First Sale Party for Pam Hillman!

Today, Captain Jack cried. Real tears. I didn't think the scoundrel had it in him!

The poor man saw Tina’s message on the beach. He was so distraught when he saw that I, the last Seeker on Unpubbed Island, sold a book. I will leave with the next tide as soon as the supply boat arrives (but after the party, of course!), and he is all in a dither that Unpubbed Island will be shut down forever.

Not so!

Unpubbed Island is alive and well, and we’ll find out later what is to be done with this pristine piece of paradise that dreams are made of!

It is true. I, Pam Hillman, have sold my first book. (I'm whispering because the very thought sends Jack into another round of blubbering tears…) Other than taking Jack’s delicate sensibilities into consideration, I’m so excited to be a Tyndale House author!!

The call: It wasn’t a call exactly, but an email. My agent, the super savvy Steve Laube, of The Steve Laube Agency, emailed that Tyndale House had made an offer on my 2011 Golden Heart award finalist Stealing Jake, the story of a former street urchin pickpocket who steals the heart of the local deputy sheriff.

One thing led to another, and we said YES! I guess that pretty much sums it up. lol

My journey to publication has taken a long and winding road. But I wouldn’t trade the trip for anything. With each step, I’ve made friends in this industry and learned something that will help me on the rest of the journey. I would tell you all about it, but honestly, it would take forever.

I’m so thankful for Steve’s guidance and support, and for Jan Stob and the team at Tyndale House for believing in this story.

Not only am I going to be a Tyndale author, Stealing Jake is part of Tyndale's new Digital First Initiative, which is just what it sounds like. Digital first...and then the sky’s the limit!

And, that’s not all. Stealing Jake, and the other debut authors in the Digital First Initiative will release in July 2011! Now, isn’t that the coolest thing ever? I'll definitely let you know here in Seekerville when Stealing Jake releases, but follow me and Seekerville on Facebook and Twitter to get the latest news about all the Seekers.

Now, what’s next for Unpubbed Island?

Tell us what you think. Resort hotel with writers' retreats? An Unpubbed Survivor Island for the friends of Seekerville? A cruise destination from the mainland every time a Seeker makes another sale? An island getaway to write our next masterpiece? Let us know what you think for a chance to win one of today's prizes!

[picture of a grass hut]


Nice hut, Tina! Who’s got first dibs?

To celebrate this momentous occasion that the Seeker Sisters have been working toward since we banded together in 2005, today we’re giving away 15 prizes, in honor of the BIG FIFTEEN! We are emptying Davy Jones’ locker and foraging for Captain Jack’s stash of Seeker books. Winners will be announced in the Weekend Edition.

So drop in, sit a spell, have some biscuits with homemade butter and blackberry jam (Jack made it himself!), eggs, bacon, ham, grits, and some of Helen’s great coffee, hot chocolate, and chamomille and vanilla chai tea.

And that’s just for breakfast!

We’ll serve lunch later, with a humongous coconut cream cheese cake with icing THIS thick made from scratch and sent over from the mainland with best wishes from my husband’s 93 yo grandmother. And we’ll wash it all down with fruit punch with huge scoops of pineapple ice cream floating on top. Yum!


No spiking, Jack! This is a respectable party, and Mamaw has her eye on you!

Seekerville motto:"Our focus on Him as we write toward the dream,
We shall leave no woman behind." (T. Russo, 2005)