She Liked It, She Really Liked It

She Liked It, She Really Liked It

This week, or last, I can’t remember, I tagged Janet Evanovich in a tweet and what a wonderful surprise was given me when she liked it!!! I think I cried. (See the bottom of this post for screenshot.)

The tweet was displaying a few tidbits that were at the end of her Kindle Book, One For the Money, indicating that it took her two years to develop the book, and the second image was how she wrote for ten years (three complete novels) before she made her first sale.

Those of us querying and praying and hoping that this next agent will like us, get a new sense of hope when we learn about our favorite established writers who began just like us. I know that Stephen King mentioned his humble beginnings in his book, On Writing, and it’s amazing to see where it all began for them.

In the mean time, I revise and rewrite.

A twofer! You get Boo and my tweet!
Keep On Keeping On

Keep On Keeping On

I’m still here. I’ve been querying my book, to no result. *sigh* It’s hard when you’ve poured your heart and soul into a work and no one wants to see it. I’m trying to keep my chin up while pressing on.

It’s interesting to me too. I’ve begun a few other projects all the while revising and rewriting my original. I get some started but then lose interest. That is until the one I’m currently working on. I’m very very excited about this one.

I’ve also been reading Stephen King’s book, On Writing, and I’ve felt things fall into place in my mind. I haven’t finished his book yet, hello ad/hd, but it kickstarted a desire in me that I haven’t felt since I began writing Giving Cheek last fall.

My life is about to be upended in a few short months as we move to a new state. I’m currently surrounded by boxes and empty cupboards and closets and a laundry list of things that have to be done before the truck comes.

So, I’m figuring out how to mesh the two together. How do I get my writing time in, my packing time, my daughter’s school time, my daughters activities? Something is going to have give at some point and it’s probably going to be the writing. It will be put on hold while life transitions to a new phase.

I’m really okay with that. My hope is that in the fall the girls will be back in school and I will have the quiet I need to dedicate myself to writing and editing and enjoying my new found love of writing. Because I do love it. I am excited about it and I haven’t been this excited in a long time.

So for now, we’ll just say, To Be Continued…

Yet, Still I Press On

Yet, Still I Press On

There are moments of self-doubt. I admit it. There are days when I wonder why on earth I’m still doing this. I remind myself I’m barely into the process of submitting queries. That’s not that many rejections. Yet. I found my group in Facebook that has touched my heart and uplifted me, and best of all… no drama. One of the things they suggested when I came to them with my heart in my hands and my shoulders hunched, and they embraced me and let me know it’s okay.

They encouraged me to cry and to let it out. That it’s all a part of the process, they remind me of Steven King and JK Rowling and the insurmountable odds they faced, and the sheer volume of rejections they too received. I find my soul revived and my spirit buoyed by their unwavering support and affirmative words.

The truth of the matter is this may never happen for me. Traditional publishing may not be the path that I’m supposed to take, and I have to come to terms with that. I have to be okay with that. For today though, I choose to press on. There are revisions to make to a query letter, and there are many, many more agents that have not yet heard my name.

I choose to celebrate. When I reach 25 rejections, I will find something in which to treat myself. I have chosen to bear my soul to these 25+ people. I have dared to dream something for myself that I didn’t even know I wanted. Something I didn’t think I could ever have.

So, here I am, world. Ready or not.

As always here’s my girl.
Not for the Faint of Heart

Not for the Faint of Heart

When they say this Querying is tough, they weren’t kidding. Every time I hit the submit button or send the email I feel my heartbeat increasing and my breathing changing.

I enjoy the writing process immensely, but boy do I have a lot to learn about the rest of it.

I participated in a Webinar this week that was offered through Writer’s Digest. I learned a lot! There’s so much more that goes into this than I had expected. It’s exciting and terrifying all at the same time.

I will continue working on the second in the series this weekend. Right now I’m working everything in between Remote School Lessons with my youngest and running the girls to ice skating and karate.

Taking the tree down this
weekend so I wanted to
get a few more shots in
of Boo.