The Secret's Out!

kiesteralex
1 day ago
3 min read

From the desk of Alex Kiester

Hi Y'all,

Last month, as I've done every January for the past I-don't-know-how-many years, I once again fled Austin's cedar fever for Mexico and am writing to you today from beautiful San Miguel. Just like my country of origin, I also now have a new food pyramid and it is tortillas all the way down. My friend Raul is continuing to educate me in a stunning array of Spanish curse words. My favorite? Pendejo! And away from all the pollen, my eyes and nose are living their best lives.

As I promised in my last newsletter back in November, a whole lifetime ago (Should I send these puppies more frequently? Would anyone be interested in that?), I have some VERY exciting news that I've been trying not to scream from the rooftops, but now I finally can...

I sold my next book!

A GIRL TO KILL is coming to you in 2027!

Here's how it all went down. Last fall, after a year and half of writing, editing, and generally going cross-eyed sitting at my computer, it was finally time to submit my book to publishers. My literary agent and I polished a submission letter, put together a shortish list of publishers we were interested in working with, then I kissed my book baby good luck, and we sent her off into the world. (This last part is literal. I literally kissed my computer screen.)

What followed was two weeks where you would have been lucky not to cross paths with me (apologies for anyone who did, BIG shoutout to my husband). I was stewing in a brackish blend of sheer terror and whatever it's called when all you can do is check your email. Then finally, good news: An editor liked my book! She wanted to meet with me! Soon, another one did!

We ended up going to auction, which is what it's called when you're anticipating bids from multiple publishers. Sadly, this did not mean I got to sit in a room while people in smart turtlenecks and thick-framed glasses held up tiny paddles, because a book auction is conducted over email. It did, however, feel like an enormously good sign. People - multiple people! - were responding to my book.

My agent and I reviewed the bids and, after a smidge of back and forth, we accepted an offer for a two-book deal from Sourcebooks! Not only do they publish mystery/thriller dynamos like Freida McFadden, Julie Clark, and fellow Austinite, May Cobb, not only did they recently become the fifth largest publisher in the country, but on the call with my now editor, Shana Drehs, I felt we had a real editorial rapport. She spotted the - shall we call them places for improvement? - in my manuscript like a sniper and we started brainstorming on the spot.

Flash forward a few months, and now I'm hard at work adding a new juicy twist into my book while also quietly obsessing over its pitch: For fans of Jessica Knoll and Lisa Jewell, A GIRL TO KILL is about two broke writing majors who team up to con their fellow student out of her enormous trust fund, but not everyone is who they seem to be, and soon the game for money turns into one of life or death... dun dun dun! Coming 2027.

Many more updates to come, but for now, I'll end with a big, never-ending thanks to each and every one of you. My dream job is possible because of people like you, who buy, read, share, and talk about my books. For that, I'm deeply grateful.

xo,

Alex

PS - Are you a writer in Austin? Come join me at the next quarterly ATX Write-in tomorrow, November 12th! Organized by Hembree Bell Law, this event is a great way to learn about the industry, practice your craft, and connect with other writers.

Learn More