HarperCollins Publishing inkpop Book: Letter from the Author

Dear inkpoppers,
It’s official! Excuse my jumping up and down and screaming, while intermittently singing cheesy show tunes. You see,

I’ve been waiting for nine months to get to this moment. Nine months! It’s been a nail biting time and oh, the fibs I’ve had to tell in order to keep the secret. But here I am, on the cusp of the most exciting time of my life, and I’m so excited to finally share my news with you guys, the people who put me in this position in the first place.
I’m being published by HarperTeen. Eeeeee!!!!
Come on, scream with me!
Eeeeeee!!!!
Now I have that off my chest, let me explain to you why it’s only now, nine months after I was offered the publishing deal for The Carrier Of The Mark, that I’m telling you about it. Basically, HarperCollins asked me not to say anything, and who am I to ignore one of the biggest publishing houses in the world? You see, HarperCollins and the inkpop team have been doing trojan work, trying to get everything perfect before releasing the incredible news – that one of ‘us’ is actually going to be published (gosh, even after all this time I feel weird writing that). Honestly, you wouldn’t believe the amount of time and work that goes into perfecting a manuscript, and designing a cover that is so beautiful it makes my heart tingle.
You’re hearing it firsthand, dreams really can come true. I’m living proof of that.
The other thing I need to say is sorry to all my inkpop buddies, who I’ve been fibbing to over these past few months. It’s been horrible having to tell porky pies, but it was absolutely necessary. After all, there’s no fun in a surprise party if there’s no surprise, so I hope you guys understand.
And to all you people out there who suspected there was something amuck with me, well snaps to your higher power of intuition! If only you could have seen my beetroot cheeks as I read your messages asking if I was ‘the one’ being published. Oh, I can feel the sting again as I type this. I’m an awful liar.
But fret not my inkie friends. I plan to make up for my fibs and omissions. I’m going to take you on this amazing journey with me. I hope to share all my moments with you, the good, the bad, and the scary. I’ll take you through agent calls and meetings, the editing process, the highs and the lows, the laughter and the tears. This year is going to rock. And I mean seriously rock, in so many ways. I can’t wait to share it with you. So stay tuned for videos, blog posts, and chats. It’s been a rollercoaster of a ride so far, I can only imagine where the next few months will take me. Ah! I can hardly contain my excitement.
Thanks again everyone, for your picks, your friendship, your support, and your patience.

Your friend and fellow inkie,
Leigh

 

If you’d like to hear more or you have questions for Leigh, join us for a live chat on February 2nd at 5 p.m.EST in the inkpop forum events.