Woes of Publishing! by Sandra Worth

"Persistence finally paid off!" That's what everyone who knows me tells me now that I've been picked up in a two-book deal with Penguin. There was a time when I doubted it would ever happen. I entered contests and won awards judged by illustrious writers like Ray Bradbury, New York agents and editors, film makers and Hollywood producers. Though they selected me as their winner and sometimes I walked away with the grand prize of a thousand dollars or more, they passed on picking up my novel for publication. I couldn't understand why and I didn't believe them when they said, "Historicals don't sell." I knew they would, if they just published them! So I worked on my manuscript, revising and revising; hoping and hoping. But the change of heart never came. More rejections streamed in. My agent finally gave up on me. "There's no more I can do for you," she said, handing back my manuscript. I promptly looked up the names and addresses of small publishers and sent out a flurry of query letters.

One day a small POD publisher called with an acceptance. I was overjoyed. But I had to wait eighteen months for the release of my book, and by that time, the publisher was out of business. I got my rights back, and another small publisher offered to pick up the book, the first in a trilogy. I was ecstatic--that is, until I read their contract. By signing, I would give up every possible right to my book. It was as if my "baby" would be taken up for adoption by this stranger, and I wouldn't even have visitation rights. I'd never, ever see her again! She would keep my name but be out of my hands forever. If I changed the beneficiary of my will, I'd have to obtain the publisher's permission first. Much as I wanted to be published, I knew I couldn't accept these terms. The publisher said, "Take it or leave it." So I left it.

That's when I got a break. Another small publisher came along who was willing to talk terms, and willing to do a traditional run. I saw their product, and it was beautiful! Lovely cover, good paper, beautifully presented. They even had a well known distributor. The editor was gifted; the art director amazingly talented. I couldn't believe my luck! Working with them was a dream. They published the first book in my trilogy, and it was perfect. I worked non-stop on its promotion. I joined Toastmasters and learned public speaking. I never turned down a book talk, appearance, or an interview. I was completely stressed out but I kept promoting fiendishly. If I didn't, who would ever know my book was born? To my delight, my efforts paid off and it kept going into printing after printing. After all, didn't I know in my gut that historicals would sell, if given a chance?

I thought I was home free, but no, not quite yet. This wonderful publisher took on a marketing partner, and the new partner was one of those believers in a tough contract. She made me an offer for all my rights -- movie rights, serial rights, subsidiary right -- in the high two digits.

Yes, that's what I said. Ten dollars, actually. So I looked for another publisher. After I found one (let's call her "Angel") who was willing to publish the two sequels, my first publisher called to tell me his new partner was no longer with him. Aware that a trilogy does better when it's not split up between publishers, I offered to write "Angel" a new stand-alone book. She accepted, and the three books, The Rose of York trilogy, came to be published by End Table Books as a set.

I wrote furiously on my new novel for Angel. She even gave me an advance! I was euphoric. I pushed everything aside for nine months and kept writing. Then, just before I finished the book, I heard from Angel that she had lost her distributor, and was wondering how I felt about selling the book through personal appearances. I groaned with fatigue! At this point, I knew I would rather not have the book published than to try to market it this way.

Finally, I decided my writing days were over; it was all just too much trouble. I talked to Angel. She was every inch a kind and heavenly person, one of those special people we are privileged to meet in our lifetimes. She understood. She returned my rights, and I returned her advance. I contacted my former agent and told her what had transpired. She told me to send her a PDF of Lady of the Roses. I did. "I'm going to submit to New York," she informed me. Good luck, I thought.

Three weeks later, she called. "Are you sitting down?" she asked. "Penguin has made an offer for Lady of the Roses and they want two books. How fast can you write the second?"

"But historicals don't sell," I replied.

"Historicals are hot," she said.

Since then the first book in the trilogy, The Rose of York: Love & War is going into a second edition. We've sold the Spanish rights for the first and second books in the trilogy, Love & War and Crown of Destiny, and the Russian rights to Lady of the Roses: A Novel of the Wars of the Roses, which came out January 2 in the U.S. Meanwhile, today, January 8, Lady was released by Penguin Canada. I went to Amazon to buy a copy to send to a friend in Toronto and there was a notice posted: "Temporarily sold out." They will notify me when they have more books.

Didn't I always know historicals would sell if they were only published?



Tell Sandra your feelings about love and destiny by writing her at roseofyork@sandraworth.com or enter via her website at www.sandraworth.com, and win one of five signed copies of LADY OF THE ROSES and a beautiful cloisonné bookmark.

Guest Post by Jean Hackensmith

My name is Jean Hackensmith, Owner and Senior Fiction Editor for Port Town Publishing. As both a publisher and an author, I have only one piece of advice for any would-be writers out there. DON’T GIVE UP!

I started writing 30 years ago and, trust me, I’ve seen and heard it all. In short, anything that has happened to you on your road to being a published author happened to me, too. I papered my office walls with rejection letters; I even got to the point were I was receiving personalized rejections…no more form letters. I was the victim of an unethical agent and an equally unethical editor. I turned down a contract from a large publisher—because my lawyer said they wanted too much. (Which they did. I would have given up virtually all rights to my work, which should never happen.) Yes, I’ve been through the gamut—like all of you—and I was tempted to just throw in the towel many times. In my case, I got so frustrated after losing $1500 to that unethical editor I mentioned that I said to heck with it and self-published my first book, Wagons To The Past. Luckily it paid off, and the sales from that book allowed me to start my own publishing company—but that’s another story.

Mainly, I guess what I want to relay in saying “Don’t Give Up” is to do whatever it takes to get your work out there—and if you’re a dedicated author who believes in his or her work, and you know it’s good (and don’t take the word of Mom and Grandma on that one) then keep trying.

When that manuscript comes back with a rejection letter, send it out again—the same day. Keep a list of potential publishers and just keep submitting until the list is depleted, then start a new one. Your persistence will pay off. One day you’re going to see your manuscript land on the right publisher’s desk on the right day at the right time and voila, you, too, will be a published author. This business takes about 20% talent and 80% persistence. Develop a tough skin and one day you’ll sit back and watch your dream come true.

Jean Hackensmith is the author of The “Passage” Time Travel Romance Saga, “The Gitche Gumee Saga”, “Wagons To The Past,” “Tender Persuasion” and “Sweet Hell, Bitter Heaven.” Her books can be purchased through Amazon.com or through the publisher web site at www.porttownpublishing.com.