July 30, 2007

It Was A Great Tax Write Off

**Day 7 of "Journey to Publication"**

If I'd been a good little writer, I'd have been cranking out more books while my agent shopped the other manuscript around. But, God had other plans. Between the years of 1997 and 2001, my husband started his own business, I started my own business (separate from his), we built a house and I continued to do journalism on the side. (Did I mention we have 4 kids?)

The first business I tried was an antique & home accessory business. (Whose sole purpose was to give me an excuse to buy antiques, but--shhhhh--don't tell my husband.) It was a great tax write off.

My next business was to form a publishing corporation for the purpose of developing, producing and marketing products that promote traditional family values. Our first product was a chore system I had invented and used in my home for years and years. It is called I Did My Chores! and is available nationwide. That's the good news.

The bad news is ... I hated what I was doing. My gifts and talents do not lie in the corporate executive world. So, now I had 30,000 units of a product that I wasn't too terribly talented at selling. But, it was a great tax write off!

Thursday ... how I managed to make the leap from chore systems to romance.

posted by Deeanne on 07/30/2007 - 2 comments - Post a Comment    RSS FEED

July 26, 2007

They Still Didn't Want It

**Day 6 of "Journey to Publication"**

Even after three years of honing my craft and after securing a top New York agent, the publishers still didn't want my book. The reasons varied this time, though.

Some said that the setting of the book was at a very unromantic time period in history and therefore they didn't think their readers would be interested. Another said he didn't think the two protagonists were truly meant for each other. (I got a chuckle out of that one. Sounded like a parent thinking his daughter was too good for the guy she wanted to marry. Ha!) Another one said it had too many pages. Another said historicals weren't selling very well and had I written any suspense? And on it went.

Now, mind you, this took a great deal of time. Remember, I secured the agent in 1997. Our working relationship ended (very amicably) in 2001. So, what was I doing during all that time???

Tune in on Monday for the answer to that question and more.

posted by Deeanne on 07/26/2007 - 3 comments - Post a Comment    RSS FEED

July 23, 2007

Cleared the First Hurdle

**Day 5 of "Journey to Publication"**

It is 1997 and after 3 years of intense work, I finally finished manuscript number 2. Instead of sending it directly to the publishers, I sent it to an agent I had met several times at the conferences I had attended (including that very first one where Judith McNaught spoke). Which means ... he had seen my first disastrous novel, yet was still willing to take a look at this second one.

I sent it in and two weeks later he called and said, "Yes. I'd like to represent you." I'd cleared the first hurdle!

This particular agent just happen to be one of the top agents in New York. The list of authors he represented at that time read like a Who's Who in the romance industry. So, his representation accomplished several things for me:

• It validated my work. (He never would have taken it on if he didn't think he could sell it.)
• It meant that I didn't have to submit it to the publishers. He would do that. Since he was in New York, he would take them to lunch and say, "I have a manuscript I really want you to read."
• It meant my manuscript would not be shoved to the bottom of the pile, but would be placed at the top of the pile because it was coming to them with a recommendation from someone they trusted.

On Thursday, the response my agent received.

posted by Deeanne on 07/23/2007 - 7 comments - Post a Comment    RSS FEED

July 19, 2007

It Took Three Years

**Day 4 of "Journey to Publication"**

It took me three years to hone my craft. The first thing I did was join Romance Writers of America (that romance organization that had hosted the luncheon (see July 2nd's post)). I went to their conferences, their monthly chapter meetings, signed up for workshops given by published authors, entered contests, joined a critique group, listened to tapes, read "how-to" books and wrote, wrote, wrote.

Rather than trying to fix that first novel, I shelved it and started all over on a new one. I called it Tobacco Bride. It was about a 17th century English woman who was sold in the colonies for her weight in tobacco leafage as a bride. I wrote it for the general market (as opposed to the Christian market).

After three arduous years, I typed "The End" and prepared to send it off to New York. Tomorrow ... New York's response.

posted by Deeanne on 07/19/2007 - 4 comments - Post a Comment    RSS FEED

July 16, 2007

RITA Award

Well, I was 0 for 3 at the award ceremonies I attended last week at RWA (Romance Writers of America).  I tied for 3rd place in the READERS CHOICE contest.  I came in second in the BOOKSELLERS BEST and at the RITA Awards Ceremony (the highest award of distinction in the Romance Industry) THE MEASURE OF A LADY was nominated for Best Inspirational Romance 2007, but it didn't win.  The good news is, Tamera Alexander's REVEALED won and she's a fellow Bethany House author!  So, we were able to keep it all in the family.

I read her first book, Rekindled, but haven't read Revealed, yet.  So, that's definitely moving up to the top of my "to be read" pile.  She's a really dear friend, so help me in congratulating her.

On Thursday, we'll continue our "Journey to Publication" series!

posted by Deeanne on 07/16/2007 - 11 comments - Post a Comment    RSS FEED

July 12, 2007

But ...

**Day 3 of "Journey to Publication"**

"This is a solid try, but ..."

"I wish I had better news, but ..."

"I think this has potential, but ..."

You get the picture. No one (understandably) wanted to publish my disastrous first attempt at novel writing. What I haven't shared is the rest of the comments within those rejection letters. In summary, they basically all said the same thing (beside, obviously, "no thanks").

They used words like "potential ... solid try ... you've got good characters ... strong and lively ... a lot of talent ..." Then in the next paragraph they used words like "needs strengthening ... consistency ... made no sense ... too much background ... add emphasis ..."

In short, my writing wasn't the problem, it was my craft. I liken it to an athlete. You can be the most talented athlete around, but if you don't know the rules, you can't play the game. So, after the fourth rejection letter--which said basically the same thing as all the rest of them--I squared my shoulders and decided it would be the last rejection I received do to lack of craft. If they were going to reject my work, next time, it would have to be for some other reason than craft.

Sound simple? Come back Monday and you'll see just how simple.

posted by Deeanne on 07/12/2007 - 4 comments - Post a Comment    RSS FEED

July 07, 2007

We Interrupt This Program

Hey, everybody.  It's about 1:00 in the morning here in Atlanta, but before I go to bed I wanted to tell y'all that The Measure of a Lady won the Christy Award tonight!! Woo-Hoo!!

Here are the winners in each of the categories:

Contemporary (stand alone):

WINTER BIRDS, by Jamie Langston Turner (Bethany House)

Contemporary (series, sequels, and novellas)

THE BRETHREN, by Beverly Lewis (Bethany House)

Historical:

MADMAN, by Tracy Groot (Moody)

Lits:

SISTERCHICKS IN GONDOLAS, by Robin Jones Gunn  (Multonmah)

Romance:

THE MEASURE OF A LADY, by Deeanne Gist (Bethany House)

Suspense:

PLAGUE MAKER, by Tim Downs (Thomas Nelson)

First Novel:

WHERE MERCY FLOWS, by Karen Harter (Center Street)

Congrats to all the winners and nominees!  We will resume our regularly scheduled program (and our  "Journey to Publication") on Thursday.

posted by Deeanne on 07/07/2007 - 14 comments - Post a Comment    RSS FEED

July 05, 2007

It Stunk

**Day 2 of "Journey to Publication"**

Well, I wrote 50 thousand words that first month (half of a novel). That might sound impressive until you read what I wrote. Yeah. It stunk. Bad. The sad thing was, I didn't know it. I thought it was great. And spent the next six months trying to back my characters out of the corner I'd painted them into that first month. Typed "The End." Still thought it was great. (Groan)

So, with visions of some editor running down the hall with my manuscript yelling, "This is it! This is the one!", I started submitting my "masterpiece" to every major publishing house in New York. One-by-one. On Monday, I'll share with you some of the responses I received from those pubs.

(At this point I wasn't writing for the Inspirational market, but for the secular market.  I didn't even know there was such a thing as "Christian Romance"!)

posted by Deeanne on 07/05/2007 - 11 comments - Post a Comment    RSS FEED

July 02, 2007

Born on the Fourth of July

I’m convinced my birthday (July 4th) is the best birthday a gal can have.  Most everybody has the day off, is in the mood for friends, family, parades and barbeque, and winds up their celebration with patriotic music and fireworks.  Every year my birthday is like that.  It’s awesome.  And this year, my most exciting gift is that COURTING TROUBLE made the CBA Fiction Bestseller List--Number 12--for the month of July.

Woo-hoo!  I'm so excited.  The Lord has been so amazing through this whole publishing process.  So, I thought it would be fun to re-visit the series of blog entires I wrote a couple of years ago chronicling my path to publication.  I broke the "journey" up into bite size pieces which will take us about 11 days to traverse.  I will try to interject some new insights where I can.

So, if you're ready, here we go ...

**DAY 1 of "A JOURNEY TO PUBLICATION"**

In the beginning I was an elementary school teacher who had four kids in four years and was paying out more in childcare than I was earning. So, I became a stay-at-home-mom. In those early years while I had multiples in diapers, car seats and cribs, I was doing well just to get some sleep.

As they reached the toddling stage and I caught up on my sleep, I began to use their naptime to tap into the creative side of me. I painted tee-shirts, made jewelry and read romance novels by the truck load.

On one of my trips to the book store, there was a flyer by the cash register that said, "Have lunch with Judith McNaught." Since she was one of my favorites at the time, I said, "Okay," and picked up a flyer.

Upon further investigation, I found out the organization hosting the luncheon was a romance writing group. And they were also hosting editors and agents from New York. Whom, if you had written a novel, you could meet with.

So, I said, "Okay." And in my naivete, I sat down--during naptime--to write a romance novel before the luncheon (which was a month away).

On Thursday, I will tell you the results of my foolishness.

posted by Deeanne on 07/02/2007 - 14 comments - Post a Comment    RSS FEED

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