If You Believe!

I'm the reason why the children are outside trying to catch snowflakes on their tongue at the start of spring.  How else can I explain that things are happening for me so fast that my tummy is tap-dancing and my head twirling?  You remember the "almost publishing deal" and how I've had to flick the dirt from my collar, shake the rejection from my dress and try again.  Well, I've decided that I can no longer take no for an answer.  I've worked to hard perfecting the craft of writing and filling Erica and Warren's (main characters of Love in a Carry-on Handbag) voice with substance and juice, not to mention that they are both sexy as hell.  I've been at it for over ten years and now I'm ready for this project to pay some dividends. 

Honey has been after me since the beginning, encouraging me to put the novel out myself, but I've been dead set on selling my labor of love to a leading publishing house.  Why, because I've wanted the creditability of being plucked from the sea of hungry writers and welcomed behind the distinguishing curtain of "worthy writers with talent."  Well low and behold, I've discovered on this journey that the club no longer exists.  The big houses are in crisis, Border's has declared bankruptcy with Barnes & Noble right behind them, and editors can no longer take on those passion projects that most of us debut authors benefited from.  So gosh darn it, what's a girl to do?

Two weeks ago I pulled a Rune for myself that said, "your thinking is outmoded and you need to let go because you are holding on too tight."  Clearly not what I wanted to hear.  The next day Honey asked me, "is your goal to put this book out, or is your goal to put this book out with a major publishing house?"  Darn it.  Leave it to your spouse to shove a mirror in your face and make you examine your egotistical demons.  Of course I want a big publishing house, with a big marketing plan and sales budget.  I want to be the next big sensation that booksellers can't keep on the shelves complete with expense accounts, foreign rights, movie deals, the whole nine.  "So how are you going to get there," he asked. That's when I poked my lip out and crossed my arms with as much attitude as I could muster, mad that he asked the question, and hating that I had to deal with it.  Why isn't anything ever easy? 

Shedding more tears and then yanking my head from the clouds, I realized that it was time to make an adjustment.  Like the Rune said, my thinking is so outdated that Honey calls me a dinosaur.  I have been clinging and clutching to this idea of how it is supposed to be with such strength, that I've ignored the signs that God has placed in my path.  The other reason why I have not wanted to self-publish is because the work involved terrifies me.  As a stay-at-home mother who writes, the idea of one more thing getting in the way of my precious time penning is a no-no.  Contrary to what some may think, the written word does not drip off my fingers like liquid gold.  I can spend hours on one paragraph so taking on the responsibility of putting the whole package together is daunting, to say the least.

But have you heard the saying, "if you take one step towards God he'll take two steps towards you?"  Here I am testifying once again that it is happening to me!  As soon as I said yes to it, the doors flung wide open and the water carrying the right people, information and plan to help me along this journey rushed in.  Just today I reached out on blind faith to a top-tiered editor for assistance, and you know what she said?  "Of course I'd love to work on your manuscript."  Can you see me dancing in the kitchen with my hair sweating out?  This past weekend I came in contact with not one but THREE graphic artist who have wonderful ideas on how to make the book cover art pop like a shiny piece of licorice.  Honey is behind the scenes crunching the numbers, and with my publishing background things seem to be falling right in line. 

Love in a Carry-on Handbag is no longer an urban myth.  It really is coming to a store near you courtesy of 12th Street Press (Philly people holler if you hear me!).  I urge you to keep the faith and remember when failure trips you up and tries to strap you to the bed, kick that Heffa in the face with a steel-tip stiletto and step right over her.  Open your mind and remember the plan for you is much bigger than you could ever dream up.  I'm living proof!

Ashay! Namaste! Amen Beautiful!