Rejection Reflection

My Harlequin submission is now a rejection. Ce lest vie.

However much a rejection stings (and it does) I've tried to be positive and focus on the fact it wasn't a standard rejection. I got feedback (!), which everyone knows makes for a positive rejection - if there can be such a thing.

In fact, to quote Harlequin:

...your style and voice show potential. You have a wonderfully intense, powerful voice – your heroine’s grief and stress really shone out on the page!

How can I not be thrilled with that? 

Apparently it was the plot they weren't so taken with. And that's okay - it changes with every story. My voice, well I'm stuck with that *grin*.

So now I'll move onto my next story. And keep my fingers crossed for next time.

SYTYCW #2

Harlequin are again running their "So You Think You Can Write" week. It started Monday - but it isn't too late to join in and catch up.

This year they have a dedicated website (here) for the event, so it is much easier to follow and participate. Best of all, this year the big contest can lead to a publishing contract (you just need a full manuscript by Dec 15th).

This is the place to learn all you wanted to know about writing series romance!

*Gulp* The wait begins...

Another goal to cross off my list. I have just sent my requested partial to HM&B.

It was much harder hitting 'send' then I thought it would be. It's so final, you can't change anything, no more tweaking, analysing a word, poring over the thesaurus for something better. But I needed to pull my head out of the sand, get a bit of courage and send it on its way.

Maybe Santa will be kind? All I want for Christmas...

And for now, while I wait, I'll take a leaf out of the Energizer Bunny's book and just 'keep going'.

Missing in Action

I've been a little quiet on my blog of late. Of course I have an excuse, but I think it is quite a good one.

Back in August I e-pitched to Harlequin as part of RWA's national conference. Seriously, while I desperately wanted a positive outcome, that litle red devil in my head didn't think I stood a chance. I was thrilled when the request came back for a partial + synopsis. The only catch was I needed to start the story further along.

Oh my gosh!!! I reread the request a good half a dozen times looking for the catch, or the word I'd misread. Once I'd convinced myself it was real, it hit me. Start the story further along. Ummmm, where? I struggled with that decision. I thought of 3 or 4 places I could re-start it. I didn't want to screw the opportunity up, so I took a while analysing and thinking, and finally made my decision.

As a result, my hero and heroine meet in a totally new way, and quite important elements have been changed as a result. But I think it is a much better story for it.

So I have been rewriting my first 3 chapters, and am now well on the way to having them shining. Will let you know once they have been sent off, but for now I need to pick up that polishing cloth and get back to work.

Karma

Must be Karma.

Within a few hours of posting my last blog I received an email outlining the requirements for my e-mail pitch to Harlequin London. So now I have a smidge over a week to put together a killer pitch and tweek my first chapter before submitting.

My WooHoo's of excitement have since been replaced with groans of terror - how to write a pitch? Is my first chapter really polished? Can I really write at all?

And the little squeals of hope hiding behind them all. What if...?

Not sure how it will go, but fingers crossed.