One of the interesting things I’ve found about my writing is how easily I’ve come to expect rejection.

Early on, you need to develop a thick skin while trying to sell yourself and your writing to an agent or a publisher, or you just won’t survive the sea of rejection. Just a week ago I received one of the nicest rejections I’ve ever gotten from an agent. She said I was doing everything right, but it just wasn’t right for her, and I said “Yeah, okay.” and filed it away in my mounting pile of rejection letters. I have just come to expect rejection. There are days I’ve wondered why I keep banging my head against that wall. I mean, I’ve got the self-pub thing going. maybe that’s all I can do.

Then last night happened. I check my email and see one from a publisher that I had submitted Son of Thunder to. So I open the email and start to read, looking for the “but” or “however” that usually precedes the bad news and instead read:

“I read your story this weekend and I have great news! I enjoyed Son of Thunder so much we’d like to publish your book.”

Whoa! I had to back up and start reading from the beginning, and then I notice that there’s a contract attached to the email. This is so cool, and I was in shock most of the night. It’s still settling in that I’ve taken that next big step – gotten over that next big hurdle.

I love all my books, but Son of Thunder has always been special to me. I’ve resisted self-publishing it because I really did believe it would sell to a publisher. Now that it has, I’m in heaven.

I’m not mentioning the publisher here, because I haven’t signed the contract yet, but rest assured that announcement is coming, along with all the details.

Stay tuned,

Steve