The Romance Writer's Life - Installment Three

Writing the second novel took longer than the first. Real life stepped in throwing some health issues and legal issues my way. I struggled along, still managing to write when I could. Add the death of my father, and it became harder and harder to continue with what many believed to be my "little hobby." Oh, they didn't say it exactly, but . . . those glazed eyes from my explanations as to why my book wasn't on the shelf yet . . .

Guess I can't blame them too much. During this time frame, I received a contract from Chicken Soup for the Soul for one of my stories. Nearly a year later it hit the bookstores. They also contracted the same story (in its entirety) for a second publication--a year later it hit the bookshelves. So . . . I thought that might help to validate my explanations on why it takes so long to get a WHOLE BOOK published.

The best support came from an on-line writing group called PopFiction. Two of the instructors from a writing class joined together and offered the group to their students. We are a small group who cheer each other on, lift spirits after rejections, and groan at some of the horrid writing that is actually published. Because of them, I continued until I finished that second novel.

In 2006 I established my goals for the year:

Submit my second manuscript in January to Harlequin Intrigue

Complete my third novel and submit it to agents

Revisit my first novel with a new angle and submit it

Comments I received from friends and family during 2005:

When is your book going to be published?

So you write? I've been thinking of writing a book. I need the money.

I thought Harlequin published everything.

Haven't you heard back from that place you sent your book to YET?

When is your book going to be published?

They turned it down? Why?

When is your book going to be published?

You're writing another book? Has the first one been published yet?

Wonder when your book is going to be published?

I don't talk about my writing efforts to many people any more.

More to come . . .