Jenny's Real Life Gets Exciting!

Long time readers of my blog may remember that a few years ago I invited them to read a chapter of a Regency romance I'd posted in a contest. I didn't win that contest--though I made it to the top 20--but through my participation in that contest I made friends with another talented unpublished novelist who nagged me into working on my novels again and spent many months exchanging work and critiques with me. My friend's book sold a couple months ago, and she will be published in hardback next year.

And today I'm happy to announce that I, too, am, in the language used in the publishing trade press, officially a "debut novelist."

You can read the details of my book deal in this new blog I have set up:

The Adventure Begins: Avon Buys Lord Lighting

I will of course continue to keep up with the Diabetes news and update this blog and the Blood Sugar 101 web site. But I will be working full time on the second and third books I am now committed to deliver to my publisher. This deal gives me a foot in the door. If I can deliver, I have the chance of becoming a bestselling author. Avon is the top publisher of Romance and being acquired by them is like getting into the Top 24 in American Idol. I'll be competing with other new authors to build up a readership and I'll have to write fairly fast and very well to do this.

The latest word from my agent is that we are shooting for publication of the first book in November of 2010.

But what a thrill to be given a chance like this! And what a slap in the face for those who claim that the low carb diet decreases our mental abilities. I was low carbing at Bernstein levels when I wrote the first draft of this book and eating no more than 100 g a day when I did the many revisions it took to get published.