Pot of Gold

I’m so excited!

Last night, I got a call from this publisher who’s read my e-stories on smashwords, and heard I had a fantasy novel set in the same universe. He wanted to see my full manuscript right away, but I got the definite impression that it was a moot point, that he really wanted to print it. From what questions he asked, it sounded like he was hopeful the story could be made into a trilogy, at least.

Luckily, my fantasy is written to stand on its own, if it must, but I did leave a few loose loops of yarn that could lead to further adventures. Book 2 is already semi-potted, but Book 3 is nebulous so far.

Anyway, my head fairly swam as he postulated the best places to send me for readings and signings. Sounds like I could be on the road quite a bit this summer, and I worry my writing might suffer for it. Or maybe I’ll have more time to write, as I sit in one lonely motel room after another, in first one unknown city and then another.

I call them lonely motel rooms, but being alone seldom bothers me. In fact, when I go to conventions and start feeling uncomfortable in the crowd of like-minded people, I retreat to my room and write, to recharge my batteries. Still, I’ll miss my family.

It’s a mixed blessing for an introvert, as I suspect many writers are. Writing is a pretty solitary endeavor, but to be a successful author, you must also market, and marketing puts you out in the middle of people. Still, you prepare for that, and steel yourself to do what must be done. A mixture of excitement and dread.

And then I woke up.

It was all a dream.

And I know that’s a terrible way to end it, but … April Fool’s Day.

Up, Down and Moving On

The last couple weeks have been like a roller coaster.

First, Tor asked for the full manuscript of my first fantasy novel. Wow, happy dance on the rooftop! /\

Second, a spot check revealed that sections of that manuscript had some weird formatting. Bummer. So I spent a couple days correcting it and wondering what had made portions to go all wonky. It wouldn’t have happened if I’d used a typewriter! Of course, a typewriter wouldn’t have spell-check or text wrap…. I suppose the occasional wonkiness that’s fairly easy to fix is better than all the draw-backs of a typewriter. Sent the manuscript off. -~_~

Third, we received word that my mother-in-law was in the hospital. Always a downer. \/

Fourth – or somewhere in there – the cover for my next e-story was finished and delivered! /\ Thank you, Mason!

Fifth, Tor decided my novel wasn’t quite right for them. \/ (Sniff.) But they did have nice things to say about my writing. ~

Sixth, MoonPhaze Publishing informed me they had uploaded my next e-story, The Cave, to smashwords.com. Hot Diggity! /\

Of course, this leaves me with plenty of ‘stuff to do’. Marketing, marketing, marketing leads the list, but I still have to deal with #5. Where do I submit this fantasy now? For the record, that makes Baen, Daw, and Tor who have passed on it, and I don’t know of any other ‘big’ publishers who still have an open slush pile. Before that, I spent 3-4 years looking for an agent, but nobody I was interested in working with fell in love with my concept. Do I go back to looking for an agent? No, probably not, because now I’ve made their job harder by submitting it myself.

Do I ask MoonPhaze Publishing to take it on? I could, and if they had more experience, I would definitely consider it. But they aren’t quite ready for a novel, and I’d like to work with a larger press. If not one of the big guys, then a company somewhat smaller. Anybody got any suggestions? In case you’re wondering, my fantasy novel is set on the Atlan world, the same world I’ve used for the stories that MoonPhaze Publishing has put out, but it doesn’t have the same characters.

Oh, yes. Seventh, I have been scheduled for a reading at 4 PM on Saturday, April 14, at Constellation in Lincoln NE. /\ Woohoo! Come and hear about the Atlans!