My Journey to Publication
When I stop and
really think about it, my journey to publication began with a single blog post.
I was in the throes of major writer's block at the end of November 2009 and I
felt as though I couldn't write another word of Breaking the Rules. That's when I decided to start a blog—Catenabi
Chronicles. I knew that I had to keep writing in order to get out of my funk.
My other 'trick' to beat writer's block—stepping away from the computer and
taking a break—had backfired because I stepped away for far too long and found
it more enjoyable than sitting in front of my computer. So if I couldn't write
my novel, I had to write something.
So I used my new blog to post pictures of my cat Abbie and chronicle my
attempts to finish the first draft of Breaking
the Rules by midnight on December 31, 2009. Blogging actually helped me
beat the block and I made my deadline with only ten minutes to spare.
With the first
draft done, I thought that the hard part was over. All I needed to do was whip
that draft into shape. The rest had to be easy, right? Wrong. What followed
were several months of querying agents and editors and those months quickly
turned into two years of relentless rejections. Some rejections were quick and
surprisingly painless. Others were long and drawn-out in a series of emails and—even
though there was a bit of interest—every time I thought my foot was in the
door, it eventually led to disappointment. At one point, I thought Breaking the Rules was destined to line
the bottom of a drawer. I started working on a second novel and—even though I
liked where it was headed—I couldn't get Breaking
the Rules out of my head. I decided to self-publish it. During that
process, I met fellow author Samantha March who told me about the publishing
company she'd started, Marching Ink. I was really overwhelmed by her reaction
to Breaking the Rules and her
subsequent offer to publish it through her indie press. I was so happy to
connect with someone who loved this story as much as I did and who wanted to
work with me and send this novel out into the world. Signing with Marching Ink
felt right; I knew Breaking the Rules had finally found its happy home.
A few months
ago, I got to announce the news I'd been waiting so long to post on the
Catenabi Chronicles. My novel had a publication date and cover art and it would
be a real book instead of a pile of
marked-up pages on my desk. That post was the exact opposite of the very first
post I'd written a few years back. Instead of a rant on writer's block and tons
of self-doubt, I was able to celebrate some of the best news I've ever had to
share. And even though the journey was bumpy at times, I was able to look back
and be thankful for the rollercoaster ride that brought me to that moment.
The fact that I
can now hold a physical copy of Breaking
the Rules in my hand feels extremely surreal. And I'm happy that—after more
than two years of posting adorable pictures of Abbie on the Catenabi
Chronicles—I was finally able to post a picture of her being adorable… next to
a pile of my novels.
Isn't she sweet? I love this picture. Thanks for sharing it - and this post - Cat! Stay tuned for an interview with Cat coming up on Books Etc. on Wednesday!
Happy reading :)
I have loved working with you Cat! And Kaley - still thrilled you loved Breaking the Rules :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Samantha! Same here... working with you has been awesome!! :) Thanks again for having me, Kaley!! I am throughly enjoying my time on your blog! :)
ReplyDeleteThank you ladies! I love having Cat on my blog! Can't wait to feature the next work from both of you ladies - so get busy Cat :-)
ReplyDeleteLove this! That's a great picture. :)
ReplyDelete