I think most of you have seen the news by now, but let me back up for a minute and be a little girly.
Seventeen years ago next week, when I was seventeen years old, my mom passed away suddenly. It’s a hard age to lose your mom, and I was just coming out of that difficult teen period and just beginning to be able to hold civil conversations with my mom again, when she died. But though I’ve now lived just as many years without her as I did with her, there are still memories I will never shake and she still contributed to who I am today.
One of those ways, unbeknown to her at the time, was my love of romances. I still recall the trips I’d take to the used bookstore with her, where she’d trade in a brown grocery bag full of Harlequin category books, and get another bag in return. She’d browse the shelves with a list in hand of the numbers she hadn’t gotten yet, and off we’d go with that bag of books, which would set next to her recliner until she’d gone through it. After she’d read through them, they didn’t actually go back to the bookstore, but moved on to my grandmother and aunt, who traded a similar bag back to my mom in return.
I have always been an avid (and precocious) reader, and in fourth grade, I snuck into that brown bag of Harlequin category romances and pulled a couple out. Hey, it was a large bag and she wouldn’t miss them as long as I returned them quickly, right? That night, and for countless nights in the following years, I read those Harlequin romances into the early hours of the morning, often by flashlight. My love of romance was born with those purloined books, and it hasn’t abated since.
So it’s with great pleasure that I get to say today* that I’ve accepted a position as executive editor of Carina Press, Harlequin’s new digital-only press. Some things come full circle, and I’d like to think this is one of them. Thanks, Mom.
*this links to a post I did for Dear Author, with more on my emotional journey in the past months
Awesome post! I think your Mom would be very proud!
Funny I discovered romance the same way, sneaking them from my Mom’s nightstand drawer.
Your mother raised an amazing woman. She’d be so proud of who you are today. And I’m so proud and lucky to call you my friend. Congratulations on this success, and the many more to come!
And now I’m all weepy and so damn happy for you.
Congratulations, Angela! I’m sure your mom would be incredibly proud to see what a legacy she’s left! Best wishes with your new job!
Congrats!! I think she’d be proud too. My romance love came from my grandmother. It always cracked me up that she would exchange hers in brown bags…
That is a lovely, lovely legacy and wonderful story. You’ll make her proud.
This made me cry.
Congrats on your new position!
Let me just reiterate what so many others have told you recently- It was meant to be. Everything that has happened in your career, both good and bad, has brought you to where you belong. In addition to congratulating YOU, I think Carina Press should be congratulated for being lucky enough to find you available when they needed you most.
Wow. This post actually made me cry, and my kids will tell you that it takes something quite moving to make me go there.
Reason is because I lost my mom sixteen years ago when my kids were barely two and four. They never got to know their grandma, but they did get something from her of which they remained unaware until they were big enough to understand: the love for books.
When I was twelve my mom got me the coolest Christmas gift: The Lord of the Rings trilogy bookset with a bonus book, The Hobbit. But that wasn’t the beginning or the end of my love for books. She began buying me books as far back as I can remember. We would sit in the family room, both of us with books in our hands. I remember my first copy of Snow White, Hansel and Gretel, a great big book of Grimm Fairy Tales and on it went.
What my mom put in me, I put into my own kids. When my oldest was two she got her first crate, yes CRATE, of books full of colorful picture books and children’s encyclopedias. She’s now twenty and still remembers that big blue box of Alphabet Pals reads.
Because of the love of great stories I still read like crazy, and I’m now a multi-pubbed author. What’s even cooler is that my daughter is working on her first novel!
Thanks for sharing your journey to Carina with us, Angie. It’s made some of us sit back and think about where we’ve come from.
TJ
Imagine my surprise when I opened my e-mail this morning
Really exciting news, and congrats to you!
Congratulations on the new job — and I’m sorry your mother’s not here to share it with you. I’m sure she’d be very, very proud of what you’ve achieved over the last few years.
I’m so glad something so good came out of the last few months. You deserve it! Congrats!
I’m so happy for you, Angela. And for Harlequin. What a superb fit!
What a beautiful post and tribute to your mom. Makes me so teary. I’m sure she’s so proud of you.
What a lovely tribute to your mom, to the girl that was and the woman she became.
Congratulations again!
Congratulations again Angie! Beautiful sentiments about your Mom. I lost my Mom 14 years ago and still miss her every day. She also instilled a love for books and reading, starting with mail order Dr Seuss because we lived way out in the country and long trips to the library could not keep up with my voracious reading habits. Good memories!
Congratulations and much success!
Patrice
This is just the coolest news and I couldn’t be happier for you, for romance readers, and for romance authors. Harlequin knows talent when they see it.
What a wonderful memory of your mom. I’m about to turn 46, and I’m blessed to still have mine. I take her for granted, because that’s what you can do when you have an awesome mom. Brianna will do it, and so will my daughter, I hope.
I wanted to swing by and offer my congratulations. After reading your post am so very touched. What a lovely tribute.
I said it over there, but I wanted to say it over here too. Yay! Congratulations! I’m so happy this all worked out for you.
What a lovely post! My mom did the same thing, instilling her love of reading in me at a very young age. I remember swiping her books, too. Those memories are so precious.
Mega Congrats on the new job, Angie!! It’s a perfect fit and well deserved. =)
Anara
Wow, babe!! This is fantastic news, and no one deserves it more!!
Way to go, Angie! I just knew you wouldn’t stay out of work long. Anyone in their right mind would swipe you up in a heartbeat. Boy, did they ever.
Congrats again, Angie! If we’re all over the moon, I can only imagine how high you must be flyin’. I think I know where my next couple of projects may or may not be submitted… hehe
So glad to hear your story has an HEA.
~~Becka
Angie
I am thrilled for you. Beyond thrilled. Congratulations. I am sure you will excell at your new job. Hindus break open a coconut when they get a new job or buy a new house or a car and I am doing one for you virtually!
PS: You know right, this means I am going to be spot checking Ashwina’s reading habits late at night. I totally remember your comment when I was worried about her reading choices. And she is in 5th grade
Thanks, everyone, I’m just so happy to be sharing the news.
Sunita, you know I just bought a car this weekend too, right?
And you’re thinking of Ashwina’s reading habits wrongly. Instead of being overly worried about what she’s reading, you should be happy she’s an eclectic reader. Who knows, maybe some day she’d be writing a similar post about you (um, minus the dying part, please) and thanking you for leading her to an amazing new job because you let her read extensively and feed her brain!
Congratulations, Angie! What an exciting new venture! Very best of luck.
Congrats on the job!!!!
Welcome to the cute car club, too — I meant to tweet that, but it was a crazy weekend.
My parents got me into reading fantasy, mystery and the classics, but it was my aunt who started and fed my early Harlequin habit. She would give them to my sisters and I (her own daughters weren’t interested), yes, in grocery bags, when we visited in the summer. She mostly read the Presents, and we ate them up and came back for more. When she died a few years ago, those memories were a great comfort.
I have always encouraged my kids to read whatever they wanted, and I think that approach worked. They have divergent tastes in pleasure reading, but they are all readers (and thinkers), and they have fond memories of the books I shared with them when they were younger. We still share books, and it’s great.
Your Mom would be very proud. Congratulations. Those brown paperbags filled with books still make the rounds of my family too–even Dad reads them
I am so happy and excited for you. And I’m sure your Mom is smiling and perhaps giving a little wink to the rest of us. She always knew you’d be just what you were meant to be, afterall you are her daughter.
Hi Angela
Congratulations on achieving a better position with a better company!
Harlequin e-division is awesome!
I am so excited for you!
Thank you for sharing your news.
Love & Best Wishes,
Rob
xxoo
Congratulations! They picked the perfect person for the position! Best wishes in your new post!
Go Angela! I was so happy to hear your wonderful news this morning. Your mother would be proud of you. You stayed strong and positive even after things didn’t go the way you expected. I’m looking forward to watching you and Carina grow together.
Congratulations!! This is awesome news!!!
I’m so happy for you. I’ve been worried for you with you being out of work, and at the same time not, because you were bound to be snapped up by someone else… it was just a matter of timing, and if that would be in time for you.
I’m glad things worked out well for you. I can stop worrying for you now.
After all, you know the Divas got your back
Congratulations Angela, I’m so happy everything worked out for you! I have a similar story with my grandmother’s bag of Harlequins
Good luck with everything, I’ll be purchasing my books from Carina as soon as it is up and running!
The Carina Press news is so exciting! The future of publishing is here and you’re leading the way. Congratulations!
Congratulations on your new position Angela!
Congratulations Angela, I’m so glad things worked out for you. We’ve never met, as you left Samhain shortly after I sold my first book there, but you were a major reason I chose to submit. I saw you on the epublishing panel in San Francisco and I was energized by your enthusiasm. I knew I was going to submit to Samhain before I got up out of my chair.
I wish you all the best! And I loved your touching tribute to your mom. She’d be proud.
Congratulations Angela – The universe does work in mysterious ways and it has worked wonders for you. I am so excited that you will be working on such a great endeavor. I can’t imagine anyone else that will make this as successful as you are going to. I hope they have a frequent buyer discount club. Congrats again.
This is just so awesome! Congratulations! You’re absolutely the right person for the job, and I can’t wait to sample what Carina Press will offer. *squee*
Congrats Angela! Everything happens for a reason and I’m thrilled that you’re where you want to be.
Congrats on the new job! Glad to see everything turned out so well for you!
Angela! Congratulations! I feel like we’re family… When you bounce back, woman, you BOUNCE.
Just call me Flubber
Congratulations Angie – totally awesome news. All the best with your new job at Carina Press – can’t wait for the first books to become available!
Congratulations! What a nice big window that opened up when the other door closed. Best of luck in this new journey.
I must be hormonal because that post just left me in tears. It’s funny how things go full circle that way isn’t it ?
Congratulations again Angie, it sounds like a match made in Heaven.
Congratulations Angie!! I can’t think of a more deserving person.
Thank you for sharing not only your news, but so much of your heart as well. In the short time I have “known” you, or known of you, you have taught me more about publishing than I have learned in a lifetime. Now you’ve taught me that no matter what happens, it happens for a reason and there will be something better in the not-necessarily-so-distant-future… an excellent lesson for a writer to learn.
I wanna be like you when I grow up.
Congrats! I’m sure your mother is smiling down at you from the Heavens. What an inspiration you are will all your achievements!! Enjoy the feeling
I love that you shared this story *sniff*