Saved By The Bell!
Celine, book one in my trilogy called When Hearts Dare, is due to release October 7th. This week, I sent in my acknowledgements and dedication pages to my editor. It’s been a long-held tradition for an author to dedicate his or her book to someone special. The one for Celine is particularly special to me, and here’s why:
Celine is actually a book I began to pen back in the 80′s. I’d write a little, then put it aside with the thought that I just wasn’t good enough, and I needed to let it go. However, the story refused to let go of me, so little by little, the story unfolded as if it had a mind of its own.
One night, I was at a crowded cocktail party when my friend introduced me to a wealthy socialite everyone held in high esteem. For some odd reason, my friend ended the intro with, “And she’s writing a book.”
The socialite turned on me. “Oh, for God’s sake! Everyone and their brother thinks they can write the Great American novel. Is your degree in literature or journalism? No? Then give it up because you are as stupid as the rest of the idiots trying to write the Great American Novel!”
I was too stunned for words, and although I had managed to hold my head high, I felt like crawling into a hole. Everyone was staring at the three of us.
My friend said to the woman, “Hey, why are you being so nasty?” Without another word, the socialite walked away. I was so floored, the first chance I got, I discreetly exited the party. At rock bottom, I decided she and every other person who scoffed at me was right—I had no business thinking I could write or sell a story. I went home and lit a fire in the fireplace. I sat in front of it for a long while with my only copy of the manuscript in my lap and contemplating a whole lot of things (I know some of you are nodding in agreement here). I was ready to toss the pages into the flames when the phone rang. The caller was Connie, my niece from California. She wanted to tell me that she’d been talking to another niece in Minnesota who was about to graduate from the same high school I had attended. Tina said her English teacher asked if she was related to Kathleen Bittner.
Tina said, “She’s my aunt.” He asked what I was doing, and again, for some strange reason, Tina said, “She’s writing a book” (I had no idea she knew I’d been trying).
He said, “I always knew she would. She wrote a paper in the eighth grade and for twenty-five years, I’ve used it as an example for all my students on how to write.”
Gosh, was I floored (and in tears)! Obviously, I did not burn the book. Connie’s phone call came not just minutes, but seconds before the entire manuscript went up in flames! I do believe I experienced a little miracle.
The next day, I phoned the teacher, and we had a long chat. A week later, I received the paper I had penned those many years ago. Even though it had been written by a thirteen-year-old, my author’s voice, the humor, visualization, story arc, they were all there.
I was amazed.
Celine went through so many rewrites that it’s not the same story I started with, but it will forever be dear to my heart as the one that gave me the hope and courage to carry on.
So that’s the story of how I came to dedicate Celine to my niece Connie.
What about you, do you read the dedications and acknowledgements in books? As a writer, do you have a cute or touching story as to why you dedicate a book to a certain person? I’d love to hear it.
Here’s the little blurb my publisher put on the back cover of the book:
From Plantation era New Orleans to the untamed American West, here is the sweeping, unforgettable tale of a headstrong young beauty and the man she is destined to love.
Kathleen has four books releasing this year, beginning June 9th with The Seduction of Sarah Marks. Her fifth book, the third in the When Hearts Dare series is scheduled for a 2015 release.
