We got a book deal!

About six weeks ago Andreas tipped me off to a Six-Word Memoir Contest put on by SMITH Magazine. The challenge was to tell your life story in exactly six words. The editors of SMITH Magazine were to then review all the submissions and pick their favorites for their upcoming Six-Words Memoir book.

I submitted mine immediately, which you can see here.

About an hour ago I got an email from the editor and contest co-pilot informing me that my life story has been picked to share with the world via your nearest bookstore in 2008! They landed the publishing deal and the title of our book will be NOT QUITE WHAT I WAS PLANNING: And Other Six-Word Memoirs by Writers Famous and Obscure.

The email:

Dear Six-Word Memoirist,

If you’re getting this email, it means that your six-word memoir was hand-selected by the editors of SMITH Magazine as one of our very favorites. And while it’s true that the iPod’s already been awarded, there’s a pretty awesome honorable mention situation we hope you’ll be as excited about as we are.

We got a book deal! And you know what, so did you! In 2008, HarperCollins will publish NOT QUITE WHAT I WAS PLANNING: And Other Six-Word Memoirs by Writers Famous and Obscure. I’m writing to about 400 memoirists out of over 5,000 who submitted in hopes of including you guys in our book.

And in the user-generated spirit of SMITH, we’re illustrating the book by asking each of you to supply a photo of yourself, or a photo you’ve taken, or a doodle or drawing or collage or graphic or any other visual you feel represents your life story. The only rule is that it can’t be someone else’s copyright. The more creative, the better! Please send it to this email in high res/300dpi if possible.

In return, you’ll get a copy of the book when it’s all done, and the right to throw around the term “published author,” if you don’t already. Please write back right away and let me know if you’re on board, or if you have any questions. If you don’t remember what you submitted, that’s fine too. Just ask and I’ll remind you. We only have a few weeks to get the finished manuscript turned in, and we’d love to include you!

Thanks,
Rachel Fershleiser
www.smithmag.net
Editor, Memoirville.com
Co-Pilot, Six-Word Memoir Project

How cool is that?

Now I’ve just got to throw together an appropriate rendering of my likeness to accompany my story. Hmm…

*Update 02.14.07: The photo has been chosen!