Double Your Pleasure, Double Your Fun!

Last week, I received good news X2!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Let me begin by saying that, while I am not “religious” in the context of going to a specific church and identifying with a specific religion, I am none-the-less a very spiritual person. I pray. A lot. One of the things I have prayed for over the last few months is that I would sell a book this year (meaning 2012). I’m currently shopping around a dystopic Young Adult novel called The Afterward that I wrote this past year.  A few months ago, the editor of my first book said she would look at it and give me feedback.  I waited patiently (well, mostly patiently) until last week when she called me. Sadly, I missed her call, but saw her number on caller ID one morning, and I immediately called her back.  She started by saying, “I have a little bad news for you.”

I’m a veteran of this business, and I wasn’t surprised to hear this, so I braced myself for what came next.

“But I have some good news, too,” she said.

Eh? Well, that threw me. I knew she had been considering re-releasing my first novel, so I was hopeful that this was what she was referring to. The bad news, as I expected, was that she wasn’t going to go with the manuscript I’d sent her. The blow of that was softened knowing that there was some sort of good news yet to come.

“I’ve decided to rerelease My Brother the Dog next year. It will have a new cover, a new title, and it will be issued in hardback instead of paperback.”

Color me surprised – and ecstatic!

That news was enough to make me feel as though I was levitating! I love that little book, and now it will have a second chance at success. The new title, Kiss, Kiss, Bark is geared to the target market of 9-14 year olds, and almost everyone who hears it has to giggle at it!

“I have a question for you,” she continued. “I’m wondering about The Deepest Blue. Have you sold it? Is it under contract somewhere?”

I paused, trying to shift my line of thinking. “It’s in a file on my computer,” I said. Interestingly, I had had a dream about this very manuscript just a week before. This particular manuscript is very near to my heart. I shopped it around about 2 years ago, but the market wouldn’t support the book at that time.

“I’ve been reading a lot of manuscripts with male protagonists that remind me of The Deepest Blue, but each time I finished, I’d say ‘It’s not as good as The Deepest Blue’ so I’d like to offer you a contract on it, if that’s okay.”

If that’s okay? WHAT? Um – yeah, that’s about as okay as it gets in this business! “Yes, of course,” I said very professionally. Then, because I feel more like a friend with this lady than a client, I said, “I am so excited to work with you again!” I think I may even have squealed a little. But it is true. This woman is amazing, and the chance to work with her on 2 projects at once is a thrilling and delightful concept.

The dates and specific details are still tentative, but it looks as if the Kiss, Kiss, Bark will come out in the fall of 2012, and The Deepest Blue will come out a year later. After doing a continual round of the happy dance, I have finally settled down to get thing in order so I’ll be ready to start revisions in January when she gives me her feedback.

(Christmas gift spoiler alert for Jared! Don’t read this if you don’t wanna see what one of your gifts is!) I recently came across a bracelet with a small charm on it that has the initials “TYJ” – it stands for “Trust Your Journey.” It isn’t fancy, but it expresses an idea that I hold very closely to. When you believe in your path, your journey provides for you.

So was this good news just a coincidence? I don’t think so. Was it a stroke of luck? Nope. It was a combination of hard work, perseverance, dedication, prayer, patience, and trust. It was a touch of the divine, for which I am grateful, and it was a lot of effort on my part, to which I am committed. However you choose to look at it, it is what is making my December (a month I typically dislike a lot) not only bearable, but right now, downright enjoyable!