The Dream
I recently signed my first publishing contract and am OVER THE MOON excited!
It’s a dream come true: a 3-book deal with one of the big-5 publishers and a brilliant editor who I already click super well with.
Now, as I’m painfully aware, when you hear success stories, sometimes all you see is the tip of the iceberg, not all the work, rejection, and sweat that came before it.
So, I thought I’d share that bit, for any in-the-trenches-artists who need to hear an important message: your dreams can come true. It may just take time and perseverance.
I started writing as a hobby back in the fall of 2008. My first novel was a YA fantasy that, honestly, would be painful to read now. BUT it taught me how to actually finish writing a book, and that I enjoyed the process!
After another YA fantasy novel, which also didn’t go anywhere (and, again, would probably be physically painful to read), I tried my hand at writing a cozy mystery*.
I’ve always had a soft spot for mysteries, and then I had this idea I couldn’t get out of my head. It was around this time that I discovered my voice, the most important thing for a writer**.
I spent two years perfecting that cozy before querying and landing my awesome agent. But, alas, it didn’t sell when it went on submission.
Through all this, I kept writing. And reading. And striving to improve my craft.
After my daughter was born, I penned KILLER CHARDONNAY, another cozy about a winery owner in Boulder, CO and, four months after going on submission, I received an offer. Which I still can’t quite believe.
So, there you have it. Roughly ten years after I first started dabbling in the writing and publishing world, my dream is coming true***.
Now, there’s plenty of work yet to do before my debut releases next year, and plenty more dreams on the horizon <3
What are your dreams? Have you achieved any life-long goals? What would you say to those in the trenches?
*For those who aren’t aware, a cozy mystery is a mystery with the puzzle of a whodunit but without the gore. And there’s usually a cat.
**I highly recommend the book Writing the Breakout Novel by Donald Maass, which I attribute to helping me find my voice.
***Just as a PSA, there’s no right or wrong dream. Getting traditionally pubbed was mine. The important thing is to figure out what you want and go for it!
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