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| Danielle Monsch |
When I asked Sarah what she would like me to write about, she said, “Well, you’re a debut author, talk about your struggle to get published.”
Ummm…my journey thus far hasn’t exactly been a struggle though.
It’s been time consuming, certainly. Even epubs take a few months to get back to you about submissions. Every morning there is that split second thought in your head wondering if today is the day you’ll hear back about your story, followed by that split second disappointment that nothing is there.
It’s been informative without a doubt. I’ve only been actively working to get published for a little over a year. I realized that while I had some natural talent towards writing and a few areas I was strong in, there was plenty I needed to learn to get my writing up to par. Working on Loving a Fairy Godmother has helped me see both the strengths and weaknesses in my writing, and how I want to keep improving for the future.
I wrote Loving a Fairy Godmother almost as a lark. Now, that kinda sounds bad, as though I didn’t take the story seriously, but that’s not the case at all.
There was an open submission call at an epub for stories somehow related to Fairy Tales for an anthology. I was inspired to write this story, and with the help of my crit partner, whipped it into shape. Before writing this story, I never wrote a story specifically to be published with an epub, so Loving a Fairy Godmother is my first foray into this new world.
It didn’t get picked up, but I have reason to believe it was one of the finalists. Yes, I was disappointed that it wasn’t ultimately chosen, but what I did get was amazing – the very first story I wrote was almost chosen, and the editor wrote me and told me she liked my voice and wanted me to email her directly any time I had another story to submit. Even without being chosen, I was happy dancing.
I submitted to a second editor who asked to see the story. She rejected me, but not before giving me very specific feedback. What I learned from her was to not treat my story as sacred, that just because I put something down one way, it didn’t have to stay that way. What she said didn’t work I agreed with, but I had been so used to seeing it in the story, I didn’t think to redo it. Again, the story wasn’t chosen, but I learned so much from that rejection that it was well worth it.
I redid the story and submitted it Liquid Silver. And after a couple months of waiting, it was accepted.
So you see, no struggle. It’s really been nothing but positive experiences.
Now, I have no doubt the struggle part is ahead of me – I haven’t dipped my toes into the world of Agents and Print yet, but I do plan to once my full length novel is completed. I still feel I have a lot of learning to do, and am still actively taking classes and learning techniques, and teaching an old dog like me new tricks is sometimes tough.
What I have now though is nothing but happiness. A lifelong dream of seeing my name on my story has been realized. I’ve even gotten my first review, someone posting on my Facebook that that they read the story and loved it. That is what I’ve been working for, and the happiness I’m feeling now will certainly help me through the coming days when the real struggles to get published will begin.
Danielle is celebrating the release of her debut book Loving a Fairy Godmother by giving a free copy to one commenter. You can find Danielle on the web at any of the following locations:
www.DanielleMonsch.com.
www.twitter.com/DaniMonsch.
www.facebook.com/DanielleMonsch.
Loving a Fairy Godmother available at Liquid Silver books: http://bit.ly/Dani_LFG.
Tiernan is one of a kind. Beyond the divine dimples, killer blue eyes, and hard muscled body, Tiernan is also the only Fairy Godfather. Most of the Fairy Godmothers have no problem with keeping Tiernan around, but Reina isn’t like most Fairy Godmothers.
Amongst Fairy Godmothers, Reina is the best. Organized, efficient, logical. So why is it when Tiernan is around, all those qualities fly out the window? Reina doesn’t like that one infuriating male makes her lose control, and just wants him gone. Circumstances arise that just might let her get her wish, though not in a way she ever wanted.
Tiernan is given an assignment and told either get a Happily Ever After or he will no longer be a Fairy Godfather. Reina is going with him to supervise, but if Tiernan gets his way, he’ll not only be supervising that luscious stubborn fairy in bed, but also get her to admit Happily Ever Afters also apply to Fairy Godmothers.
