Patience Has Truly Paid Off!

A few weeks ago, I blogged about the importance of patience for writers, especially when submitting one’s work. Well, this week I received an email from a publisher telling me that she’d like to publish the first mystery in my new series. This came after three separate queries to this publisher over a span of 23 months. But, really, the submission history for this book is much longer.

I first started submitting Deadly Resurrection in 2000, one of them to an agent who liked the novel, took me on as a client but, in the end, couldn’t sell it. In 2004, I found a new, small publisher who offered me a three-book contract. As fate would have it, the publisher tanked, but rather than resubmit elsewhere, I decided to edit the book and later submitted it to two more publishers in 2008. Five months afterward, I began yet another edit because I’d been to a conference, pitched the book, and received some good advice from an experienced agent; advice that has contributed to this week’s success. But, as you can imagine, none of this has been an easy road.

Deadly Resurrection was submitted to 31 publishers over a ten-year period, though some of these submissions were only query letters, sample chapters, and the synopsis. Has it been worth the wait? You bet. I’ve found an established publisher I’m confident I can work with. I’m meeting the editor this week which will result in another edit. But if it makes the book that much better, then I’ll embrace the experience and continue to learn. After all, that’s what it’s really all about . . . Learning, gaining experience, and learning some more.

FATAL ENCRYPTION can be purchased at http://tinyurl.com/ddzsxl
TAXED TO DEATH can be purchased at http://tinyurl.com/czsy5n