Paperback Writer

Book geek that I am, I still get a little thrill from meeting an author and getting an autographed book. I walked away from last month's NCIBA trade show with a nice stack, thanks to the author reception after the show. One of the writers I met that night, Sophie Littlefield, included a little note of encouragement with her signature, as my friend Cheri told her I'd written my first book. I fought the impulse to argue, to offer some sort of disclaimer, instead giving an uneasy smile. This woman is a real, published author. Proof of her craft was in my hand. My "book" is still just a word doc taking up space on my computer. Can I really call it a book? Ms. Littlefield told me she'd sent out over 80 pitches before she'd landed an agent and her first book wasn't published until she'd written another.

I wonder if she knows how far her saying "keep at it" went toward re-kindling the fire that got me to the end of my submission draft. I pushed hard, for a long time, to finish the first draft, then a second, and then another. Then, after a flurry of agent pitch letters, some that went unanswered, some that resulted in, "Thanks, but no thanks," and two that expressed a desire to see more of my work (but ultimately went nowhere), I just had to set the whole thing aside. I was tired of re-reading and fussing with it, tired of thinking about it, tired of reading about yet another "fool-proof" way to land a book deal. But something happened that night at the author reception. I looked around the room and told Cheri, that I wanted to sit in that room, next to a publisher rep (many of whom are friends) and sign copies of my book. "So make it happen," she said with a smile.

That's the plan. Authors must be their own marketers these days, and as much as I dislike marketing—I get quite enough of it in the day gig—if I really want this as much as I say I do...back to it I go. Coming up, more agent letters. Dear Sir or Madam, will you read my book?