Pub Rants

Huge Congrats to Simone Elkeles—NYT Bestseller!

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STATUS: Just an amazing day

What’s playing on the XM or iPod right now? MY STUPID MOUTH by John Mayer

Squee! Simone Elkeles’s RULES OF ATTRACTION has just hit the NYT bestseller list—coming in at #3 after Hunger Games and Catching Fire.

We are speechless but just thrilled. Simone, you so deserve this. You are one of the hardest working authors I know and you paid your dues for this NYT list hit as Rules is your sixth novel. Even more sweet given the fact that Rules is the sequel to Perfect Chemistry—a novel that we had trouble selling originally.

Oh, and Happy Birthday Simone. Isn’t this the best gift ever?

And this may sound like an odd reaction but I think I might just want to lay my head down on my desk and cry. When I started my agency in 2002, never in a million years did I dream of this kind of success. This the fourth NLA author to appear on the New York Times bestseller list and the seventh novel to hit.

I feel emotional and very very blessed.


49 Responses

  1. Lydia Sharp said:

    A million CONGRATS to Simone! I have just recently (as in, the last couple days) added Perfect Chemistry and Rules of Attraction to my reading list. This is so good to see! And I ADORE her website. 🙂

    Funny that you originally had trouble selling Perfect Chemistry, and it is up for a RITA now. I can’t imagine how flabbergasted Simone is with all of this good news!

    And you just go ahead and cry, Kristin. You deserve it! 😉

  2. Marie Lu said:

    Ok, I’d be lying if I said I didn’t get a little teary-eyed reading this! I loved Perfect Chemistry and I LOVED Simone’s RoA trailer. I had a huge grin on my face knowing that all her work paid off. Huge congratulations to you and Simone! What amazing news!

  3. Lucy said:

    Congratulations Simone and Kristin! That’s some special news! Very happy for you both. 🙂

  4. Miss Tammy said:

    Very well deserved! The teens at my library LOOOOOVE the Fuentes brothers. (We’ll focus on the teens and ignore the fact that I read the ARC of RULES OF ATTRACTION twice in one week after begging a friend to lend it to me.)

  5. Courtney Milan said:

    Congratulations, both Simone and Kristin!

    Simone’s not just an agency-mate, she’s an RWA chapter-mate of mine, and I am so, so, so happy for her.

    Simone, you really deserve this.

  6. Lisa and Laura said:

    Ok, this sort of makes me want to cry too. Simone is one of those authors who inspire those of us just starting our careers. Seeing that hard work and great writing really does equal success is just incredible. Congratulations Simone!

    P.S.
    You were all the rage in #yalitchat tonight! Everyone sited PERFECT CHEMISTRY as one of those books where true buzz (not marketing $$) created a best-seller.

  7. catie james said:

    Congratulations to you both. Simone absolutely deserves this. Perfect Chemistry and Rules of Attraction are two of my all-time faves and never-leave-the-keeper-shelf.

  8. Michelle said:

    Wohoo! Congrats to Simone- she is fantastic! I just purchased my copy today & can’t wait to start it.

    And a huge congratulations to you as well! You’ve both earned it! 😀

  9. Wen Prior said:

    I think this is what we have to remember when we’re querying and upset that agents who tell us our manuscript is really good, just not for them.

    What we should all want is an agent who is so passionate about our stories, and our success, that she wants to cry when something great happens.

    Congratulations to both of you 🙂

  10. Ellen Brickley said:

    Congratulations to Simone and all at NLA 😀 Another fantastic achievement!

    Simone’s books aren’t as easily available in Ireland but they’ve been on my want list for a while. Amazon beckons!

  11. Anonymous said:

    Yay for Simone!!

    Kristin, I’ve always wondered this — how far in advance do they tell you if you’re on the list, because right now it’s not on this week’s list??

  12. Geoff said:

    Congrats! Great cover on that book as well. Very catching.

    And also, My Stupid Mouth is one of my favorite songs written… ever. Seriously.

  13. DJ Rose said:

    Congrats!!!

    Yesterday I blogged about rain and I searched for an image and that picture came up!! It didn’t have the title, just the image. Now I know what it belongs to!! 🙂

  14. KC Neal said:

    I read Perfect Chemistry a couple of months ago and LOVED it. Congratulations, Simone and Kristin, on your success! Can’t wait to read the new one!

  15. Stephanie said:

    Omigod! I can’t even tell you how excited I am to read this. “Perfect Chemistry” is one of my favorite books. I’ve only owned it for a few months, but I’ve read it twice. I just couldn’t get enough Alex and Brittany! Now I get more more more! Thanks! And congratulations! What an honor for you all.

  16. Simone Elkeles said:

    Thanks, everyone, for the outpouring of support. I’m humbled and hugely excited. Thanks to Kristin’s faith in me and my books my dream came true. Can you believe I hated to read books when I was a teen? It’s a long story, but totally true.

  17. Tahereh said:

    this post made me swell with pride and beam like a soccer mom for all of the hardworking writers out there.

    simone deserves the best. & so do you!

    so happy for both of you! 😀

    a million congrats!!

  18. Alli said:

    Congrats to all – such a fabulous, well-deserved accolade. And the cover is one of my all-time favourites. Celebrate, ladies!

  19. june said:

    When I saw this post I almost screamed with glee. I’ve communicated with Simone several times via email and she is one of the most genuine and non-self absorbed YA authors out here today.

    She’s a regular girl making it big with realistic fiction and awesome storytelling. I’m happy so many people recognize this and are giving her her due respect and recognition.

    Congrats to you too Kristin for recognizing her talent and not giving up on her when the going got tough. Kudos to you!

  20. Stina Lindenblatt said:

    I can’t wait to read it. I just have to wait ONE MORE MONTH!!!! before I get it. I’m ordering it with several other books, but Rules of Attraction will be the first one read. 😀

  21. Horserider said:

    Congratulations! You definitely deserve it! I just finished Perfect Chemistry last week and LOVED it. Can’t wait to get my hands on Rules!! =D

  22. susan said:

    i mean no disrespect as i love simone and her books but exactly WHAT nyt list did she hit? i don’t see it on the list anywhere. am i looking in the wrong place?

    susan

  23. BorneoExpatWriter said:

    Great news. The pick-me-up that I was looking for to edit 50 more pages for the Faulkner-Wisdom contest. Was short-listed finalist for both the novel and the novel-in-progress in 2009. This is a culmination of pushing hard on four novels that began November last year (the other two were semi-finalist, and one an almost finalist in 2008). They’re getting closer. Simone you’re an inspiration!

    Take it, and all of us with you, to number one! We’ll enjoy the ride…