A top-tier Literary Agency contract is as difficult to secure as a publishing contract with a Big Six Imprint. They’re elusive.

For five-plus years, I’ve read about the one-percent chance an unpublished author will sign with an agency of repute. Split that number for a publishing contract. It’s grim.

Since most well-respected agents receive more than 10,000 queries every month, and many won’t review an unpublished author’s letter, I understand odds are not in the favor of an individual spinning a yarn. There’s the added problem that literary agents are traditional publishing’s gatekeepers now: no agent = no publisher. This is business in today’s manuscript environment, and has propelled the growth of self and hybrid publishing, even though traditional remains the platinum ring everyone wants to grab.

But after twenty-five years writing professionally in marketing, two years developing concepts and manuscripts, a year of blood-letting via professional edit, and the excellent Christian Writers Guild Craftsman course (highly recommended!), I present the signing of my contract with an amazing literary agency.

I feel as if I’m finally at the “adult table” for Thanksgiving. Miracles never cease.