Roller Coaster

This week -- or shall I say last 3 days has been a roller coaster of emotions.  On Wednesday, I sent 3 queries out for Have Stake, Will Travel.  Four hours later one of the publishers (to whom my query included a full manuscript per submission guidelines) responded with a publication contract offer.

OMG!  I was elated.  That's when the roller coaster started.

Of course, I immediately told my writing buddy supporters.  I was so happy!  It lasted an hour.

Not knowing much about this particular e-publisher, I asked my wonderful community of writers over at Romance Divas.

The hammer fell with the first response.  Response after response, the same.  This publisher was bad news. Ugh.  Happiness ends, and sadness begins.  Because of the particular reasons this publisher was a no go, I knew pretty much right away I would be declining the contract.

But that didn't make it any less depressing.

So ... someone finally likes my work enough to want to publish it and they're no good.  Great!  What does that say about my writing?  I was thinking not much.

Sadness and tears lasted through the night into the next day.  Thankfully, my critique buddies came to the rescue with pep talks and laughs.  I wrote a few words on my WIP -- not many, just enough to prove to myself I wasn't giving up.  Then, I kinda gave up -- for a few hours.

Then, I sent off a couple more queries.  This time to e-publishers that my Divas had recommend as the best.

Thank goodness for the wisdom and reason of the Divas :)

Now its Friday.  I'm feeling better.  I know in my brain and in my heart that I would rather not be published at all than be published by the wrong place.

Then I get an email.  No, it's not another contract offer (I wish).  But it is a request for a full manuscript from a print publisher to whom I also sent a query (letter only) on Wednesday.  This is a very well-respected place.  I have sent the full and synopsis to the editor, as requested.  I wait with my fingers crossed.

Honestly, I'm not sure I have much of a chance.  But at least someone liked the idea enough to want to see more.  And even if this place says no -- I know it is no from a great publisher.  One that will be on my list for all of my manuscripts from now on.

If you'd asked me Wednesday if I was glad I voluntarily signed up for this Roller Coaster ride, I might have said no.  Maybe.

But today, I am glad.  Good.  Bad.  Ugly.  Pretty.  This is my life as a writer.

So many ideas, Part 2

It's interesting to me that so many of my ideas both for new stories and existing work come to me at night, while I'm laying in bed trying to go to sleep.  After thinking about this for a while, I figured out it's because it is quiet!  The kids are alseep, there are no demands on my time . . . it's just quiet.

Monday evening was such a night.  The idea for my second legal short story just popped into my head.  Along with the first couple paragraphs and the end (the end always comes at the beginning for me).  I got up and wrote a little down, put it aside, then finished it yesterday!

I'm editing now, but I like it!

So many ideas

I have so many ideas running around in my head.  When will I ever have time to write them all?  I'm sure this happens with all writers, but the more I write, the more new ideas I think of.  I guess since one of my new year's resolutions was to write more, I shouldn't have too much trouble.  It will be harder to actually find enough hours in the day to write them all down.

I guess it's a good place to be :)

Getting to know my new heroine -- Emma Sands.