The long journey to publication

If there is one thing that authors know too well, it's the long, trying journey to publication. A manuscript can sit in a desk drawer or on a computer's hard drive for years before it is finally turned into a book. And while the author rejoices when this wish finally comes true, she also pauses to appreciate one thing: That she never lost faith in her book. Not once.

This is exactly how I have felt for my new book, The Yellow Rose. It is my first children's book -- though I certainly hope it won't be my last. And while this book is brand new, the manuscript is not.

As it is, I wrote the very first draft of this story when my oldest child was in kindergarten (she is now in the third grade). This story has indeed gone through several revisions and been rejected by several publishers/agents, but I never gave up on it. In fact, I was determined to get this book published someday. It didn't matter if it would take me 5 years to make that happen, or even 10 years to make that happen. I knew this was a story that should be shared with the world. I never gave up on it.

My determination has paid off: The Yellow Rose is now a book which both children and adults can enjoy. I'm so glad I hung in there for the long haul, just as I did for my love poems book, and just as I did for the haunted houses book (at least in the latter case, I wasn't alone on that journey to publication!).

If the same thing happens with my other books, then I'll hang on for that journey, as well. No matter how long it takes, I'm willing to hold on. I have faith in these books and won't give up on them.

P.S. Special BIG thanks to Denise Bartlett and Charlotte Holley of Gypsy Shadow Publishing; the talented artist Allison Warner, who illustrated The Yellow Rose; and my beta readers, Jenny Greenleaf and Nancy Lopez-Marsh. You guys are awesome!