Karen E. Olson writes:
I first tried my hand at writing a mystery novel 15 years ago. There was a definite learning curve. I wrote two books, which are now safely hidden away, never to be seen again. But I did send the second to an agent, who was on the fence about it and encouraged me to try again. I did, and while my protagonist was still a newspaper reporter, this time she was a lot tougher and smarter.
I wrote Sacred Cows in about a year and a half and sent it back to the same agent. After telling me that "at least this one had a plot," he agreed to represent me and began sending the book to publishers. Time passed; I started another book, a sequel, being ever the optimist.
After a few rejections, however, I heard about the Sara Ann Freed Memorial Award contest at Mysterious Press and sent in my application and two chapters. Within two weeks I got a letter asking for the rest of the book. More time passed. The deadline for the announcement about the winner came and went, but surprisingly, I got a call from my agent saying that Mysterious liked the book, but could I change the ending? I rewrote the last few chapters and sent it back. About two weeks later, I was toiling at my desk at the New Haven Register when the phone rang and my agent told me I’d won the contest.
Since then, things have happened so quickly it’s astonishing. And while I’ve waited for this for years, it feels like an overnight success.
Karen E. Olson is the travel editor at the New Haven (Conn.) Register. Her first book, Sacred Cows, will be published by Mysterious Press in September, and the sequel she was so optimistic about is scheduled for publication in September 2006.
