I just read over my last blog and I want to tell you that I am full of you know what. I just signed a contract with a traditional publisher for two of my novels. A traditional publisher? Why yes, I say shamelessly. After all that ranting and raving about how much I love to self publish and how much I love to have control, I kicked and screamed when I got word that they wanted not one, drum roll please … but two of my novels.
So in case you haven’t guessed it, I repeat myself, I’m full of it. I don’t want to pay to get myself published. I lied. I really have a sense of accomplishment here. Not that I’m not damn proud of Dancing Backward in Paradise, I am. But it just doesn’t feel the same. iuniverse was a cold experience, not at all warm and fuzzy. They gave me a great cover, but they were about as indifferent as dead people.
I am a published writer, traditionally published now! I think I’ll put it on Face Book, and then on Twitter. My money will go to market my books, not to get them into print. I am not a self published writer anymore, but a published writer, which means that this publishing house believed in my writing style, my story, and my heart, really. Because it’s all there in both stories, my poor little beating heart. Writing is a song of the soul, especially if you’ve got a love affair with prose. Hey, I grew up on Victorian poetry and tried to find a way to bring Lord Byron back from the spirit world so I could marry him. Strange child, that I was.
I figure I tell a pretty good story, just like everybody else who has a knack for stringing words. Though my stories come from God knows where. I think really well crafted writers start with an idea. I start with a title, then characters, then plot. I work ass backwards, I know. But no one can really tell you how to do this. When I read over my fantasy novel before submitting it, I said to myself: How the hell did I ever come up with this? Did I really commit myself to a trilogy?
I didn’t start with an idea like I’m sure Jodi Picoult does, and my other favorite, Anita Shreve. I mean I can’t imagine The Pilots Wife being written that way, or House Rules. I started with a character. I guess my theater background kicks in here, I was always good at improvisation.
Anyway, nix my last blog. I am as excited and as happy as a duck in water. One of the novels they accepted was written twelve years ago, and the other one was finished twelve minutes ago. I don’t even know what made me submit it. I really believed I’d be self-publishing my next book but I did promise my significant other that I would keep beating my head against arrogant, restricted, over submitted to publishing houses who don’t like me and may never like me. Well, you know what? I didn’t get signed by a big house, I have no fat royalty check, but I feel like I’m with the like minded, and that’s all I ever wanted. You know? People who read.
So you know, my last blog? Forget about it. Foolish woman that I am; I have.
Vera Jane Cook
Award Winning Must Read Women’s Fiction. Dancing Backward In Paradise was published in November 2006 and received rave reviews from Armchair Interviews and Midwest Book reviews, as well as an Eric Hoffer and Indie Excellence award in the Literary fiction category for notable new fiction in 2007. Her next southern fiction title, The Story of Sassy Sweetwater, and a new fantasy title, Annabel Horton, Lost Witch of Salem, will soon be published by Musa publishing. To learn more about her books you can visit her web site at www.verajanecook.com
To contact the author send an email to jane@verajanecook.com
