Finally Thin

FINALLY THIN BEHIND THE SCENES

JULY 2007

My literary agent, Coleen, called me last July to tell me that there was interest in my book proposal. It had only been sent to publishers three days earlier. “Random House wants to make a preemptive offer”, she said. As if I knew what a preemptive offer was! Was it a good thing? She was waiting for my reaction. I stammered, “I I I ... Coleen, I’m assuming any offer is good, but I have no idea what a preemptive offer is. I think I’m excited. Aren’t I?”

Thankfully I had a wonderfully experienced agent who walked me through the whole process. I told her we would be willing to look at the offer. She went back to Random House and got the details which she shared with Mark and me at length, answering many of our questions. We set up a phone “meeting” with my publisher -- boy does that sound good to say -- and with that 30 minute conversation I was thrust head-long into the wild world of publishing. Ann, my publisher, shared with me all that Random House and the team was planning and hoping for my book. We discussed timing and deadlines and although I took many notes, much of the conversation was a blurred dream. The beginning of a dream come true.

In the next few months that leading up to the release of Finally Thin!, I thought I'd share with all of you who have encouraged me to write this book what goes on behind the scenes. If nothing else, it should be a lot of fun. Stay tuned ...


SEPTEMBER 2007

Here's a copy of the e-mail I first got from Ann. I loved it and thought I'd share it with you.

Hi Kim, I just wanted to say hello and let you know how thrilled we are to be publishing your wonderful book! It was such a pleasure to meet you via phone yesterday, and I hope that we can get together when I'm back from my travels so that we can have lunch and get better acquainted, and you can come to our offices and meet the Broadway team.
In the meantime, should you need anything, my assistant will be minding the shop while I'm gone and is available to answer any questions you may have. Please don't hesitate to be in touch.
I am really looking forward to working with you to make FINALLY THIN a huge success! My contact info is below for your records, so enjoy the rest of the summer and I'll be in touch in a few weeks when I return.
All best,
Ann
P.S. We will put a couple of our recent catalogs in mail to you so you can check out the list and your fellow authors.


OCTOBER 2007

I don't know if I was shaking more from excitement or from nerves as I stared at the tall stately building on bustling Broadway Avenue. I couldn't take my eyes off from it. Traffic and people continued their frenzied pace all around me, but I felt frozen in time as I let this experience wash over me. I stepped off from the curb into the four lane street trying to get it all in the lens on my iPhone. A cabbie's honk brought me to my senses and I quickly stepped back on the sidewalk. So this was Random House. I safely crossed the street and met Coleen out front. She knew right where she was going and quickly passed through the massive front doors. I followed in awe. Large shelves behind glass panes lined the walls from floor to ceiling all around me. They contained first editions of books that Random House had published over the years. My eyes were drawn to Pipi Longstocking peaking out at me from behind another massive volume. So small and familiar yet such a part of American literary history—not to mention my own. Random House. We didn't have much time to look as we were quickly whisked away to meet "the team".

I soon met the Director of Marketing, Director of Publicity, and my Publisher, Ann. I don't remember much from that meeting except that Ann told us that she was expecting her first baby in late February. Along with the excitement for Ann's good news came the request for a finished manuscript before she left for maternity leave, six weeks ahead of schedule. She loved this project and really wanted to get it well under way before she took her leave. How could I say no? Besides, February seemed so far away ...


NOVEMBER 2007

Peter (my friend and Weight Watchers® receptionist) joins Kim’s Light Bagels full time. What a difference the additional help makes. Finally, someone else in our household that can talk POINTS®. AND he’s a great resource for diet questions and sleuthing out new light products. I suddenly have more time for writing which is a blessing.


DECEMBER 2007

Between the holidays and my book deadline I don’t even have time to blog!


JANUARY 3, 2008

I’ve given birth to four children and, honestly, the process of completing this book is more painful! Just when I think I’m almost done, I realize how much more there is to do. Between all my other work and my family I’m finding that the distractions of writing at home are overwhelming. But other authors have families and lives and still manage to write, I just need to find a way.


JANUARY 8, 2008

Day 1
I found a way. Mark checked me into a local hotel to finish the manuscript. It’s only me and my computer. No meals to make. No phone calls to answer. No family concerns to deal with. I miss the boys, but they’ll have a great boy-time with dad. Mark will find something fun for them to do. Peter drops a Diet Coke fountain soda off in the lobby for me on his way to work.

Day 2
I got a knock on my hotel room door this afternoon. There stood Mark and our boys decked out in swimsuits. “Hi Mom! We’re here to swim!” Mark had the good graces to look sheepish. “Well, it’s mid-winter and there’s a free heated indoor pool downstairs. You told me to have fun with them. Don’t worry. You won’t even know we’re here…”

Day 3
Despite my misgivings, the pool thing worked out well. I worked most of the time they were swimming, but went down at the end to watch all of them do handstands in the shallow end. It was a nice break. I made Mark promise me that he’ll shoot me if I ever decide to write another book. Peter drops a Diet Coke fountain soda off in the lobby for me on his way to work.

Day 4
We booked the hotel room thinking I’d only need two days of peace and quiet. I need at least one more. Peter drops a Diet Coke fountain soda off in the lobby for me on his way to work.

Day 5
Ta da! I just emailed my final manuscript to my editor and publisher. What a great feeling. I’m FREE! I can venture forth into the world to get my own Diet Coke!


FEBRUARY 2008

Waiting for Random House to read the manuscript and send their edits. Photos for the book are selected, captioned and sent. My publisher, Ann, has her sweet baby girl. She’s adorable. Tracy, another publisher from Random House, graciously steps in as my interim publisher.


MARCH 2008

Waiting and waiting and waiting …


APRIL 2008

Cover design is discussed. Everyone wants to use my progression of photos around the book’s cover somehow. I can’t wait to see what they come up with.

I just found out the release date for the book has been moved from mid-January 2009 to December 30th 2008. Whoo hoo!


MAY 2008

My rewrites are back. There aren’t too many, but because of the delay getting them to me I’ll need to turn them around in a week. As the week dragged on and I was still unable to get to them, Mark checks me in to the Marriott again. It’s amazing how quickly I can get things done when there’s no one else around! Two days later, I’m done. And yes, Peter made my Diet Coke drop off on his way to the office. Thanks P!


JUNE 2008

I saw my cover! It’s great! It’s real! Can you hear me screaming?!

more to come…

JULY 2008

Random House has decided to change my cover. Instead of a myriad of photos showing me going from 347 lbs to 135 lbs, they've decided to do a photoshoot of a current picture. Monday, July 28th I'll be at Milk Studios in New York City with one of the hottest new photographers ... Deborah Feingold has shot the covers for wonderful authors such as Desmond Tutu, Amy Grant, Barack Obama and Dorothy Hamill. I feel honored ... and more than a little nervous. I'll post when it's over.