Yes,
I have neglected my poor blog while I finished revisions on my new book. "Bad, Sherry, bad!" Sorry
for being out of touch for so long. As some of you know, I’ve had some personal
tribulations going on with my daughter and numerous computer issues, but now
I’m back and ready to talk books and life with all my lovely followers.
I
have to admit that I find it daunting to find time to promote, write, edit, and
blog. I don’t know how other writers do it. It’s a difficult juggling act. It’s
exhausting. It’s overwhelming.
And
I am in awe of other writers that seem to do all those things so effortlessly. Maybe
most of them don’t have kids. :)
Anyhoo,
I wanted to chat about my new novel with you today. I actually wrote the first
draft of IMMORTAL ECLIPSE aka IE about nine years ago. A year later, I
also made the mistake of sending it out on submission to editors and agents. I
did get a lot of requests for fulls and partials, but no one I sent my
manuscript to offered a publishing contract or representation. I spent about
six months querying agents and contacting editors, before giving up. However, I
did get some really nice and helpful rejection letters. (You can read one of
them on my writing blog HERE )
Every time I read this thoughtful letter from Sable Grey (doesn’t that sound
like a movie star’s name?), it reminds me not to give up hope. That one day I’ll be
able to make a living as a writer.
Even
rejection letters that offer useful advice from literary agents or publishing editors
should help your writing. Yes, rejections suck, but take a deep breath and put
your ego aside, and then use it to become a better storyteller.
That’s
what I did.
The
story for IE has evolved over the years and with each new draft, the storyline has (hopefully)
improved. However, the basic plot elements remained, which featured a young
woman relocating from New York to Carmel, California and moving into a supposedly
haunted house, and then discovering a dead girl that died on the property,
which mysteriously resembles the main character.
The
early drafts had the protagonist as a disillusioned runway model, but I wasn’t
sure most readers would be able to relate to her, so she developed into a
fashion photographer instead.
I
knew in my gut that it was a good story, but it needed more revision. A lot
more. And an insightful professional editor. But before I found the right
editor for IE, I found an amazing critique partner named, Carmen. I have mad respect for this woman, because not only is she a fantastic writer, but she’s also an astounding
editor. I was so impressed by her skills that I asked her to join my editing services business.
Then,
luckily, I found Beth Hill of A Novel Edit. I spent about a month
searching for the perfect editor for my work before deciding to hire this remarkable
freelance editor. Now, no editor is perfect and any lingering grammar goofs or
missed punctuation is probably my fault, because as many of you know, I like to
endlessly edit. LOL
And I
learned so much from both of these extraordinary writers/editors that my
own writing skills have flourished and have been greatly enriched by working with them. IE
would not be the gripping tale it is today without their support.
So, "IMMORTAL ECLIPSE" has been a very long labor of love for me (almost a decade), and to see it
finally published after all these years is an accomplishment that I am immensely
proud of. The novel incorporates all the things I personally love: spooky atmosphere,
snarky heroine, thrilling suspense, humorous respite, romantic tension, and even
a dash of fashion fun!
I
knew while writing this book, that I was creating a narrative that wouldn’t speak
to the overall market, but I really wanted to write this story. A tale about a different kind of heroine
not found in most new adult, horror, urban fantasy, and darker paranormal romances. My
idiosyncratic, yet tough heroine is brave, considerate, stubborn, albeit confused,
and somewhat of a fashionata. I think all these quirky aspects of her
personality make her somewhat unique.
In
closing, I hope readers will give my heroine, Skylar a chance and hopefully enjoy reading my new book. And
for aspiring writers, I hope this post gives you the determination to keep
writing. It took a long time for IE to be published, but all good things come
to those who wait….
