Getting a book published is not easy. Everybody knows that, right? There are lots of twisted, frightening, and complicated hoops to jump through. Some flame up as you leap, some crumble as you fall. But if you're lucky, you'll soar through a hoop just in time to connect with someone who has the power to make your publishing dreams come true. And that's what happened to me. Or, so I thought.
The agent of a very famous YA author asked to read the manuscript of A Time To Be Brave. I was so excited my breath wouldn't come and my tears wouldn't stop. (When I'm happy, I cry a lot.) I attached the manuscript to a return email and sent it off into the wild blue yonder--on a wing and a prayer. And lots of hope. And fingers crossed. Toes, too.
Then the waiting began. The famous agent promised to get back to me within a few days or, at the most, a couple of weeks. Meanwhile, I wasn't supposed to send the manuscript to anyone else. I was supposed to wait patiently and let the agent do his job. Four months later I received an email that began, "Dear author." Ouch. Not an auspicious greeting. The words got worse from there, ending with "I hope you will be successful in finding a home for your manuscript. Unfortunately, it's just not right for me."
The tears came again. (When I'm sad, I cry a lot.) And with the tears came something I didn't expect: a broken heart. I'd been rejected lots of times before (and I mean LOTS), but this time it felt deeper and sharper. Maybe I'd come to the end of the road with this dream. Maybe it was time to be brave and find a real job.
But I just couldn't do it. Just couldn't give up. And, this is where the leap of faith came in. I believe in this book, and I believe that young readers need to hear its message of faith and hope. So, with the help of lots of wonderful, talented friends, I took the leap and published the book myself under White Pelican Press. And now it's out there, for all the world to see. Yikes! Pretty scary stuff!
But when I really get nervous, I hear these words whispering deep inside:
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding;
In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.
---Proverbs 3: 5, 6
Can't wait to see where this leap will land me. Want to come along for the ride? Send me a message!
The agent of a very famous YA author asked to read the manuscript of A Time To Be Brave. I was so excited my breath wouldn't come and my tears wouldn't stop. (When I'm happy, I cry a lot.) I attached the manuscript to a return email and sent it off into the wild blue yonder--on a wing and a prayer. And lots of hope. And fingers crossed. Toes, too.
Then the waiting began. The famous agent promised to get back to me within a few days or, at the most, a couple of weeks. Meanwhile, I wasn't supposed to send the manuscript to anyone else. I was supposed to wait patiently and let the agent do his job. Four months later I received an email that began, "Dear author." Ouch. Not an auspicious greeting. The words got worse from there, ending with "I hope you will be successful in finding a home for your manuscript. Unfortunately, it's just not right for me."
The tears came again. (When I'm sad, I cry a lot.) And with the tears came something I didn't expect: a broken heart. I'd been rejected lots of times before (and I mean LOTS), but this time it felt deeper and sharper. Maybe I'd come to the end of the road with this dream. Maybe it was time to be brave and find a real job.
But I just couldn't do it. Just couldn't give up. And, this is where the leap of faith came in. I believe in this book, and I believe that young readers need to hear its message of faith and hope. So, with the help of lots of wonderful, talented friends, I took the leap and published the book myself under White Pelican Press. And now it's out there, for all the world to see. Yikes! Pretty scary stuff!
But when I really get nervous, I hear these words whispering deep inside:
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding;
In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.
---Proverbs 3: 5, 6
Can't wait to see where this leap will land me. Want to come along for the ride? Send me a message!
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