Ever since my aspiring author days, I’ve stuck to the idea of having several submissions out at once to help cushion disappointment. If I have several projects with editors or agents and one comes back with a no, I have hope in the mail because some of my other subs are still live.
After selling my first book I’ve continued with my “hope in the mail” program, and mostly it works. But there’s one strange phenomenon I’ve noticed. The replies tend to come back in clusters, no matter when I first sent them out. A case in point. I sent one sub in mid-Dec, one in Jan and one in Feb. The answers have all arrived back in the space of a week with two coming on the same day. I still have two live submissions and quite frankly, I’m a bit worried about opening my email in the morning.
I received a couple of rejections and I’ve already moved on to Plan B for those. I’ve also have some good news to balance out the rejections. (I’m not telling yet) I don’t think I’ll change my “hope in the mail” routine, but I’d definitely like the replies to arrive farther apart. I need time to savor the hope!!
I’m a huge paranormal fan. I like both dark paranormals and the more light-hearted ones. My own writing tends toward the light-hearted with humor end, although I can write darker if I set my mind to it. I wish there were more of the light-hearted ones around. I’ve just read Howling at the Moon (tales of an urban werewolf) by Karen Macinerney. I really loved it and chuckled out loud quite a bit during the reading of the book. Unfortunately I need to wait until Nov 2008 for book two.
I know there are quite a few paranormal fans out there. Do you prefer reading the darker paranormals or are you, like me, a fan of the light-hearted ones? Actually, I like humorous contemporaries as well. I wish there were more of those around, too.
Yeah, I’ve noticed that cluster effect, too. Weird, isn’t it?
by Susan Helene Gottfried April 15th, 2008 at 8:24 amShelley,
So glad you enjoyed HOWLING; and like you, I wish there were more lighthearted paranormals out there. There’s a lot of dark right now. Isn’t it funny how things tend to go in waves?
And in terms of submissions; I totally understand. Just remind yourself that it’s a numbers game, and obviously you’ve had a good bit of success already, so I’m sure something will click soon — I’ll keep my fingers crossed for you!
Karen
by Karen MacInerney April 15th, 2008 at 9:26 amWait a moment. You’ve got some good news to share already?
Well, then, what the heck am I telling you I’ll keep my fingers crossed for?
CONGRATULATIONS! You’ll have to tell us what it is and when it will be out so we can get our paws on it. :)
by Karen MacInerney April 15th, 2008 at 9:30 amSusan - it sure is weird. I’ve just checked my email and I’m safe for today.
Karen - I loved Sophie and I can’t wait to learn more about Tom. November is so long to wait!
LOL - I’m doing okay and expect a few rejections along the way. It’s part and parcel of this writing gig.
I need to wait on contracts etc. before I can spill my news…
by Shelley Munro April 15th, 2008 at 1:18 pmYou tease!! But that’s like my thing, with the subs.
I’m afraid to open mail or email now. LOL!!
I like both kind of paranormals. Have you read an Aisling Gray? HILARIOUS!!
by Amy Ruttan April 15th, 2008 at 1:22 pmAmy - I love the Aisling Gray books. The demon dog makes me laugh. I think there’s a new one out? I must check…
by Shelley Munro April 15th, 2008 at 1:31 pmHmmm is there. I have to check. I read the one about the wedding. Dang can’t remember the name but yeah Effirjim cracks me UP!
All her books are just so funny.
by Amy Ruttan April 15th, 2008 at 1:59 pmI like both the dark and light paranormals.
by Estella April 15th, 2008 at 2:25 pmI, too, like humerous contemporaries.
Estella - which light paranormals do you enjoy most?
by Shelley Munro April 15th, 2008 at 2:44 pmAs a writer, I tend towards light and shade in each book (wry humor mixed with more serious speculation) but I enjoy send-ups of the darker paranormal genres (probably because I read them in disbelief-my technical background pops up at the wierdest moments)
Piers Anthony and the ultra right-wing Robert Heinlen were my early models, not in their stories, but in their ability to take an interesting “what if?” to its logical conclusion.
For the rest, I guess I’ve enjoyed life too much to want to change reality beyond a few little “What ifs” of my own.
Sorry Shelley. I didn’t mean to wax philosophical
Amy
by Amy Gallow April 15th, 2008 at 3:00 pmI write humorous contemps, I wish more people were buying them!
I hear you on the hope in the mail, in fact I think you got me into that. I swear I’ve been in waiting limbo for over a year now with some of these.
Yay on the good news! I can’t wait to hear!!! :D
by Shelli Stevens April 15th, 2008 at 5:22 pmAs an addendum to my comment above.
Except when I’ve been preoccupied with other matters, I’ve always tried to keep as many different irons in the fire as I can manage. The volume reduces the importance of each individual iron and my need to haunt in-boxes and the mailman. (It sometimes suceeds)
It also cushions the inevitable rejections when I’ve failed to research the market properly.
Amy
by Amy Gallow April 15th, 2008 at 5:39 pmWhen I read your post the first thing I thought of was the Aisling Grey books (and I see I’m not the only one) - they’re some of my faves!!! I love the mix of paranormal romance and humor!
by Kathleen Oxley April 15th, 2008 at 7:00 pmGood for you in having Plan B “just in case” - and BEST of luck on what you have out there at present!
I love humorous paranormal romance.
by Sunny Lyn April 15th, 2008 at 8:33 pmOverall I like the dark paranormals better, maybe because I don’t get most of the US humour (the most boring thing I can imagine are those movie comedies and the sitcoms German TV keeps buying) but if the humour is more like the Blackadder or Terry Pratchett, I like me some humour, too.
But I’m coming from the historical fiction and Fantasy corner and don’t like contemporary settings that much, so what I do want is a paranormal twist to the world.
by Gabriele April 15th, 2008 at 11:18 pmGabriele - I think the US humor is quite different to what we’re used to. I much prefer the British humor, which is what we grew up with. It’s interesting because I’ll watch some of the US comedies and I don’t get any of it. Humor is such a personal thing and it’s obviously regional as well.
Hi Sunny - thank you! I’m crossing my fingers that Plan B works too.
Kathleen - it’s funny. I like some of Katie Macallister’s books but some I just don’t get. The Aisling Grey ones are my favorites.
Amy - exactly. That’s my theory. And sometimes we just take a risk on the market, and it doesn’t pan out. That was one of my rejections in a nutshell. I knew it was a longshot.
No problem. We all have personal hot buttons when it comes to our reading.
by Shelley Munro April 16th, 2008 at 12:04 amCan’t wait to hear your news. I enjoy darker paranormals, just as I like darker suspense novels. I love Colleen Gleason’s Gardella Vampire Chronicles series. I haven’t read JR Ward yet, but I’ve been hearing a lot about her books. I’m assuming her books of are of a darker nature.
by Jane April 16th, 2008 at 12:34 amOohhh… can’t wait to hear your good news!
by Rachael Blair April 16th, 2008 at 5:22 amJane - yes, I’d call JR Ward’s books dark. It took me a while to pick them up but once I did I read the first four one after the other. JR Ward writes wonderful male characters.
Rachael - nothing like a little suspense.
by Shelley Munro April 16th, 2008 at 12:54 pmI like the dark paranormals myself — especially urban fantasies with lots of suspense.
by Ericka Scott April 16th, 2008 at 6:30 pmOooh I can’t wait to hear your good news!
and I totally agree about those clusters - I can go for weeks without hearing a thing from queries then suddenly (like buses I suppose!) responses all come at once!
by Christina Phillips April 17th, 2008 at 12:45 amLOL - Christina - it’s exactly like buses. I have fond memories of waiting for the #9 bus in London.
by Shelley Munro April 17th, 2008 at 2:31 am