Our First Anniversary: What is left to be said?

Not a whole lot. But of course, I’m going to try. We really do have amazing synergy. I like to think the Universe was looking out for us all (and in a burst of incredibly good karma sent these amazing women my way). We all met in person for the first time a little over a year ago, having burgers, margaritas, and our business meeting in my backyard.


I'm the dead woman (boy did we have a LOT of fun)

However much fun we had that first night...this grog was about business. Promoting ourselves, promoting each other. We were very official. We had an agenda! We had a web designer (the incredible Maddee!). We figured we’d brainstorm topics, nail down the everyday working details, settle on our name and our hook (8 women, 8 genres or subsets there of), and our partnership would be birthed.

This isn’t to say that we didn’t think we would like each other because of course we did or no one would have agreed to be a member. But something magical happened. We found something so much better than a promotional tool and cool new business associates. We found love and friendship.

The kind of supportive love unbelievably rare in a business that can be ruled by jealousy and hurt feelings.

We found: Commiseration over rejections and life’s non-writing challenges. Impromptu plotting lunches. Nights out after a rough day/week at work complete with a designated driver. Herding (yes, that was meant for Sophie :) ) friends to Romantic Times. A book sighting party on launch day. A quick read of new manuscript before a) the next round of revisions b) it’s sent to your agent c) it’s sent to your editor d) it’s sent back to your agent. Friendly butt kicking if you’ve been slacking off. Begging for the finished manuscript because we can’t wait to read it and we’re so thrilled to see an advanced copy. Screaming and cheering for NYT reviews and Edgar nominations and IMDB Lists and Mystery Bestseller Lists and Target sightings.

We found friendships we will have forever. I am so grateful and humbled and awed to call these women my friends. Whether it takes one month or one year, I know they will have my back when I sell my books. And I fully expect that the Pens will have their own table at my childrens' weddings.

On that note, I propose a toast. Here’s to an incredible first year. May the second one be bigger and brighter.

Love, Lisa