Wednesday, September 9, 2015

Terry is Retiring




I retired from a career in chamber of commerce management after more than 25 years service.

I retired from working with a community service organization after more than ten years service.

I’ve been with Hartline for over ten years, seven as an agent. After much prayer and discussion my wife and I have decided it is time to retire yet again.

It’s not been an easy decision to make. I have a great group of clients that are together in an online group where we talk daily. They are more than clients, they are good friends. Doing this agent gig has been something of a mission effort for me. I have had a heart for trying to help debut Christian writers get started, whatever it took. Seeing them get their work out has been very satisfying. Of course focusing on debut writers has not been very rewarding financially, but that was a decision I made.

I’ve seen a number of clients move on to other things after I helped them get started.

But it has required a huge investment of time and effort as well as a lot of stress. To tell the truth even though I will miss it, making the decision brought an immediate feeling of relief. I told Joyce it would be effective November first which will give me a couple of months to wrap things up and to try and help my clients get placed elsewhere. A number of them will be picked up by other Hartline agents.

I owe Joyce a debt of gratitude for helping me get started as a writer, serving as my agent. Further she allowed me the opportunity to be an agent myself. I’m very grateful for her help and for her believing in me.

I am going ahead and making the announcement this far ahead to keep people from continuing to submit to me when I am no longer taking submissions. For much of the time I have been working in this role I have attended a couple of conferences a month and received thousands of submissions allowing me to meet quite a large number of writers in person or on paper.  It is an amazing thing having friends spread all over this country. It has been a real blessing.

My daughter and a couple of my clients are hosting a “virtual retirement party” over on my facebook page. Leave a comment here or drop by there and sign the “virtual guest book.”

God bless you all . . .

Terry

52 comments:

Bonnie S. Calhoun said...

I'm going to miss you a lot! You have been a true mentor and fine agent. God bless you in everything you choose to do with your retirement. And I love Saundra too!

Terry Burns said...

Thank you Bonnie, you are more than a client but a dear friend

Linda Glaz said...

Well, I submitted to you three times, and third was the charm! (You were charming all along, BTW) Such a gentleman, good friend, awesome mentor, and I'll miss you like crazy. Grateful we'll still be friends. You managed to help me get two novellas, six short novels, and my romantic suspense out there, and I'm ever so grateful. Blessings in all that you do, Terry!

Terry Burns said...

I am so proud of what little I was able to contribute too your success as a writer and as a terrific agent. We will indeed stay in touch

Jodie Wolfe said...

You'll be missed, Terry. Praying for you as God leads you to a new stage of life.

Terry Burns said...

Thank you, Jodie

Diana Flegal said...

Terry, it has been an honor being on a team with you. I appreciate all of the times you helped me when I had questions, and mentored me through your example and blogs. I will miss you as a colleague, but I will definitely stay in touch. :-) God bless you and Sandra in this next step of your journey.

Kathleen Rouser said...

Terry, a big thank you to you for being a mentor to Linda Glaz as I am blessed to
be her client. May the Lord bless you richly as you transition to a new phase of
your life.

Rick Barry said...

Terry, you've always been a terrific addition to any conference's lineup of agents. May the Lord continue to bless as you live and labor for His glory!

Terri Tiffany said...

You were the first agent I ever sent a proposal to. I did it all wrong but you were so kind to tell me why. Thank you! Enjoy your retirement!

Terry Burns said...

Thank you Rick and Terri

Terry Burns said...

Kathleen, you are in good hands with Linda

Christina Tarabochia said...

Terry, job well done. On behalf of Dianne Price's family, thank you!

Terry Burns said...

It was my pleasure and thank you for stepping up on that so she could know her books were being published before she passed on

Terry Burns said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Nicola Martinez, Editor said...

All the best to you, Terry as you retire once again. You have always been a pleasure, and you will be missed. God bless.

Terry Burns said...

Thank you Nicola, I've enjoyed working with you. And by the way, the comment removed above was done because it posted twice on me, not because it was anything bad.

Richard Mabry said...

Terry, You are a gentleman, and the writing/publishing industry can use more of them. Unfortunately, they'll have one less. It's a pleasure to know you, and I hope we can get together over a chicken fried steak sometime to swap stories. Best wishes.

Linda Glaz said...

Isn't that the truth!

lelia said...

Enjoy your retirement.

Pamela S. Meyers said...

Terry, you were the agent who took me on and believed in my story, Thyme for Love.. The story was published and now has circled back to me and is out again after my publishing it myself as an indie. That in itself is a testament to how much the publishing landscape has changed since I signed on as your client. And then there was Love Finds You in Lake Geneva WI. which is still out and available.

I loved getting to know you and Sondra over the years and have always admired your integrity and faithfulness to your clients.

I wish you all God's best as you step down and kick back. You'll start to ask when did I ever have time to work????

Many blessings!

Terry Burns said...

Thank you Richard, we'll do that

Margo Carmichael said...

Will you come to ACFW just for hugs? I love some of the things you've said, especially that writing can be an offering or a calling. Do not leave Facebook. Repeat: Do not leave Facebook. :)

Margo Carmichael said...

Will you come to ACFW just for hugs? I love some of the things you've said, especially that writing can be an offering or a calling. Do not leave Facebook. Repeat: Do not leave Facebook. :)

Margo Carmichael said...

Will you come to ACFW just for hugs? I love some of the things you've said, especially that writing can be an offering or a calling. Do not leave Facebook. Repeat: Do not leave Facebook. :)

Terry Burns said...

Wish I could but I can't make it

Raquel Byrnes said...

Can't tell you how much you have changed my life. I am so very thankful for your belief in my stories and your hard work to find them a home. You will be missed.

Terry Burns said...

Love your writing, Raquel, you're going to love working with Linda

Terri main said...

I'm sure you will be missed. I hope you keep writing your books for boys. They need them.

Terry Burns said...

Thank you Terri

Normandie Fischer said...

Love you, Terry. You were a blessing as an agent, as a mentor, and as a friend. Thank you for being in my life and for always being an example of a true gentleman.

May the Lord continue to bless all that your hands find to do because I know you'll do whatever that may be with all your might. Huge hugs to you.

Terry Burns said...

Thank you Normandie, you were a joy to work with

Linda Farmer Harris said...

Terry, you've spread so much encouragement to us over the years you ought to be neck deep in gratitude and thanks you. Have a blessed retirement. Hope you'll drop in on a writers' conference every once in a while so we can buy you a cup of coffee with no spiels attached.

Sandy Nadeau said...

Terry, congrats on retiring. I hope you get lots of time to enjoy life and family and fun. I met with you at CCWC years ago, then at ACFW/Denver. The one memory that always stands out is that wonderful hat of yours, and how you always tipped it as you passed by a woman. I appreciate you as such a gentleman. Bless you for all the word you've done over the years and the encouragement to so many.
Have fun!

Terry Burns said...

Yup, have always tipped my hat. What's fun is doing it on a college campus or such to young ladies who have never had a gentleman tip his hat to them. Charming results. And I've had elderly ladies come back and thank me saying it has been too long since they have been favored with the gesture. I regret that so many have abandoned the practice. Surprisingly, even a lot of young cowboys will still do it here in West Texas, farm and ranch country.

Terra said...

Congratulations on your up coming retirement; I am sure you will enjoy it.

Terry Burns said...

Thank you

Anne Love said...

Blessings for the journey, Terry!

Margo Carmichael said...

Don't know how this got posted three times. It won't delete, either. Guess it's a really good question!

Margo Carmichael said...

Well, you will surely be missed.

Margo Carmichael said...

Well, you will surely be missed.

Jackie Layton said...

Even though I don't comment much, I'll miss you. I hope you enjoy your retirement!

Terry Burns said...

Thank you Jackie

Crystal L Barnes said...

Sorry to see you go, Terri. I just finished reading one of your craft books and was touched by your heart for authors. God speed in your newest adventures.

Terry Burns said...

Thank you, hope the book was useful

Crystal L Barnes said...

Yes, sir. I'm definitely finding it useful. :) Thanks.

James Watkins said...

I will miss your western wear and southern charm at writers' conferences. You were always such a class act! Enjoy your latest retirement!

"Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well" (3 John 2).

Jim

Terry Burns said...

Thank you, Jim, it's been a pleasure to work with you

Delores Liesner said...

Terry, I was blessed to meet you at several conferences, and to have you as my group coach at Ghost Ranch. I loved the way you shared and taught about writing. I hope you will have opportunity to continue to do that sometime, or to tape it for others who don't know what they missed. You were always warm, welcoming and encouraging. I loved the 'accidenta;' chats across the dusty landscape at that very special CCWC conference. I can tell from your nature that you may stop being an agent, but from what I expereinced, I doubt you will ever stop being the caring person who listened - at that conference, at Write to PUblish in Wheaton and other locatons. You have been a busy man and influenced a lot of lives.

I am grateful to have been one of your students.
Delores Liesner

Terry Burns said...

Thank you Delores, I have enjoyed getting to know you

Anonymous said...

Terry - I've always enjoyed your posts and will miss them and the virtual you. God Speed.

Joseph Max Lewis

Terry Burns said...

Thank you Joseph