No New Contract

My latest historical was rejected again. Not sure whether to be sad, mad or relieved. After so many revisions, I was on the verge of hating this story.

Sometimes you just have to step back from a story for a while, or let it go altogether.

For now, I have the rest of the summer to complete the first draft of my science fiction romance and then I can put it aside and work on some short stories. I think I need a change from novels for a spell.

New ideas are busting out all over!!

And I couldn't be more happy!

After putting all my other projects aside to complete the revision on my newest historical romance, following a rejection, I learned I'd made a sale of a short contemporary story to a magazine.

That was the spark that sent ideas for other stories I want to write swirling through my head. I decided I just had to spend this morning getting them down on paper. The first is a premise for another contemporary story geared to the same magazine. Then I wrote down an idea I've been toying with for a time travel novella. It would be follow-up to my time travel romance, Erin's Rebel.

Next, the science fiction romance that I'd put aside to focus on the revision. While I'm still outlining this one, I've been having a hard time coming up with the slam-bang opening I wanted. I did write a tentative one, but it just wasn't right. I've also renamed this one Jason's Honor, because the original story has changed from first conception. After writing down my new story ideas, I got an idea on how to open the sci-fi. I spent the remainder of the morning writing the first 1000 words of the new opening and I like it.

I'll post the unedited version of the first page here. Tell me if it captures your interest.

Chapter One

Sharp, blinding white-hot pain shot through Kyra Mackenzie’s skull as she made a vain effort to lift her head.

What the hell happened?

Rolling over to get a better view didn’t help. Knife-sharp pain in her shoulder jolted her from where she lay flat on the decking. The cockpit of her shuttle now twisted into an unrecognizable shape. Her pilot slumped unconscious or dead, still strapped into his seat.

She lifted herself on her good arm, dragging her frame over to him.

“Carlos?” She grasped his wrist, willing him to be alive. “Carlos!” The ensign didn’t stir, but she was able to pick up a pulse, thank God.

She shook her aching head in an effort to clear it. Her last memory was of the pirate ship, the Gracie Lind, bearing down on the shuttle, ordering them to return to their ship. She’d contacted the Darius, but before she’d gotten an answer to her hail the pirates had fired on the shuttle, sending them into a downward spiral. Despite her pilot’s best efforts, he was only able to slow their inevitable crash.

A rejection on a dark, rainy day

Just got a rejection for my latest manuscript, Cassidy's War. But you know, it's not all that bad. The editor had a lot of great things to say about the submission and only had one problem, but gave me a lot of ideas on how to fix it. And although fixing that problem will require a whole lot of rewriting, I've decided I'm going to do it.

The suggestions will make the manuscript better, so why not put a little more work into an already good manuscript to make it great!

For now, I'll put it aside until I finish up some other projects, then I'll tackle it head on. If you're serious about writing you have to learn to write and revise, revise, revise.

Rejection

Just got my first rejection today for a partial I'd sent out after the holidays for Katie Rose .

They said my story didn't dazzle them. I got annoyed for about two seconds, then decided I really didn't care. Rejection wasn't going to ruin my day. I just filed the letter away and marked that publisher off on my itinerary sheet.

I think I've finally developed that thick writer's skin where I can put rejection in perspective. That publisher didn't like my story, but one day I'll find the one who'll love it as much as I do.

How do you all handle rejection?