Faith,  Interviews,  Life and Whatnot,  Writing

BILLY COFFEY PART 2


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Okay, as promised, here is the play-by-play of “The Call.”

If you missed part one of the interview, CLICK HERE , otherwise, read on and see how it worked out for Billy.

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4. Ok, Billy, tell us about “The Call.”

It’s funny, I’d actually been reading Rachelle’s blog for a long time and knew she was the agent I wanted. I had one manuscript complete and sent her a query, but she passed. I finished my second, Snow Day, and sent her another query four months later. She passed again.

I decided to forget about finding an agent and focus on building my platform, which was my blog. At the time, I had so few readers that I was seriously considering shutting the whole thing down. That’s when God started working.

First came Katdish, who began reading my blog and emailed to ask if there was anything she could do to help me get published. My platform was struggling, and I told her what I needed most was more exposure. She’s been a pro at that.

Then I picked up a new reader. Anne Lang Bundy writes at Building His Body, and she enjoyed my posts so much that she emailed to ask me if I was looking for an agent. I said I was, and she said she could possibly get hers to take a look at me, who just so happened to be Rachelle Gardner. I told Anne that Rachelle had already passed on my book, but she said she would try and work something out.

Rachelle agreed to let me resubmit directly to her, and I sent a query and the first ten pages. She got back with me about a week later and requested a phone call. She wasn’t ready to offer representation yet, she said, but she wanted to take a look at the entire manuscript and a proposal.

A week later, Rachelle sent me a message on Twitter asking for another phone conversation. It was the Fourth of July weekend, and she suggested that we schedule a talk for the next Tuesday.

That was a long weekend.

By the time Tuesday rolled around, I had successfully managed to turn my stomach into an amusement park. I didn’t know what to expect, didn’t know whether to get my hopes up or not, and didn’t know if I could make it until 4:30, when she was supposed to call.

Thankfully, she sent another message via Twitter telling me not to worry, because this was The Call.

The amusement park in my gut kicked into high gear when I read that.

I paced around work for the rest of the day and then found a quiet spot on a hill with a good view of the mountains. Rachelle called me right on time, and was kind enough to put my nerves at ease right away by offering representation. She discussed how she worked, what her plans were for my manuscript, and if I had any future books in mind.

I knew from her blog that Rachelle was extremely knowledgeable when it comes to publishing, but she’s proven to be even more so. She’s not only a consummate professional, she’s also a very nice lady.

So no, I didn’t sign with an agent in the most traditional way. In the end, it wasn’t my queries but my blog and the people I met through it that helped me most.

Writing can be a lonely thing, but it’s so hard to find success on your own. I needed help, and that’s what God gave me. So put your work out there for others to read, go and visit other blogs, and yes, Twitter and Facebook, too. Get your name out there. Draw people to you. You never know what can happen…

**Thanks, Billy, for sharing part of your writing journey with us. We’ll be watchin’ for your books on the bookstore shelves some day. With Rachelle as your agent, it’s gonna happen!**

19 Comments

  • Candy

    I’m all ready to make my book purchase, but must insist on an autographed copy. Sounds like Rachelle and Billy Coffey (not just “Billy”- he will always be “Billy Coffey”) are a great team. I wonder if I’ll cry through the book like I do his blog posts. Um – yeah.

  • Caroline

    Wow, sorry for all those typos in my above comment, been a long day!! Thanks Lynn for sharing your talk with Billy.

  • Caroline

    Billy, I thik God wanted you to minsiter to us through your blog, maybe that is why this route to publishing. I am just thankful that I got to “know” you through the blog and appreciate that you appreaciate what the lbog has meant to you too. God is faithful and He has given you a wonderful gift. Thank you for sharing it and congratulations on this well earned outcome.

  • Weronika Janczuk

    I’ve been following Rachelle’s blog for a few months now, and though she doesn’t represent my genres, I’ve always wished she would — Billy is the second author on this blogosphere that has received representation from her, and I congratulate him, for I have no doubt that she will offer the best of services and the utmost knowledge. 🙂

    Congratulations and thank you for sharing this gem with us!

  • Lauryn Abbott

    Thank you, Lynn, for sharing this interview with us. It is an amazing stroy, and somehow seems to fit the amazing guy it happened to. I’m sure there are many of us who are looking forward to Billy’s first book. 🙂

    Thank you, Billy, for once again giving hope and encouragement with your words. I pray you have great success in your writing journey and look forward to saying “I knew you when.” 😉

  • Lynn Rush

    I’m so glad y’all stopped by to support Billy. His story is an encouraging one, that’s for sure!! I was happy to share it with you all!

  • Richard Mabry

    Billy,
    I’m fortunate enough to have representation by Rachelle as well. And my road to representation was sort of atypical, although not quite like yours. We all get there via different routes, don’t we? But we all have the same goals and write for the same Master. Congratulations on getting to this point in your writing journey.
    Lynn,
    Thanks for sharing Billy’s story with us.

  • Peter P

    There’s that platform thing again.

    God works in mysterious ways! If Rachelle had accepted you the first time, you might never have met Katdish and the rest of us!

    Yay God!

  • Katie

    Great interview! I accidentally left a comment on the wrong post, but I just wanted to say, I could read these stories all day. So inspirational! Congrats Billy!

  • Jody Hedlund

    I loved hearing your story, Billy! It’s amazing the twists and turns we all have to go through on this writing journey. Nothing is ever simple and straight.

    Thanks for the interview!

  • Rebecca

    Thanks for sharing this conversation with us, Lynn. What a great end to a journey of hard work and perseverance.

  • KM Wilsher

    LR~Leave it to Billy to turn an interview question into an inspiring, encouraging, passionate devotional. . .okay, he always makes me teary!!!! Good tears, but teary nonetheless 🙂

    Great job, Lynn. What a great testimony for writers and for Christians!

  • Helen

    I can’t wait to buy his book. And read it of course. Billy is an awesome writer and nice man. But then you know that already.