It shouldn't be this complicated

What a busy week! Cleaning the whole house, cleaning up outside, cooking – none of it comes naturally to me. But with much help from Mollie and Nick, it all done. 

With the festivities at my house done by Sunday night, we headed out bright and early Monday morning to head to the lake house to continue partying with my cousins. All was well and bright and shiny until I checked my email. 

My publisher didn’t want my new book.

In all honesty, that’s not exactly what they said. But that’s how I perceived it I and that’s the way it settled in my heart and I’m still having a bit of trouble dislodging it. This is what they actually said:

We would be happy to offer you publication - however, the market has changed such that we would only feel able to accept this book/series under the following conditions.

The publishing landscape has changed to such a degree now that authors who maintain a 30-90 day release cycle have the best chance of success. We absolutely realize that not all authors can churn out a book every 30-90 days, which is why we would want to wait until the second book in this series has been written before we put book one on the schedule, with each title then being released a month or six weeks apart. It would be very helpful if you could let me know how many books you plan this series to have, and how often you think you'll be able to submit one so we can schedule ahead.

I'm so sorry that things have come to this but we want/need our authors to be successful and, in the new 'binge-watch Netflix' culture, readers are no longer as patient as they used to be.

They don’t want this one until I write another? A book every thirty to ninety days? Writing that fast would take the joy out if it for me. I need the time for my characters to talk to me. Nothing goes right when I try to force them. All my other book had been accepted on the spot and I guess I was a little complacent. This shook me up. I can’t fault the publisher, they know the changes in the market and they’re trying to tell me the best way to sell books. But this has me doing a lot of rethinking.

I was hoping to begin a new series with all the characters from my Cassie books as well as those in the Cal’s Law series, which could bring in all Cal’s family. I may still do that. But I’ll basically have to have at least three books written before they would publish the first one and that would take well over a year – and it could be longer.

In the meantime we've decided to put this one that I just finished up as the forth book in the Cal’s Law series where it will fit perfectly. If all goes well it may be out in a couple of months.

It was while I was feeling ‘rejected’ that I got such a sweet comment from Deena on Nick’s Fantasy Friday and that really helped. I also got an email from a friend telling me she kept checking back and was hoping I had something new coming out. And then just yesterday I got an email from a very nice reader that really boosted my spirits and helped me feel that my writing, blog and books means something to people. 

The hardest part of going from blog writing to book writing is not knowing what others are thinking. With the blog I write something and I get comments – instant feedback. That’s why it’s so important to me to answer them. But with a book you spend months and months getting it just right, you go through endless edits (as poor Rosie Dee can attest to), you discuss with the publisher about the cover and finally you wait for Amazon to put it up – usually several days after they say they’re going to. But then, even if it sales well, you still want to ask, “But did you like it?” I’m most grateful to the friend who read my books and tell me they like it or leave a review. 

I’m torn as to where to turn next. I was planning to write a single, stand-alone book next, with different characters. I was looking forward to it. But do I want to start working on the series? Writing that will take that year or longer. I’ve got a good friend who self-publishes and could help me do the same. But I have had a good experience with Blushing and I appreciate their help and expertise. I just enjoy writing stories. How did it get so complicated?