Red is For Ick was rejected by the agent who'd been looking at it. That was a particularly hard blow because she liked my query and loved the first five chapters enough to request a full, but after some time decided to give it a pass. However, she was also nice enough to give several suggestions for improving the manuscript, and I'm giving the ideas a serious look; I foresee more revision in my future.
First, though, will come my fire department history book, since we want to have it ready for sale by the Albion Fire Department's 125th birthday celebration -- which is only two years away, and in the publishing world that's a blink of an eye. The manuscript's mostly done, but I need to pick out photos to go into the book, then make a final decision on a POD publishing company and get things rolling. Emily and I are going through AFD photos anyway, as she's setting up a Powerpoint of fire related pictures that will play during our annual fish fry fund raiser, on June 8. Proceeds on sales of the book, which is tentatively titled Smoky Days and Sleepless Nights: A Century or So With the Albion Fire Department, will go toward the AFD.
An order has been sent for the print version of Storm Chaser. I still don't know whether the e-book version will come out on June 1 or June 15, but the paperback should be available in around four weeks, or close to the end of June ... if all goes well. The print retail price will be $14.95, which should put the e-book price at $5.99.
Finally, here's a blog that leaves me feeling humbled and honored: One of my friends has given me the Luminous Luminary Laurel!
http://www.dmyates.blogspot.com/2011/05/three-exceptional-writers-receive.html
I'm sorry to hear about Red is for Ick. Even with a request for a full manuscript, there are just no guarantees. I'm sure you'll find a home for it.
ReplyDeleteI'm also sorry that your manuscript got rejected. I never made it to that point, and I never got 'advice' either on how to improve my script. It would have been nice, but at least you heard back from her. Some agents don't even bother.
ReplyDeleteAs Karla says, I'm sure you'll make the revisions necessary, and will find someplace that will publish it!
Sorry to hear about the rejection. But it was only one person. You are a great writer, so it will appear in print.
ReplyDeleteMark congratulations on the Luminous Luminary Laurel. I can tell you put your heart into your writing and some people, though nice--as you say, are only in it for profit and they forget about the important things that make your writing special...er...luminous.
ReplyDeleteMark--publish it yourself! You don't have to go through the agony of submission and rejection!
ReplyDeleteThat must be frustrating, especially after she was initially interested. At least you got advice, and either way, keep pushing and get it out there!
ReplyDeleteThanks, everyone -- it was frustrating, but to get a request for a full and then a personal letter from the first person I ever sent the manuscript to is very encouraging. I'm not quite ready to self-publish, Norma -- to me, the idea of always doing all the publicity and distributing is even more of an agony than rejection. But if I don't work my way up from small publishers to the larger ones with a better support budget, going solo will start looking more and more attractive.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, it was great to see the rejection offset by news on Storm Chaser and such high praise from other writers!
Hmmm . . . let me see . . . if I combine all of my commission together, I think I can afford the kindle version of Storm chaser. I'll do it. I'll spend my commission on it. I'm sure it's worth it. :-)
ReplyDeleteJust remember Mark, take the suggestions with a grain of salt. Agents are people like everyone else and subject to bias. Won't that agent freak out when your next book sells a million copies and you got it picked up through another agent? I can foresee this.
I don't know if it would be worth all the extra money you have! I'm not sure any novel would be, unless it was some 1800's edition in pristine condition. Having said that, I'll surely spend my first royalty check on books ...
ReplyDeleteI would be very happy to freak that agent out in just such a way. However, what she said rings true, and I'm going to take a very careful look at it; I think I will make some changes based on her suggestions. There's always room for improvement, and her comments made a lot more sense than some of the suggestions made by the agent I actually did have for awhile, back several years ago. Bad things can be a good learning experience!