Sometimes you should pick up those “Security Screen” calls!

Whenever I get one of those “Security Screen” calls, I quickly pull up Google and enter the phone number. I can usually do it fast enough that if it’s a legimitate call, I can get it before the person hangs up. Most of the time it’s NOT a legitimate call.

I got one of those calls this afternoon (while I was diligently working on the revision for my Benchmark editor). Google didn’t recognize the phone number, so I didn’t pick up the phone.

Big mistake.

It was a new editor (well, new to me…which explains why I didn’t recognize the number) calling to tell me they want to publish When Grandpa Had a Stroke!

My father had a debilitating stroke almost seven years ago. It’s hard to believe it’s been that long…overnight he went from a strong, active, self-assured man to a depressed, almost childlike man who still has no control of the left side of his body. I desperately needed a book to explain to my children (then 5 and 10) what happened to Grandpa, but I couldn’t find the book I wanted. So I eventually wrote it.

The first draft was way too long, so I sat on it a while before I sent it to anyone. Finally, I sent it to one of my publishers (Albert Whitman….they do a lot of “concept” books like this), who, after nearly a year, told me it was well written, but they don’t have a lot of luck with “grandparent in peril” stories. So they passed. I didn’t know who else to send it to…it’s not really a “trade market” sort of book. But I decided to try M. Press last winter…and now they’re going to publish it! Needless to say, I’m thrilled!