Now is the time. Get ready.

Over a week or so ago, I resubmitted Future Past to Hadley Rille. I received a response several days ago. I haven't blogged about it until now because it has taken me this long to process the information. (Actually, to be honest, I have yet to fully process the information.) So here's the thing; I still haven't gotten a yes or no. I have another edit request with another set of no guarantees. This time, the editor thinks it might be a good idea to completely rewrite the tale in 3rd person.

I'm grateful for the criticism she provided and the patience she has displayed but I haven't decided if I'm going to rewrite the story to those specifications. First, I wrote it from my protagonist's point of view for the simple reason that it's more personal. Second, I wrote it in first person because I hope to write more books with the same characters and setting; a series if all pans out according to the plan.

It's at this point where a writer really begins to question themselves. Maybe you've been there, maybe not. I've come to a point in my life where I had to realize that writing is "in addition to" and not "instead of". I've always operated under the latter and I've never been happy with the direction I've been going in both professional and personal respects. It's the reason why, after 10 years, I'm braving the college classroom again. But sometimes I have to ask myself if my almost 20 years of on and off writing and submitting (probably more like 8 constant years if I compact it) and my approximately 150 rejections are worth keeping my work stalled. I feel like I've been in a tremendous rut. Sure, I've had minor successes here and there but I feel like I'm pressed up against a door that, while it's open, simply refuses to budge.

I apologize if it sounds like I'm whining. I'm really not. I'm just assessing things; trying to figure out why I keep getting so close but never actually touching. And it's not over by a long shot. I sat down the night after I got that email and thought about how my life would be if I just quit writing. And you know what? I wouldn't be able to do it. My insides would whither away if I even tried.

So I've made a decision. I'm going to release my debut novel this year. I'm already an indie publisher, I've just never released a novel before. I'd like to be brave and say that I've been ready to do this but that isn't at all true. Now is the perfect time. I haven't been ready until now. It's time I stood up and do what I've always wanted to do.

So I'll be releasing The Influence later this year which will be available in both ebook and print. Right now, I'm focusing on Barrier edits and we (my publisher and I) are preparing for its release in a couple of weeks. Afterward, I'll be compiling research for the newest novel I'm planning and then I'll be going over my editor's notes for my debut novel and preparing it for publication. Several of you have commented that you'd like to read a full length novel by me. You don't have much longer to wait so get ready! :) Thanks for sticking with me.

As for Future Past, I still haven't quite decided if I'll rewrite it in 3rd person. That will be a decision for later.

Peace, love, and goodnight,

Pamela