Made It Moment: Marja McGraw
I always like meeting Oak Tree Press authors since I have learned much about marketing from one of their acquisitions editors and their publisher just seems like an overall fun kind of gal. So I was very happy to encounter Marja McGraw whose new novel comes out from the press, and hear what she has to say about finding her way in this biz. Read on…
For me, there were two Made It Moments. I had a book and I wanted to try to place it (no surprise there). So I submitted to a somewhat well-known publisher. They asked for a six-month exclusive, which turned into a year and a half. I finally received a polite rejection, along with their readers’ notes. It was very frustrating because the notes appeared to be more about the readers making “cute” remarks instead of showing professionalism. Some of the notes actually didn’t have anything to do with my book.
After a little “hmphing”, I moved on. I submitted the same book to Wings ePress, Inc., and within a very short time they offered me a contract. I was elated, to say the least. I have a friend (Dorothy Bodoin) who’d published with Wings, and she was very happy with them. She’s a terrific writer, so I figured if they liked her work, and they liked mine, I’d made it. That was a huge moment for me. There are now four installments in the Sandi Webster Mysteries series.
In the fourth Sandi Webster Mystery there was a character who had an uncanny resemblance to Humphrey Bogart. The readers liked him so much that I began a new series spotlighting the Bogey Man, and I decided it was time to try a traditional publisher again.
I submitted to Oak Tree Press. They were going to be attending a conference in Las Vegas and asked if I could drive in and meet them. It had been a particularly rough week. My husband and I had lost a very dear friend in a horrendous accident. I drove into Las Vegas anyway, although my heart wasn’t in it.
Not only did Oak Tree Press like Bogey Nights, but they offered me a contract on the spot! Right there, at the conference, and they announced it to the attendees. That was my second Made It Moment, and one I’ll never forget.
I was born and raised in Southern California. My family traces back to the 1850s, so I guess that makes me a true Californian.
I worked in both criminal and civil law enforcement for several years. With a few other jobs under my belt, and several years as a divorced, single parent, I have a fairly well-rounded life education.
Eventually relocating to Northern Nevada, I worked for the Nevada Department of Transportation (NDOT). Taking a break, I lived in Oregon where I worked for the Jackson County Sheriff and owned my own business, an antique store/tea room. From there I moved to Wasilla, Alaska, and then back to Northern Nevada where I returned to work for NDOT. Upon my return, I met and married my husband. All things seem to happen for a reason, even when we can’t see it at the time.
Starting with Secrets of Holt House, A Mystery, I followed up with A Well-Kept Family Secret-A Sandi Webster Mystery and the beginning of a series. Bubba’s Ghost and Prudy’s Back! followed shortly. These Sandi Webster mysteries were followed by The Bogey Man.
Bogey Nights – A Bogey Mystery will be published by Oak Tree Press in 2011. This is a spin off series and I had a lot of fun working with a delightful and unusual set of characters.
Marja, what a terrific story. Looking forward to reading BOGEY MAN.
Comment by G Thomas Gill — March 7, 2011 @ 9:28 am
Wow! A year and a half, just to make irrelevant and cutsie comments? That’s terrible! I am glad you found your 2 successes and I hope the presses do great for you! Best of luck!
Comment by Savvy — March 7, 2011 @ 9:56 am
Thank you for your comments and for stopping in. You just never know what to expect when you submit a manuscript. Fortunately, publishers I’ve dealt with since then have been very professional.
Comment by Marja McGraw — March 7, 2011 @ 10:43 am
Marja, you are a terrific addition to the Oak Tree family. While Billie Johnson and I usually don’t make decisions on the spot, your presentation was “pitch” perfect, your marketing plan well thought out and it always sways us one way or the other when we encounter authors in person. Your communication skills and professional manner were the deciding factor.
I love that we were part of your “made it” moment. And Jenny, thanks for your continuing support!
Comment by Sunny Frazier — March 7, 2011 @ 11:21 am
Sunny, Thank you so much! Oak Tree has made me feel like a member of the family, and I’ll do my best to live up to your expectations. Are we havin’ fun yet? You betcha!
Comment by Marja McGraw — March 7, 2011 @ 11:23 am
Marja, I was about to dance all over the magic of the ‘on the spot’ contract when I read Sunny’s comment. The only magic was in your hard work and presentation. That rocks.
Wishing you many more special moments in your career!
Comment by Peg Brantley — March 7, 2011 @ 11:28 am
Thank you, Peg. After I logged off, I had a thought. LOL “Bogey Nights” is a good book, too. And it’s coming out later this month. I guess the presentation wouldn’t amount to much if the book wasn’t any good. I get so wrapped up in marketing and promoting that I forget to mention the worth of the book. Thank you for stopping in.
Comment by Marja McGraw — March 7, 2011 @ 11:32 am
For the past several years, Sleuthfest, the conference sponsored by MWA Florida chapter runs a short story contest. In 2009, I read the lead-in for the contest and a story popped into my head. This was odd since I’d never before written a short story. The conference announces the winner by simply publishing the winning entry in the program. I had been informed I was a finalist, but was shocked to find my story in the program. That may seem like an odd “made it” moment to others, but being declared a winner by a panel of writers I respected was a confirmation I could write. I consider it the springboard that led to my other special moments such as publishing with Oak Tree.
Comment by Lesley Diehl — March 7, 2011 @ 11:40 am
Now that’s an awesome Made It Moment, Lesley. And I’ve read one of your short stories and loved it! Good job!
Comment by Marja McGraw — March 7, 2011 @ 12:22 pm
Hi, Marja, I’m so happy that everything is working out for you with Oak Tree. After all, since I’m an Oak Tree author too, it’s great fun to actually be personally acquainted with so many of the other authors. Marja and I have rather long history, bumping into one another here and there. Glad to learn more about you, Marja. The best of luck with the news book.
Marilyn
Comment by Marilyn Meredith — March 7, 2011 @ 12:26 pm
I met Billy Johnson and Sunny Frazier at Killer Nashville last year. Since submitting to Oak Tree, Sunny has provided me with tremendous feedback. Her input has improved my mystery. She is the first editor I have submitted to who has taken the time to tell me what and why changes needed to be made. Sunny has also taken the time to help me get listed on the writers social networking sites. As an author and artist who previously worked as a ghost (work-for-hire), where the person whose name appeared on the book instead of mine did this, this was huge help to me.
Comment by Elaine Abramson — March 7, 2011 @ 1:07 pm
Great Made it Moment, Marja. This is such a fun feature that Jenny does. It is funny how things just seem to work out when you LEAST expect them. Bogey Rocks!
Wendy
Comment by W.S, Gager — March 7, 2011 @ 1:11 pm
Thank you, Marilyn! You’ve made me feel very welcome at Oak Tree. I guess we really have known each other for a long time. There’s something to be said for conferences because that’s where I first met you.
Comment by Marja McGraw — March 7, 2011 @ 1:15 pm
I agree, Elaine. Sunny and Billie make a superb team, and I’m glad to be affiliated with them, as you are. Thanks for stopping in.
Comment by Marja McGraw — March 7, 2011 @ 1:17 pm
Hey, Wendy! Good to see you here. Wendy was my roomy at Love is Murder, so I got to know her a bit more. Her books are fun, as is Wendy. Thanks for stopping in.
Comment by Marja McGraw — March 7, 2011 @ 1:18 pm
I agree Sunny and Oak Tree Press are great. They are great at supporting thier authors and those that are trying to break into the publishing world too. Keep up the writing. Looking forward to Bogey Nights.
Comment by Kim McKinney — March 7, 2011 @ 2:39 pm
I won’t gush too much about how great Oak Tree and Billie and Sunny are, because I may seem biased, being an Oak Tree writer–but they are!
You have my sympathy when you say after a year and a half the reader returned your ms with smart aleck remarks- I had the same thing happen with a screenplay I submitted to a contest, that I actually PAID FOR!!!! I reviewed his contest on a major screenplay contest website, and it ended up making a mass email that gets sent out to everyone registered on that site, and so many people read the review that the contest administrator offered to let me enter another contest for free. I declined, but it was funny how offended he was when I compared him to a monkey in the zoo throwing its poop at people to entertain itself.
Anyway, two made it moments is fantastic, especially when so many people don’t even get the one!
Welcome aboard and hope to see more of you.
Holli Castillo
Gumbo Justice
Jambalaya Justice coming 2011
Comment by Holli Castillo — March 7, 2011 @ 3:14 pm
Thanks for dropping by, Kim. I had to leave to pick up my husband, whose truck had a problem, so another made it moment was when he stopped at Mama Mia’s and got me a delicious cannoli. Yum!
After reading all the comments here, I can only say how glad I am that I’m with Oak Tree Press.
Comment by Marja McGraw — March 7, 2011 @ 5:13 pm
Hi Holli, Doesn’t it just blow you away that anyone in this business can be so unprofessional? I’m glad it’s not just me.
By the way, Gumbo Justice was killer. Now, back to the cannoli.
Comment by Marja McGraw — March 7, 2011 @ 5:15 pm
Jenny, Just wanted to say thank you for having me on your site. This was something different and fun. Marja
Comment by Marja McGraw — March 7, 2011 @ 6:21 pm
Marja, I’m so glad you appeared, and thanks to everyone who commented and joined us here. This forum is my very favorite part of blogging–getting to see everyone’s unique take on the question, How did I know I made it? and yet how many universals there are between them–is a wonderful, moving thing.
And–it’s certainly clear that Oak Tree is doing a lot of things right!
Comment by jenny — March 7, 2011 @ 6:29 pm
That deal was bittersweet, I’m sure, with your heart heavy with loss on the same day a dream came true for you.
Congratulations on The Bogey Man, and your contract with Oak Tree
Hugs~
Nancy
Comment by Nancy Naigle — March 7, 2011 @ 9:36 pm
Thank you, Nancy! And you’re right, that day was a real roller coaster ride.
Comment by Marja McGraw — March 8, 2011 @ 1:01 pm
Here’s looking at you and your new book! I’ve had a good experience with Oak Tree Press. Last year I submitted a mss. to Sunny. She said no but offered helpful feedback. I asked if I could resubmit the mss if I made changes and she said yes! No other publisher has given me a second chance with a rejection or even bothered with notes.
Comment by Sally Carpenter — March 8, 2011 @ 8:16 pm
Hi Sally,
I hope it all works out for you. Sometimes we really need that second, or even a third chance. Thank you for checking this out. It’s a unique site.
Comment by Marja McGraw — March 9, 2011 @ 10:32 am