A Conundrum - Let God Figure it Out

It’s a conundrum. A new author cannot get a publisher’s attention without an agent. Agents don’t want to represent you unless you’ve been published. What can you do? The ease of self-publishing has swamped the virtual bookstores with aspiring authors who get to hold their book in their hands, sell a few copies and continue to knock on closed doors.

I had heard all the stories of 5, 10, 15 years of rejections by major authors. Just keep trying and eventually you, like Stephen King or J.K. Rowling, will knock on the right door.

When I started writing 9 years ago the process required mailing actual manuscripts, paying for paper, ink and postage, and including self-addressed, stamped mailers if you wanted your costly work returned. I accumulated an assortment of rejection letters. I stopped sending manuscripts and went back to writing. I promised myself that I would eventually pay the $2500 or so to do a vanity press printing of ONE of my novels. Thankfully my procrastination paid off and for very little money (less than dinner out) I started publishing.

Of course I still want to be published traditionally. However, the same conundrum about agents and publishers still exists. I asked God, “Do you want me to be published? Are you giving me stories to be read by a few or by many? I’m happy with your plan, Lord, and I’ll be patient. If you want me to be published I know it will happen.”

I dreamed of my YA thriller being picked up by a big publisher like Random House, film to follow, and then translations into multiple languages. Here’s the funny thing. Awesome and curious, really. Things are happening for real and in reverse order (hopefully). Out of the blue I was contacted by a major publisher in Germany. I’ve signed a contract, worked with their editor and now EDGE OF ESCAPE is getting a new title, cover and language.

Life is such an adventure. I love God’s plan.