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Friday, September 9, 2011

Never Rains But It Pours

The picture is me - up, up and away.

We authors spend a lot of our lives bending our heads against the lash of the rain from rejections - rejections from agents, rejections from editors.

Then suddenly we end up submitting to just the right publisher and we're accepted.  At last our existence, our years of tap, tap, tapping at midnight, our pretense that we never heard the phone or the kids creating mayhem is finally justified. And for a short time we get to walk on air or drink a bottle of bubbly or whatever our pleasure is. Then we usually stop and think, "Huh. Now I have to submit to a publisher's every whim. I'm going to edit and edit and edit, put up with covers that make my stomach turn and send ridiculous PR photos out into the world." Sometimes being accepted is every bit as terrifying as being rejected.

Then once in a blue moon it hails acceptances.

Okay, so I've had a couple or so acceptances recently. And guess what - the whole boiling lot of them want to publish me within a six week period! Uh huh. That's not terrifying, that's mind-blowing. The work involved in a chunk of edits plus the embarrassing marketing "Love me! Buy my book! Buy my next book!" drama can only be described as horrendous.

In the week before Christmas, Musa Publishing will e-publish "THE SECOND SON," under their Clio Historical banner. THE SECOND SON is a Regency which is the prequel to my hardback published with Robert Hale Ltd called "COMING HOME." BUT to complicate the issue, last month I was contacted by Robert Hale who are entering the scary e-publishing arena and will publish COMING HOME as an e-book. And they want to do that in the first week of January 2012. You're confused? Imagine how confused I am.

Then The Wild Rose Press have come up with a publishing date for LETHAL REFUGE as a paperback. You guessed it - it's on 13 January 2012. And just for good measure, in the last week of January the new Musa Publishing will publish another Regency of mine, MR. MONFORT'S MARRIAGE under the Aurora Regency label. More about Musa in another blogpost. But let me tell you, there is an efficient, hungry publishing house.

And as a family we have two birthdays in the second week of January.

So Christmas might be offsite this year. Alcoholic? Probably. Well organized? Not likely. Gotta book a restaurant NOW.

26 comments:

  1. You'll be living on adrenaline...or coffee...or something! Make sure you have a big umberella? (to hide under?)Congratulations on being in the situation!

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  2. Think I can't spell umbrella...oops...too much coffee here.

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  3. Brilliant, Vonnie. It'll be hugely confusing but worth it. Can't believe how many straight to digital publishers are appearing - and good old Robert Hale, too. Congrats on them all.

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  4. WOOHOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!
    This will be an exhausting, exhilarating ride - but soooo worth it. Your name recognition will be fabulous, and hopefully your sales will reflect that.
    Congratulations my friend. You've worked hard for the success that is coming your way. Just think, in another six months, the hard work will be over (for this purple patch anyway) : )

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  5. Vonnie--the younger one,
    Congrats on all the contracts! I can understand your moments of feeling overwhelmed. I felt that way with one book. I simply can't imagine all you have before you, but I have an idea you'll handle it with style and grace. Go, girl! Yay, you!
    Vonnie--the older one

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  6. Vonnie, or should I say 'the other Vonnie' that is all quite amazing and understandably overwhelming. You are MOST welcome to guest on my blog as part of your upcoming promo tour(s). I love historicals. :)

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  7. Sounds like your year will get off to a bang - a promo blitz, a whirlwind blog tour that will keep you and your readers' heads spinning.

    You've got a point - too much acceptance can get overwhelming.
    BUT AIN'T IT A GREAT FEELING ANYWAY????

    I'll be watching for a slew of blogs on how you managed this trifecta.
    Best of luck.

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  8. Same here, Vonnie. Nothing forever than 3 acceptances at once. All to come out in Dec! I'm trying to slow one of them down - we'll see. Congrats to you!

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  9. Wonderful news, Vonnie. It shows that all that hard work paid off! Given the choice between walking on air or bubbly, I'd take the bubbly every time!
    Best Wishes,
    Jean

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  10. That's not only mind-boggling it's fantastically AWESOME!!!! Glad I got my spot on your blog in December! lol Congrats sweetie!

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  11. That's fantastic news and I know how you feel. Stop by my blog for a guest spot. I'd love for you to share your story with my readers.

    Congratulations!

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  12. Vonnie,

    How wonderful for you to have so many contracts come your way. Be sure to take time to enjoy your success along the way.

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  13. Get your skates on so you can whiz through the rest of the year and January. You are a busy lady. Best of luck surviving with sanity. LOL

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  14. Hey, Vonnie - take a deep breath and plunge right in there! It might be hectic and probably sleepless, and you may have to pass off other details (like Christmas!) to someone else to organise - but imagine how wonderful it will be when all the books are out, promo is underway, and you can sit back and admire your work..
    Of course, then you have to start on the next round of submissions...and acceptances:-)

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  15. Wow - that's some news! But it'll all be worth it, as long as you get rest in between.

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  16. Okay Vonnie - I know you're not complaining about the new releases and I know you're probably thrilled with having all those books coming out with you're name on them - I guess what's worrying you is when will you find time to ...sleep?? lol
    I'm so happy for you...

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  17. That's awesome news, Vonnie! Congrats!!

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  18. Three books published in one month? I'd be happy doing 3 books in a year. Great success to you.

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  19. Deep breaths, Vonnie, lol. I see Hale is now going e-book.

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  20. Thanks Lesley. Re the new e-publishers, I think Musa will be a force to be reckoned with. They bought most of the authors' rights from AMP (Aspen Mountain Press) as the people owning and managing Musa are all ex-AMP editors and managers.

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  21. Vonnie, the younger Vonnie indeed! What! By a few months? Heh.

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  22. June, we need to form The Society of Startled Scribes or something. The drought followed by the flood. Somehow we'll do it.

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  23. Thanks for the offers re blogspots, Beth and Lynn. Hopefully will get organized enough to sort that out. Blogging I can handle. Facebook is another thing entirely.

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  24. Thanks Marilyn but let's face it. It took me three or four years to write that bunch!

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  25. Like buses. You wait for a while and nothing, then all of a sudden three come along at the same time. Well done, and don't exhaust yourself.

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