather and others.
A new world opened up before me, peopled by fascinating, powerful men with exotic accents and flashing eyes who made me feel weak at the knees. I barracked for those poor heroines who battled to provide for their family, keep a roof over their head or save their job while falling under the spell of a dangerously compelling hero.
I read these books through high school, through university and, on and off, through a demanding career and the birth of my children. Every so often I’d dream of writing my own story, but then talk myself out of it.
Finally I decided to try writing a book. Was it even possible? Not only possible, I discovered, but enormously satisfying. Brimming with enthusiasm I sent off the manuscript to London. Not surprisingly (as I had to lot to improve on) I received a polite rejection.
But I was hooked on the joy of weaving my own tales. I started work on another manuscript and another, buoyed in the meantime but success with short stories in some major women’s magazines.
It’s strange to think of it now but I didn’t write those stories for Presents, possibly because I wasn’t confident I could write for the line I loved best. Instead I aimed for other romance categories, getting positive feedback but no acceptances. Finally I decided it was time to stop. I was neglecting my family and giving up my free time for something that would never succeed. I’d give it one last shot then stop.
My final manuscript came from an idea I got while listening to Miranda Lee and Emma Darcy talking at a romance writing workshop in my home town. (How lucky can a girl get?) I was so enthused I couldn’t wait to get started and when I did the experience was amazing. I was writing a Presents story and it felt like I’d come home. Words poured onto the page and the characters were vivid in my head, their emotions as real as my own. I took extra time, polishing and polishing. I sent an excerpt for a First Kiss contest. My entry came second but still no invitation to submit. Darn! I polished some more and finally sent it off. I received a request for some changes. Fantastic! I did those then waited. Every time the phone rang at night I hoped it was the Richmond office in England. It wasn’t. To make the tension worse, we kept getting long distance calls as every friend we had overseas called us …
Finally, one Saturday morning (and yes, I do know the date and time), I dragged myself out of bed, telling my husband I’d better check for the rejection. There was a mail from the Senior Editor. My heart pounded. I scanned it, noting that she liked the story, skimming down the words looking for the all important ‘but’ that would introduce the rejection. I went up and down that email three times searching, till I finally read it properly and discovered it was an acceptance. It was only later that I realised the attachment was titled ‘A Mistress for the Taking Acceptance.doc’. Duh! I hauled my husband out of bed and made him read it too because I thought I’d misread it. I kept reading that email for days, scared we’d both been mistaken.
Annie's first book, "A Mistress for the Taking"
Writing this I still remember the absolute thrill of that day. It hasn’t faded. I get it now when readers write to tell me they enjoyed my story or when I get an exciting story idea. When I see my book on sale or receive a foreign edition in the mail. I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of it.
Annie’s most recent Harlequin Presents book was The Greek’s Convenient Mistress in June. Watch for her next North American release Blackmailed Bride, Inexperienced Wife in December.
As an aspiring writer I found your call story totally inspiring. It is fantastic to know that a writer as accomplished as yourself had a journey. Great post.
Felicity
Love your story, Annie. Like Felicity said, it’s very inspiring. And interesting that you received an email rather than a ‘call’!
Jackie
Felicity, how great that you found my call story inspiring. I love hearing how other people came to write. Everyone has a different experience, and I love the happy endings (G)! It was fun writing this piece and reliving the day that first acceptance came through. It really was a day that changed my life. Writing for Presents is wonderful, believe me!
Good luck with your own writing. I hope you persevere and find success.
Annie
Hi Jackie,
Yes, I’d always heard that if you were successful with your submission you’d receive a phone call. Perhaps the fact that I’m in Australia and the time differences are so different played a big part in that. My editor then lined up a phone call soon after so we could chat in person, which was fun, though I’m not sure I made a lot of sense even then! Fortunately she was very understanding. I remember being overwhelmed that they’d let me write for the line which had my favourite authors (and which still does).
Annie
Hi Annie – what a wonderful story (and very inspiring!)
Thanks for sharing
Cheers, Joanne
Joanne, it’s no trouble at all to share my call story. Ask any author. It’s fun reliving the thrill of it all and I’m glad you enjoyed it. I remember hearing others talk about how they came to have a book accepted and thinking it could never happen to me. Now I know it can, with hard work and persistence and a real love of Presents stories.
Annie
Annie, I remember the 2005 RWAustralia conference where we met and bonded over our ‘almost there but not quite’ rejections and we were both sitting on hearing back from London! I love it that we both sold in the next three months. Sharing the journey from ‘newbie’to ‘less new ‘ has been great and I value your support very much.
Congratulations on your continued success and HAPPY BIRTHDAY Harlequin
I love your call story, Annie!
You made me laugh when you said you kept re-reading that email for days, positive you’d read it wrong. I didn’t tell anyone except my dh and my sister when I received The Call — I’d decided I’d better wait until I signed the contract, convinced my editor would call me back to tell me they’d made a mistake or that they’d changed their minds… and then the contract took months to come…
It’s so much fun hearing people’s call stories (and reliving them). Thanks for the great post!
Hi Fiona,
Yes, I remember that meeting. Isn’t the leap from being aspiring to becoming a Harlequin author great? As you say, so nice it happened to us both so soon after that.
I wonder if anyone has ever counted up how many authors Harlequin has and had over the years, now it’s reached this milestone. Must be so many.
Annie
Michelle,
I’m glad it’s not just me who found it hard to believe they’d had a book accepted! How you managed not to tell everyone within days I don’t know. You must be very strong. I had a smile glued to my face for weeks!
I’m glad you enjoyed the post.
Annie
Great blog, Annie!
I’m so glad you didn’t give up on writing romance.
And I loved your call story! That feeling of ‘did I make a mistake?’ is so SCARY, isn’t it! I got a phone call which was fabulous but unnerving too because as soon as I hung up I was thinking… ‘did I really hear that right?’ and ‘was it all just a huge auditory hallucination!’ It was a huge relief when an email arrived to confirm it all.
Sharon
Hi Sharon,
I’m glad too that I didn’t give up. Life wouldn’t be nearly so interesting now.
I can see how easily you could feel you’d imagined the acceptance phone call! At least I had the email to reread (which I did, frequently)! Yours was such a recent acceptance it must be vivid in your mind.
Annie
Hi, Annie! It’s so true–persistence pays! Now you’re into double digits as far as published books go and I’m looking forward to years of Annie West books to come. It’s so lovely to know you still get a thrill whenever you see your books on sale.
I know what you mean about rereading that first acceptance email. When I finalled in a big writing contest recently, I found myself checking the official website several times a day to make sure it wasn’t a hoax!
~ Vanessa
Annie great call story! I remember well reading your first book and being blown away by it – and since then blown more and more away by every book. I’m so glad you persevered too! xx Abby
Great call story, Annie. LOL about making your husband read the email. I had a call rather than an email – DH was in the middle of shaving, ready to take the kids out for a special birthday meal (it was littlest’s first birthday).
I traipsed i to the bathroom, sobbing. He looks at me. ‘They said no? OK, order two puddings tonight and then sit down and write a different one because you know you’re good enough…’ (This is why he’s my Real Life Hero.) And then I told him, through sobs, that we were going to order champagne, actually, because Richmond said yes…
Hey, Harlequin, happy 60th birthday – and many more to come!
Annie, what a lovely post. And congratulations on your wonderful books. As you know, you’re one of my favourite Presents authors. I love your heroes – they’re so strong and passionate! It’s always wonderful to tell call stories, isn’t it?
Wonderful call story. I laughed at how you hauled your husband out of bed to read the e-mail.
Kate, your hubby definitely wins the real life hero award for his two puddings comment. Yum!
All the best,
Gail Fuller
Oh Vanessa, absolutely, persistence pays. I was ready to give up writing and one of the things that made me keep at it was hearing a published author saying that the difference between a published writer and a non-published one was that the published writer hadn’t given up.
That and the fact that I wanted to try writing for my fave line!
Congratulations on finalling in your major contest – what a great sign! It sounds like you and Sharon and I all had similar reactions to our good news. Hope you get lots more good news about your writing.
Annie
Fabulous story Annie. And MIstress for the Taking was a wonderful read, I loved it!
Hi Kate,
Love your story. Your husband sounds like mine, or maybe they just sound wise when they’re shaving! I’m sure you’d have dragged your husband to the computer to read the email to.
What a birthday celebration there must have been that day in your family!
Annie
Hi Abby,
I’m thrilled at the thought you enjoyed my first book so much.
One of the fantastic things about becoming a Presents author is getting to know the other writers in the line, making new friends (like you) and learning just how much goes into those new stories I love to lose myself in. I feel very proud when I occasionally share shelf space with you.
Annie
Anna, thanks so much for the lovely words. What a thrill to be among someone’s fave authors!
Isn’t the 60 year anniversary fantastic? Harlequin seems to be going from strength to strength.
Annie
Hi Gail,
I think husbands/partners/families play a huge part in supporting a writer. They live through the ups and downs with us. It was only natural I dragged him out to read the mail. He’d earned the thrill as much as I had.
Annie
Hi Mulberry, it’s nice to see you here. I’m so pleased you enjoyed Marina and Ronan’s story. I had a marvellous time writing it.
Annie
Great call story, Annie–I love hearing stories like these! They are so encouraging and just plain wonderful
Hi Kate,
It’s fun, isn’t it? I love hearing call stories. They always make me feel good.
Annie
Wonderful post Annie. For me it’s been a fantastic journey reading your books!