Years 2002-2003
December 7, 2003. The editor I've been working with called this week. She said they want to see revisions before sending it to the committee who makes the decision on whether to buy my book or not. (I don't exactly understand the process). All I know is that the ball is back in my court. An eight page revision letter arrived two days later. It's a little overwhelming. My writer friends tell me getting the letter is a VERY good thing. To me, right now, it feels like a quick way for me to muck things up. But it is also a great learning experience. So I am tearing apart my book and analyzing all it's parts. Stay tuned...
November 4, 2003. I have spent the month of October doing nothing but writing. It has been good, hard work. It has also left me feeling discouraged. Besides working on my newest Regency romance, I have been revisiting THE NUDE, the Regency that won the Kiss of Death award. I feel overwhelmed about reworking the whole thing. It is hard to get a clear vision of what needs to be done, what plot lines to kill, what plot lines to build up. Some days I just want to throw the whole stupid thing in the trash! Ugh!
On a happier note, I got a call from my editor at Silhouette books last week just to let me know that they are getting ready to make a decision on THE HUNTRESS. I have my fingers crossed that they will buy it!!!
October 5, 2003. I'm still waiting...and learning the value of patience. While I waited all through September to hear from editors (survived one rejection letter), I put the first three chapters and a synopsis for my second Bombshell in the mail to the editor at Silhouette Books. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that she loves it as much as she loved the first one. If you want to send "good-luck" vibes, I'll take it! I worked hard to make this story as hot and edgy as the first one.
This coming month, while I still wait to hear back from editors, I am completely shifting gears and trying my hand at writing a traditional Regency. I love the hint of intrigue and the historical flavor of these books. I hope I can do the genre justice!
September 1, 2003. August seemed to be the month for losing editors. The editor at NAL who requested my first Regency-set romance resigned. The editor at Berkley/Jove who had judged the Kiss of Death contest resigned. Luckily, her replacement had requested to read the full of THE NUDE! She sent a friendly rejection letter and even mentioned she'd be happy to discuss suggestions for improving it. So revisions here I come!
I have a feeling September will be a waiting month, which is not exactly a bad thing. I plan to write--image that, a writer writing? It's easy to get wrapped up in the trying to sell side of all this. But that side can be ugly and discouraging.
I'm continuing to work on my newest Bombshell. Since I've gotten positive response from the first one, I don't mind trying my hand at another. I'm discovering my heroine for this book shares a trait of mine--a negative inner dialogue. In the writing world there are negative comments coming at you from all sides, which only feeds this nasty inner voice of mine, telling me that everything I do sucks (pardon the word). I'm working on quieting that voice and so is my newest heroine!
August 21, 2003. This week was so exciting it deserved a special entry. The editor from Silhouette Bombshell called today. She said that she liked my manuscript (though she thought I needed to work on the ending) and would be sending to the senior editor to review! Nothing is guaranteed and I should hear something in two to three months. This waiting is the worst part.
Also this week, my book, THE NUDE--the regency romance that won the Kiss of Death contest--was requested by Berkley/Jove! I mailed the editor my complete manuscript the very next day. This will be the first time I've tried to sell this story, so I'm pretty excited about it. I'm sure I will be in line for a handful of rejections come next week...that's how it all works. So I will just have to enjoy the progress I've made this week!
August 6, 2003. I was dragging my feet with this entry, hoping to hear from Silhouette books on my manuscript so I'd have some great news to report. (Hopefully not wishful thinking on my part, but I have a good feeling about this one.) I do have a bit of good news, though. My manuscript, THE NUDE, a regency-set romance, took first place in the Kiss of Death's Daphne du Maurier contest! That was a thrill--even if they did misspell my name on the plaque.
I received several rejection letters this month. One, from an editor with Ballentine Books who wrote that she enjoyed reading the story, she just didn't think it was right for Ballentine, was perhaps the friendliest rejection I've gotten. The rejection letters sting less now. (I have well over 50 to date.) I'm not sure why it's easier. Perhaps I'm becoming numb. I'd rather believe it's because I'm growing and becoming wiser, but somehow I don't believe that.
I researched and revised and was pretty much lazy in July. I hope to get back into a writing routine this month. I don't recommend taking long breaks from writing. Getting back into the thick of a story is painful--just like having to get back into shape or something. Ugh!
July 5, 2003. Send lots of warm thoughts my way this month, if you can spare it. I put my bombshell novel, THE HUNTRESS, in the mail to the editor on July 1.
With my other projects, I haven't heard from the two agents who are reading my romantic suspense. Other than that, I really haven't done much to sell my work. This month is revision month, so maybe next month I'll start sending out to agents and editors again. I also hope to have my newest short story posted by the end of next week. Stay tuned!
June 11, 2003. I got a rejection letter today from the agent I really thought might be interested in working with me. She had read the first three chapters of one of my Regencies and had requested the full manuscript. I loved how she would get back to me quickly and that she came from a respected agency. But--sigh--she said my heroine didn't come to life for her.
I'm still working on writing my action adventure for Bombshell. I hope to have the first draft completed by next week and spend the next several weeks in deep revisions. I really want this one to work out. I've been enjoying writing this adventure story, but have also been very nervous about it at the same time. I hope to edit that nervous energy out during the revision stage. Keep your fingers crossed for me!
I'll try to get a new short story posted by the end of July. I've got a really great idea I hope you'll enjoy.
May 6, 2003. Warm thoughts aplenty! In April I asked you to send good thoughts my way and WOW did I ever feel the love. I don't have an agent yet. YET. The agent I've been talking with is interested in reading the entire manuscript of my first historical romance and the beginning of the one I just finished. AND an editor from Silhouette Bombshell (a new action/adventure line) is interested in the proposal I sent her!!! The proposal started out as the beginnings of a short story I was writing for this website. Sorry, I'll get something else even more spectacular up and going for my latest short story. AND (what a month April has been) my newest historical romance is a finalist in the Kiss of Death writing competition.
So, April was full of possibilities and potentials. Keep sending those good thoughts my way. I need the courage to make something real from the wonderful opportunities I've been handed. (Can you tell? I'm frazzled!)
April 13, 2003. I have just finished the first draft of my latest Regency romance. Yeah! I am actively looking for an agent right now. One agent, who has impressed me considerably, has offered suggested revisions for my romantic suspense and has asked to read my older Regency. Send good thoughts in my direction and perhaps I will have representation by the next time I post a report. This winter I entered far too many writing contests. The results range from great comments and advice to one judge who hated every word on the page. Oh well, I am done with contests for a while, at least.
March 10, 2003. I am hard at work on finishing my latest Regency romance after surviving the rejection of my first by St. Martin’s Press and Harlequin Historicals and the rejection of my romantic suspense by TOR. (Though they all had nice things to say and some good suggestions that I’ve worked on) I hate rejection, especially when they arrive on Christmas Eve. I have finally pulled myself back up and after some deep soul-searching decided not to quit trying. I am currently working on a short story to post soon-stay tuned!
November 2, 2002. Wow, is it really nearly the end of 2002? I have been so focused on working on my novel, my poor short stories have been woefully neglected. I do hope to remedy that very, very soon. Cross your fingers for me, two manuscripts-a historical romance set in the Regency period and a mystery replete with ghosts-are being read by editors. My nerves are fraying as I await their verdicts. I have added an "About the Author" page to document the experience of trying to get published. I have also added a "Links" page to share with other aspiring writers out there many of the great sites I have discovered along the way.
