Woo Hoo!
A couple of years ago, I decided to jump-start my writing career.
First, I gave my writing career to the Lord. (Again!) Then I had a serious heart-to-heart with my husband. Neil has always believed in my dreams. He told me to go for it, that whatever happened we’d be a team as we’ve always been.
Way back in the 1980s – when I had just finished my first novel, Mother Earth Father Sky – I spent five years trying to find an agent. When that novel and its sequels were finally published, they even hit bestseller lists. Bright lights, lots of commotion!
Twelve years later my agent retired and my genre died. Double whammy. Bad news. Really, really bad news.
In the next few years, I wrote a multitude of novels – historicals, a mystery, a literary, a young adult, a middle reader – until I finally found a genre that seemed a good fit – romantic suspense for the inspirational market. The manuscript was ready, my husband was cheering me on. God was close. Hooray! All I had to do was take the next step – find an agent who would represent me to publishers in the inspirational market.
Then the doubts began. Was I ready? Did I even remember how to write a decent query? How would I react to the inevitable rejections?
I knew that any agent who read my query would see some definite red flags:
Lack of contacts – I had never published a novel for the inspirational market. I had no contact with authors writing in my genre, had no ready list of phone numbers for editors, publicists, or reviewers.
Work ethic – My publishing credits could give me an excuse to act like a prima dona. Would I be one of those authors who refuses editing suggestions?
Age – I was 59 years old. Would an agent believe that I still had the energy and stamina to do the marketing required of published authors?
Networking inexperience – I was still a novice with social networks. I had just begun my blog and hadn’t yet ventured onto Facebook. I had never even twittered (um, tweeted?).
Doors don’t open if you’re not willing to make a fist and knock. I sent out my queries in 2009, right before Christmas – a good time for me, but evidently not for agents. And thus, I discovered that it’s just as easy to make stupid query mistakes when you’re 59 as it is when you’re 35. Nevertheless, one agent asked for the manuscript, and, after she’d had time to read it, she called me. It was not the call I’d hoped for, but it turned out to be a wonderful call anyway – a gentle rejection full of wisdom.
The manuscript wasn’t quite ready, she explained. Would I be willing to make some substantial changes and then resubmit?
Her revision suggestions and her encouragement opened my mind and stoked my energy. I rewrote the novel. I resubmitted. I waited my turn. And I prayed that God would give me the grace to be gracious, even in rejection – that I wouldn’t yell at my husband or snarl at the dog or throw myself a pity party complete with engraved invitations to friends and family.
One evening I was reading my emails, and there it was. A request. Would I consider accepting an offer of representation?
WOULD I CONSIDER?
And then I was laughing and crying, and yelling at my husband… “Come here and read this!”
And now I have the privilege to share the news. I have a new literary agent – the incredible Rachelle Gardner of WordServe Literary. (Visit Rachelle at http://cba-ramblings.blogspot.com/)
Rachelle’s representation isn’t a promise that I will have another byline on a published novel, but it is a hope, and it’s been such a long time since I allowed myself to hope.
God is good.
WOO HOO!
Blessings,
Sue
Thank you, Jackie. If Rachelle sells the book I’ll be overjoyed! There’s a long road of sending proposals to publishers before we’ll know anything. Waiting is the hardest part!
I am very pleased for you Sue. You must be thrilled.
Can’t wait to read it.
Thank you, Katie!
Congratulations, Sue! What a whirlwind of a journey!
Woohoo! Congrats Sue! Such a great story!
Thank you, Martha!
Thank you, Lynn. Congrats to you on the success of your Blog! It’s well-deserved.
Thank you, Laura, I am really overjoyed!
Thank you, Keli. Looking forward to reading your first novel in 2012!
Hi Sue! So glad you are on Rachelle’s team! She’s awesome. And the WordServe family is pretty neat too! Can’t wait to hear more about you and your writing.
Sue, congratulations on signing with Rachelle. You’re in good hands. She really knows her stuff.
Congratulations, Sue!!! This is such wonderful news! I know you must be on cloud nine!! Woohoo!!!!
SUE .. I can’t express how happy I am for you! You are such a good writer and Rachelle Gardner, from what I have seen, is a wonderful agent to have. In fact, it is through her tweet that I learned of this new relationship AND that you are now on Twitter. Yay! Will see you around. 🙂
CONGRATULATIONS, Girl! Sooo delighted for you!
Congratulations Sue and welcome to the family!
Martha Carr
Congratulations! I wish you all the success in the world as the floodgates of God’s blessings open up for you. =)
@ Barbara, Blessings to your family! I enjoyed receiving a Christmas card from your parents this year. What a long and blessed life together they have had.
@Don, you always make me laugh.
@ Sheryl – any sign of spring down your way? Thank you for your prayers!
@ Trish, Thank you! I think of you each morning when I set my cup of tea on the Kangaroo tray on my desk.
Sue thats fantastic news.I “m so happy for you that at last you can get a break.The age dosent mean anything. I have read few books by authors that I”m amazed how they got them printed.Just rubbish.I look forward to reading it.
Sue, what a wonderful description of a LONG dry time! I’m hoping and praying with you that this will be the beginning of more SUE HARRISON books! What delightful news!!!
Thank you, Barbara! We’re doing fine. How about you? We received a wonderful chatty letter from your mom and dad at Christmas. Say HI to your kids for me!
Yep!
Excellent. Nothing sadder than an out of work writer…
Carry On
DC
Hi Sue, What wonderful news. I’ve been wondering about you and Neil and am so glad for you!
Thank you, Lynn!
This is GREAT NEWS, Sue!!! I am so happy for you. Hope it is just the beginning of ‘good news’ for you on the path to getting the next book published…..I look forward to reading it 🙂