Sunday, May 17, 2009

I'm on my way....finally!!!!

I think as a writer...we get used to rejection, almost immune to it...."Another one to add to cork board...." And even email rejection letters...though they can't be saved and used to wallpaper a bathroom, unless you print them anyway, tend to be the same. You check your inbox and see a publisher or agent's name as the sender with a subject of Re: Query. You know what it says before even clicking on it............I did until yesterday that is........................

I was offered a publishing contract!

A few weeks ago as the final last ditch effort for my second novel, A Bitch Named Karma, I started looking into ePublishers. I had been on the traditional merry-go-round with the novel several times. I did a major rewrite with a name change and started again. I'd gotten several partial requests, even a full request...all ending in rejection. I just could not find a home for this story that I loved so much. I started looking into publishing it for free for Amazon's Kindle. But it sounded so confusing and I just wasn't real sure what I was getting myself into. I then started looking into ePublishers. Seemed like a decent way to go so I sent out some submission packets.

Then yesterday I got a response from Lyrical Press! I sat there for a few minutes unsure if I was actually reading what I thought I was reading:

We’re happy to inform you that after reviewing your submission, we’d like to extend a contract for A Bitch Names Karma. Our editors and screeners thoroughly enjoyed this read and we’d love to add it to our catalog.

My husband was outside trying to finish up the last few things on the wooden swing set we bought for our kids. I walked out in my pajamas, regardless that my neighbor was outside playing with his kids, and told him. He climbed down from the playhouse part of the thing and hugged me. We both found tears in our eyes.

I'd done some research on the company and it seems like it's on the up and up. Folks at Absolute Write Water Cooler had good things to say too. Plus, this company has really nice covers...some of the others......tacky is the nicest word I can think of!!!

No fat advance, but I have to say, royalties are really decent for ePublishing! I was kinda surprised....comparable to what I'd make if my book was picked up by a print publisher and sold in books stores.

So, once I have my lawyer take a look at the contract and I sign it and mail it to them, I will officially be on my way to being a published author!!!

Is this real??? This is happening...to ME???? So many days I wondered if this would ever ever happen to me......

13 comments:

  1. Congratulations! Good on you for keeping your belief going. I look forward to hearing how everything goes.

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  2. Woohooo! Your persistence paid off. :-) LOL THat must've been so very exciting for you!!!
    I can't wait to see how this goes for you. E-publishing has piqued my interest so I'd love to hear about the journey.
    Yay!!!

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  3. Congratulations...describe the feeling again...I want a moment to live vicariously. :D
    ~ Wendy

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  4. Congratulations! This is inspiring to us all, that's for sure. Can't wait to read your work. :D

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  5. How exciting! Many congrats!

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  6. Congrats ... so proud of you : ) !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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  7. That is so wonderful! Congratulations. You'll have to keep us updated as the progress continues.

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  8. CONGRATULATIONS!! Hugs!! :-)

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  9. Thank you so much!!!!!! I will most definitely keep everyone posted on every step. Epublishing is relatively new (when compared to traditional print publishing, anyway!) and it will be an exciting journey, that's for sure!!! I can't wait to share what I learn with all of you!

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  10. CONGRATS!!! This is awesome news.

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  11. WOW!!!! Congratulations!!!!!!
    That's such exciting news! I would be doing a happy dance around my house and calling everyone I know (even the people who weren't aware that I was writing!).

    Keep us updated on the process. I want to read it when it's published!

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  12. I have been waiting so long to get this story out there!! Megan, it's not the one that I emailed you the query for...this is older. I had such passion when I wrote it....seriously wrote the entire first draft in about 3 months!

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