Everyone’s a character

The other day I received an email from Chip, my literary agent, and it contained an interesting but tall order: “Hey, I’ve got a publisher looking for an author who can write a Mitford-like series, and I thought of you, Lynette. Think that might interest you?”

 

First, I’m glad I have someone like him in my corner, believing I can write a series that could sell millions. If you’re familiar with the Mitford series by Jan Karon, you’ll understand why I call this a tall order. But right on the heels of that confidence comes the realization that we just never know what will “sell” and become a blockbuster. It’s a bit like playing the lottery, being in the right place at the right time with the right story, being read by millions of readers at the right time.

 

But back to the series idea. Chip made suggestions for the setting, either the South or the Midwest, or “if you want to try something wild, a brownstone on Park Avenue in New York.” My first inclination was Texas after thinking about the brownstone for a few seconds. I told him so, along with the proposed town name and a few of its businesses. Now the “fun” part comes. Without overthinking the “Mitford” expectation behind the proposal, this new small-town world is mine to create.