It all started in the middle of last November.

Let me start by telling you that querying agents in the middle of November is generally a crazy-making idea. Everyone is going on vacation. They’re trying to clear out their inboxes for the new year, and so might be quick on the rejection trigger.

It still started in the middle of last November. I finished a revision of my novel, Freaks and the Revolution, and because I’m a very impatient girl I wrote a letter and sent it to a few agents. When that worked out pretty well, I sent out a few more, and then some more.

It got sort of addictive, having agents write back and request my manuscript. And they did. And it was completely amazing. It cut the pain of the many (many) rejections that those requests were mixed with.

And then last Friday, one of those agents who was reading my manuscript emailed me that she’d like to talk to me on the phone. She loved my book and she wanted to represent me.

Let me backtrack. This is my third completed novel. The first I queried all over the place and never got more than a tiny bit of cursory attention. It was a romantic suspense written during a time when no one wanted romantic suspense.

Then I wrote a paranormal romance. I took that one to a big conference and an editor at Harlequin asked me to send it to her. We worked on revisions for more than a year and then one day she sent me a rejection.

While I was doing those revisions, I wrote Freaks and the Revolution. It was my first attempt at YA, and the rhythm of that voice and pacing just really worked for me. I’ve found my niche.

Having an agent, one who really knows her stuff, tell me that my book had merit and that she thought she could sell it was so satisfying. Absolutely validating. I wish there were words to describe it.

I sent out emails to the other agents who were reading. That’s when the insanely crazy, really amazing week started. They had seven days to read and decide. I slept with my phone in my hand so that any early morning emails from New York (which would be 5 or 6 early morning for me in the west) would wake me up. A week of freaking out, let me tell you.

And all-in-all, four offered representation. I’ve decided to go with the first agent. We had a strong connection, she is awesome and passionate and all around a very good fit for me and my work.

It’s been an amazing ride, and early next week I’ll be able to tell you who she is.