I’m terrible at keeping secrets. So imagine my chagrin when I learned last spring that HarperTeen wanted to acquire my debut novel BUT they would only announce the book deal publicly once the contract was finalized AND I had to keep it a secret in the meantime.
Okay, I thought. How long could a book contract take to finalize? A week? Two weeks?
No, no, my son.
Months. Over six months pre-pandemic. Post-pandemic we’re talking ten or more. Add a publishing strike in there for good measure and you’re up to thirteen months.
For thirteen months, I kept the fulfillment of my lifelong dream under wraps.
So, if you’re just now hearing about this and you’re thinking, “why didn’t Quinn mention this before?” that is why.
A lot happens behind the scenes in the making of a book. I have the people at New Leaf Literary and Electric Postcard Entertainment to thank for showing me the ropes, answering even my most inane questions, and having my back throughout this process. I’ve learned a lot about publishing, but I have also learned something really important about myself.
I’m kind of a nightmare.
Recently, my partner and I watched Unzipped, a 1995 documentary that follows Isaac Mizrahi as he designs a new collection in the aftermath of a poorly reviewed show. The viewer observes Isaac pass through the full spectrum of human emotions. He’s bubbly in one minute and sullen in the next. The ups and downs are a part of his creative process. There’s so much joy in it. AND he’s a bit of a diva.
I sat there watching the documentary and I thought, “Oh my god. We are the same person. Why am I also like this?”
This project has brought about a lot of change for me and my creative process. Because so much is new, my frustration tolerance is pretty low at the moment. Yesterday, I drove myself to tears trying to update my artist’s statement. Today, I’m buzzing with ideas as I begin to outline a brand new novel. That’s just how it is for me right now. My mind keeps playing tricks on me, a little voice is trying to convince me that I don’t know how to write when there’s more evidence to the contrary than there’s ever been before.
I loved writing this book and I’m excited to share it with you (and to share more about the process) soon!
In the meantime, finally speaking this big secret aloud is so satisfying: My debut novel, The Lilies, is coming out in 2024 from HarperTeen. Eep!
