Romance Writers’ Weekly-The “I’m an Author!” Moment

I hope you skipped over  here from Carrie Elks’s! 

After a few weeks hiatus, I’m finally back and ready to blog hop with the authors of Romance Writers Weekly!  Today’s questions come from Jeanne McDonald. 

 1. Describe that moment you first felt like a true author (not just an aspiring one).

• My “true author” moment has been progressive: 
  
• My first finished manuscript (Yay, I actually wrote a book!)
• Deciding on a pen name (Ha, Collette Cameron is not my real name, but Collette is my middle name.)
• Publishing Contract for Highlander’s Hope  (OMG! OMG! OMG!)
• Seeing my first book, Highlander’s Hope’s cover for the first time. (Carried that thing everywhere and showed anybody who’d look.)
• Release day for Highlander’s Hope  (Partay!)
• 
  The first time I held a print book.
• My first book signing  (Nervous wreck!)
• Release of my second book and first contest win  (I actually got another book published? And readers/ booksellers/ and librarians thought it was good enough to win the grand prize?  Really? Wow.)
• Readers contacting me about my books  (Add giving me gifts, being wonderfully supportive, and humbling me daily with their praise.)
• Being asked to be a guest speaker for conferences (You want me to give a presentation? Hey, that’s kind of cool–and nerve-wracking.)  
• Hitting a category bestseller list  (Oh boy, oh boy!!) 
• Hitting Amazon’s top 40 in Kindle books  (Holy moly, can call myself a bestselling author?  Gob smack me.)

2. Name three authors who inspire you.

Christi Caldwell amazes me. Her personal story of her struggle to have children is heart-wrenching, and that woman puts out about a bestselling  book a month, with twin one-year-olds and a special needs six-year-old. I’ve been blessed to call her friend and critique partner. 

Sarah Hegger hit the romance novel scene with a splash and has soared from newbie to award-winning, bestselling, multi-genre, multi-publisher (gasping for breath here) and critique partner-extraordinaire. 

I can’t pick just one for the third, so I’ll cheat: My generous, supportive author friends; new authors filled with excitement and joy, veterans who mentor and share their wisdom and secrets, the crew of Romance Writers Weekly at varying stages in our author careers…too many wonderful authors to pick just one more.  

3. Describe your favorite fan moment (either you as the fan or one of your readers approaching you as a fan). 

This happened Sunday at my local grocery store. Hubby wanted to know if I knew any of the authors of the romance books in the book section. And I did!

Not only did I know several from social media and conferences,  I’m in groups with some (Gina Conkle & Victoria Vane) and our own Sarah Hegger’s book, Nobody’s Angel was there. I squealed! 

All right, let’s tootle over to Tracey at Love Extra and see what she has to say!