First Times: From Skydiving to Getting an Agent

Originally posted on Boricuan Bookworms.

One of the most beautiful things about life is getting to experiencing so many things for the first time. Some first times, like taking your first step or saying your first word, are as much fun for those watching—the proud parents. Other first times get your heart pumping and are almost indescribable, like a first kiss. And the coolest thing of all is that your first times NEVER run out. No matter what age you are, no matter how much you’ve experienced, there are always more out there. There are always more first times for those who are willing to seek them out.

Two of my most memorable first times have come in the last five years, and though they appear very different at first glance, upon closer inspection they’re similar in a lot of ways. Skydiving and getting an agent.

I went skydiving shortly after I moved to Australia. It was a spur of the moment thing. Someone asked me and I was at a stage in my life where I was very open to trying new things. So I said yes.

IT WAS AWESOME! The entire experience was so surreal, from watching those jumping before me just disappear into the oblivion of the sky, to my own jump, which took my breath away and sent my heart screaming into my head. The free fall was thrilling, watching the earth get closer and closer, until the straps of my parachute (thankfully) tugged me back up, where I was able to float lazily toward the beach, where we landed. It was a first I’ll never forget.

Becoming an accountant-turned-author and getting an agent was almost like skydiving. I’m not kidding. When you’ve been on a conservative career path your entire life, and suddenly your wife convinces you to take a risk and quit your well-paying job and focus solely on writing young adult books for a living…that’s as close a feeling to jumping out of a plane as I’ve ever experienced. It’s scary as hell, but thrilling, too. Rewarding in so many ways, but a choice you worry about on almost a daily basis. Can I really make it? Do I really have what it takes?

Thank God for my wife, Adele, having enough backbone for the both of us. Although it was my own will that decided I was brave enough to jump out of a plane, it was Adele that believed in me enough to push me to take my writing career to the next level. And I’m SO GLAD she did!

Like skydiving, the initial parts were 50% exciting/50% frightening—like a free fall. I was selling so few books (of my debut series, The Evolution Trilogy) and watching our savings melt away. But Adele didn’t give up on me and I didn’t give up on myself. I learned from my mistakes, I learned from the successes of others, and I wrote two new series, which eventually became a combined 7-book YA dystopian series, The Dwellers/Country Saga. In its early days, the series sold much better than my debut series, but still not nearly enough to support us. But the reviews were good, I was gaining new readers each day, and I kept working hard. I met many unbelievably generous, kind and energetic readers who eventually became my biggest supporters, and the cornerstone of my Street Team, Estes Angels (you know who you are). Then a miracle happened.

Buzzfeed wrote an article called 15 Series to Read if you Enjoyed The Hunger Games. Suddenly I was getting dozens of e-mails, Tweets, and Facebook messages congratulating me on the article. I clicked into it and scrolled down past 14 bestselling big-published series, including Divergent, The Mortal Instruments, and Graceling, to find The Dwellers Saga as number 15 on the list. It was A MIRACLE. From there, sales ramped up until I was selling more than 1,000 books a month. An agent contacted me, and within a week I had a contract for representation. There have been film option inquiries (for The Moon Dwellers), although none of them have panned out so far. I’ve now sold more than 22,000 books in the last 18 months or so. And all because I stepped out of the metaphorical plane that was my safe career as an accountant.

All of the firsts I’ve experienced over the last five years have been special. ALL of them, even the not-so good ones, like my first 1-star review. Good or bad, all firsts are important, because they mold who we are and who we become. It’s up to us whether our firsts will make us better and stronger, or break us. We decide.

Although my agent and I are still seeking the elusive major publishing deal for a few of my new projects, I know it will come with time. If I work hard enough and am patient enough and always seek to do right by my incredibly supportive readers, my parachute will always open and I’ll be able to experience yet another beautiful first in my life. So here’s to firsts, my friends. Don’t be scared of them, appreciate them!