There must be something magic in the air this February – this is the second Call Story of the month! And this time it’s from So You Think You Can Write finalist – and new Harlequin Blaze author!! – Taryn Leigh Taylor…
Let me tell you a story about the call that changed my destiny…
January 15, 2015. 11:55pm MST.
I was at work when my cellphone rang.
As a dedicated call screener, I checked the display. Ontario? Who would be calling me from Ontario? I put the phone back on my desk. Stupid telemarketers.
But as I turned back to my computer, some optimistic, hey-wait-a-minute-I-entered-SYTYCW14-and-haven’t-heard-anything-back-yet-and-where-are-the-Blaze-headquarters-located-again? part of my brain kicked in.
Turns out when you type the 416 number that was on my screen into Google, you get a listing for Harlequin Enterprises Limited.
Oh. My. Gawd.
Obviously my phone had stopped ringing by this point, and my stomach was full of combat-boot-wearing butterflies. Then the new message icon appeared at the top of the screen.
“Hi Taryn. This is Adrienne Macintosh calling from Harlequin Blaze. You’re probably at lunch right now, but I’d like to talk to you about your So You Think You Can Write submission, Faking It. I’ll give you a call back in an hour or so.”
Ohmygawd, ohmygawd, ohmygawd!
For about fifteen seconds I convinced myself I could play it cool. Adrienne would never need to know that I screened the call I’d been dreaming about since I decided I wanted to have my name on a book back in the second grade. Then I grabbed my phone and called her back.
It’s a bit of a blur after that, although I do remember Adrienne was lovely despite my stammering and by the time I hung up the phone, I was on my way to becoming a published author. A literal dream come true. Since that day it’s been nothing but hard work and late nights, but I can honestly say it’s been the best experience of my life.
I’m thrilled to announce that my debut with Harlequin Blaze, now entitled KISS AND MAKEUP, will hit shelves in October 2015.
Leave any questions for Taryn below, or follow @tarynltaylor to celebrate with her in person!