Heyyy, everybody! Long time, no post!
But, I’m back!
I’ve had tons of things to write about over the last couple of months; I simply failed to sit down and make myself write them. Then, this morning a quote by Ella Fitzgerald flashed through my head.
Just don't give up trying to do what you really want to do. Where there is love and inspiration, I don't think you can go wrong. -Ella Fitzgerald
And why did this quote flash through my head? Well, to tell the truth, I am perpetually on the verge of giving up. Yep. There are so many days that I just want to quit. To retire from writing. To call it quits on this lifestyle of the never-gonna-be-rich-and-famous. And every time I feel like giving up, a little bird (not a real one, of course) whispers in my ear, “Don’t give up. You’ve come too far and worked too hard to quit.”
And just why would I want to quit, one might ponder. Well, writing is hard work, and trying to make a living as a writer makes the work even harder. So this morning when that Ella Fitzgerald quote flashed through my head, I remembered back to eight years ago during the week of March 8-14, a spring break week for my then school-aged children (one in college during that time). I had taken my three children (plus my daughter’s cat, Knox) to Saint Louis for a few days during the break. On the morning of March 10, just as we were heading out for breakfast, I received an email from an agent requesting to see the full of my manuscript, BECOMING ROSA.
“Hold up,” I told the kids. “I need to email this manuscript to an agent.”
I was excited, but not terribly excited. I had emailed manuscripts to agents many times before over the previous six years. They had all come back as rejections. So, even though I was excited that the agent had requested the manuscript, I knew to take that request with “a grain of salt” as they say. Besides, four other agents already had the manuscript, and I hadn’t heard a peep from any of them.
After emailing the agent, my kids and I went on our merry way.
The following day on our return home, we stopped for dinner at Lambert’s Cafe, “Home of Throwed Rolls.” As was my custom (or any writer’s custom when they have manuscripts out with agents), I checked my email while we waited for our food. Rather than an email from an agent, I had received an email from an editor at a small press to which I had sent the manuscript in February. While reading the email, I think I stopped breathing. Then I started crying.
Dear Ms. Jackson,
…I have to say, when I first saw your submission I was intrigued, but because I know a great premise doesn't always play out, I didn't get my hopes up. But then I started reading, and couldn't put this manuscript down. BECOMING ROSA is beautifully written and well plotted, with plenty of tension and pain that is tempered by the authentic humanity of your characters. It's not only a wonderful book, it's an important book, and we would like to publish it.
After having been writing for nearly 20 years, having self-published, then spending another six years trying to break into traditional publishing, I finally had an editor wanting to publish my manuscript! It was a moment that I hope I never forget.
Writing is hard work, and trying to make a living as a writer makes the work even harder.
I won’t bore you with all the details, but I ended up becoming a client of the agent who requested the full on the day before I received this email. And that agent went on to sell the manuscript at auction. I was sorry that we didn’t end up with the editor who initially got the ball rolling. But, publishing is a business, and we as writers must put our emotions on the backburner to treat it as such. That manuscript, BECOMING ROSA, became the book, Midnight Without a Moon, and published to critical acclaim, even garnering a few award honors. This might not have happened with the small press.
To make this long story short, every March I try to commemorate the moment that I finally made a break into traditional publishing by doing something special, even if that something special is finishing the draft of new manuscript. But this year I didn’t do that. This year, I didn’t even remember that March was special. I was too busy worried about my the next step in my writing career, or even if there is a “next” step.
Today, a little voice reminded me that there is definitely a next step. I just need to keep moving forward.
In the meantime, here are a few things that have happened with my most recent book, The Lucky Ones.
The Lucky Ones is an award finalist!
Foreword Reviews Indies Award Finalist
It’s also been recommended by the Cooperative Center for the Book as one of the best kids’ books of 2022!
Common Sense Media says it’s one of the best SIX(!!!) kids’ books of 2022!
Common Sense Media's Best 6 Kids' Books of 2022
The Lucky Ones was selected as one of The Week Junior’s Top Seven Reads of 2022
And, of course, there’s Kate’s recommendation….
A Kate DiCamillo Read Brave Reading Challenge Selection
Well, looks like I’m commemorating March after all!
HAPPY READING, EVERYONE!
I love this post and I’m so glad you didn’t give up! btw, MIDNIGHT WITHOUT A MOON is on my bedside table right now.
Hi Linda, I really enjoyed reading your post. I certainly can related to your feelings. In the end, we write because we are writers. So we allow ourselves the occasional pity party but we always come back and take our seats and use our God-given talent to navigate, process ,describe, make sense of this existence--- with words. And we get to take others along for the ride. And you have a beautiful talent. Enjoy the journey!