Publishing and Re-publishing
There’s nothing better for a writer than opening that email, expecting another rejection, and reading:
“I loved your book and I want to publish it.”
I was over the moon!
When Death in the Cards got published, I was very proud and excited. Sales were going well, and the book received great reviews. Then the unthinkable happened. My publisher closed down his press, leaving my book without a home after only a few months. I announced that it would be out of print once the few copies I had for sale were gone.
I was beside myself, upset that my wonderful little novella was nipped in the bud before it got a chance to fully bloom.
At that point, I realized I had options and a decision to make. I could:
1- Leave Death as it was, out of print forevermore
2- Find a new publisher
3- Wait for the in-progress purchase of my publisher’s business to be completed, and discuss re-publishing under the new press
4- Self-publish
I knew I couldn’t abandon my novella to the netherworld of out-of-print books. The story was too important to me and it had only been on the market for a few months. I also immediately ruled out self-publishing. I wasn’t ready to go that route for this book. If Death in the Cards was good enough to be accepted and published once by an independent press, then I knew there would be another out there willing to take it on.
There were no guarantees, and I knew it wouldn’t be easy. Re-publishing was an anathema to most presses who want only original, non-published work, not somebody else’s left-overs.
At that point, another option presented itself. By this time, I had a second novel accepted and under contract with a different independent publisher. I presented my situation with Death to the owner/executive editor and she invited me to submit the manuscript to her for consideration. And I had met and talked with the new owner of the former press.
I won’t spoil the mystery and disclose the ending, but let’s just say it’s a good one.
There’s a whole lot more to the story, details to be filled in and lessons to be shared. How Death in the Cards originally got published, all my work behind the scenes, and the events that lead to its eventual re-publishing will be the subject of the next several issues of this newsletter. Another journey, Writing at the Crossroads.
What’s next?
Getting the manuscript ready to go
Commenti