U is for... Unfolding the Shadows
UNFOLDING THE SHADOWS was my first novel. It's a romantic suspense with a paranormal bent, as my heroine is a reluctant pyschic who has hidden her "gift" from her friends, family and even her husband for many years. The path to publishing this novel was not quite a straight line...
I was busy querying agents with my first manuscript, when I took some advice to "start the next one." Which I did. I was 3/4 of the way through the new WIP when I received a particularly disheartening rejection letter. In a fit of unbridled hubris, I sent out a query to a big agent with the new (unfinished) WIP. She loved it. She asked to see the whole manuscript. Which was Unfinished.
I spent a feverish four days writing the last 30,000 words. I had my friend read it through while I did the same... and sent it off to the agent within the week. She read it and Ultimately rejected it. But now it was finished. And ready to go out...
After only two more Unsuccessful queries to agents, I sent a letter off to Ellora's Cave, to their Lotus Circle imprint. Success! I was going to be published! Signed a contract, assigned to an editor, filled out the myriad forms, rushed to set up a website and online presence... And then... after the entire editing process was complete... the publisher decided to fold Up that imprint line.
I spent some nervous time, hoping someone else would like the book enough to want to still publish it. Which they did - Cerridwen Press, another imprint of Ellora's Cave, decided to pick up my contract. Another sigh of relief...
The novel was first published as an ebook in November 2009, but where the Lotus Circle had promised a paperback release, Cerridwen Press made no such promise. My friends and family mostly held off ordering it, waiting for the elusive paperback. Then they all started getting Kindles and Nooks... and Ultimately (finally) "discovered" my book.
And then in 2010, the Cerridwen Press imprint also was folded... with most but not all of the books being folded into the newly created Ellora's Cave Blush line. Another breathless period, Until I got the word that my book would be continued with the new imprint revision to the cover art.
The bottom line is that my novel is still available. Still out there for you to discover and enjoy. That's what matters in the end. A romantic suspense, where the suspense of my publishing journey keeps putting me on the edge of my seat...
I was busy querying agents with my first manuscript, when I took some advice to "start the next one." Which I did. I was 3/4 of the way through the new WIP when I received a particularly disheartening rejection letter. In a fit of unbridled hubris, I sent out a query to a big agent with the new (unfinished) WIP. She loved it. She asked to see the whole manuscript. Which was Unfinished.
I spent a feverish four days writing the last 30,000 words. I had my friend read it through while I did the same... and sent it off to the agent within the week. She read it and Ultimately rejected it. But now it was finished. And ready to go out...
After only two more Unsuccessful queries to agents, I sent a letter off to Ellora's Cave, to their Lotus Circle imprint. Success! I was going to be published! Signed a contract, assigned to an editor, filled out the myriad forms, rushed to set up a website and online presence... And then... after the entire editing process was complete... the publisher decided to fold Up that imprint line.
I spent some nervous time, hoping someone else would like the book enough to want to still publish it. Which they did - Cerridwen Press, another imprint of Ellora's Cave, decided to pick up my contract. Another sigh of relief...
The novel was first published as an ebook in November 2009, but where the Lotus Circle had promised a paperback release, Cerridwen Press made no such promise. My friends and family mostly held off ordering it, waiting for the elusive paperback. Then they all started getting Kindles and Nooks... and Ultimately (finally) "discovered" my book.
And then in 2010, the Cerridwen Press imprint also was folded... with most but not all of the books being folded into the newly created Ellora's Cave Blush line. Another breathless period, Until I got the word that my book would be continued with the new imprint revision to the cover art.
The bottom line is that my novel is still available. Still out there for you to discover and enjoy. That's what matters in the end. A romantic suspense, where the suspense of my publishing journey keeps putting me on the edge of my seat...
Unfolding the Shadows is available for purchase from Ellora's Cave and Amazon.com.
P.S. Check out this wonderful poem in honor of the letter U that I found at Ocean Girl's Live High blog - http://livehighlivemightyliverighteously.blogspot.com/2011/04/usa-usa.html
Wow...I can see how you kept having to breathe. Way to go for your persistence. It's very inspiring. Thanks for sharing this. :)
ReplyDeleteWow, talk about the ups and downs of publishing. :)
ReplyDeleteAre you still writing suspense?
Great journey. I am starting on the path to publication and I am hearing all these stories. Yours was great! :)
ReplyDeleteyou wrote 30k words in 4 days???? Impressive.
ReplyDeleteThank you KatieO. And also congratulations for completing the complete A-Z! without cheating :)
ReplyDelete