#5onFri: The Five Stages of Dealing with Rejection

#5onFri: The Five Stages of Dealing with Rejection

In life, rejection is inevitable.  In publishing, it’s an absolute.  Over the course of querying three novels and going out on submission three separate times, I have faced over five hundred rejections. And that’s not an exaggeration. Some were very difficult to handle, like the full requests that turned to no’s or the near offers… Read more »

flash fiction

#5onFri: Five Ways Writing Flash Fiction Improves Your Writing

We all want to be the great American novelist. But as we’re slogging through the process that is drafting, revising, getting feedback, and editing, sometimes we just need to sit down and write something new and fresh. Flash fiction, generally defined as fiction less than 1,000 words, can do that for you. Here are five… Read more »

#5onFri: Five Tips for Post-Publication Survival and Success

Congratulations! You’ve published your book—now what? You worked very hard to get here—sitting on your own, writing, rewriting, and submitting for publication—surviving rejection and persisting. It’s time to buckle up again though, because post-publication may be bumpy, even overwhelming at times. Here are five tips to help smooth your way. Take a deep breath. Exhale…. Read more »

Diary of a Book Deal

My agent calls, and I swallow the urge to scream. Bad news comes via email. If she’s calling that only means one thing—that magic word—DEAL. She received an offer from Samhain Publishing for my novel Racing To You. This is what all writers know as . . . The Call: I’m speechless, sort of. I… Read more »