Persistance

I've just finished what I hope is the final edit go-through on Marta's Place. Editor Sandy Light has studied it so many times I'm sure she could relate the entire book verbatim. She's a toughie, but I like that.
Lyrical Press has scheduled Marta's Place for release on April 20.

2008 and (so far) 2009 have been my most productive and rewarding years. I had The Crack in the Teacup, from a defunct press, re-released by Cambridge Books as Music and it became the first in a series of (so far) three mysteries featuring Homicide Detective Steve Music. All three are out now from Write Words, Inc.
During this same period, Etreasures Publishing has published The Albemarle Affair and The Reception.

I'm sure this sounds like I'm really blowing my horn, but I don't intend to do that. What I'd rather do is point out the value and necessity of persistance.

For years no one would even read my stuff. This is true: I got so discouraged at one point that I tore up two complete novels (The Albemarle Affair and Music) and threw them into the trash, vowing to give it up. Clearly I wasn't ever going to get anyplace. Whatever I was doing, it was wrong and to hell with it.

But a year or so later I got mad at myself for having given up, because I just had to get busy and write something. I rewrote The Albemarle Affair and Music both from memory and in all honesty, I don't think they're any different or better than they were the first time. I didn't find a publisher right away, but went on and wrote The Little Mornings (which became my first published book [Zumaya Publishing].) After that came the others and three screenplays (one is in low budget development and another under serious consideration.) and presently I'm working on three novels and another screenplay, all in various stages of development. Not bad, I'd say, for a poor dope who just a few years ago threw in the towel. I just thank God I was able to snatch the towel back before anyone noticed!

I'm sure I know as well as anyone how difficult getting published is. Aside from self-publishing houses, no one is interested in seeing your material and I firmly believe that the general inclination in publishing houses is to just say no.

Rejection slips can really wound your ego, and your feeling of self worth as a writer, but you do have one potent weapon at your disposal: persistance. We've all heard that old adage, "Winners never quit and quitters never win."

If you can compare writing to being a gladiator in the arena, would you rather lie down and let your opponent gut you with his gladius, or would you rather go down fighting?

Now, if I ever make some money at this, that will really be something! But hey, if we want to make money, that's an entirely different blog.

Never give up!