Strap On Your Seatbelt: The Ups and Downs of the Writing Life
Monday didn’t start out well. Sitting in my email box was a rejection from the SOKY Book Festival. I’ve received plenty of rejections as a writer, but this one stung, probably because it was unexpected. DEADLY SETUP, my recent release, had already been awarded a silver medal by the Moonbeam Children’s Book Awards, and LEISHA’S SONG, my 2021 release, had been a multi-award winner. I incorrectly assumed this festival would be happy to have an award-winning author, even if I published with a small press.
I swallowed my disappointment, determined to move on. Then, later in the week, I zoomed with the other published authors in my SCBWI (Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators) Mid-South region, several of whom are heavy hitters in the industry, folks with agents and deals with major publishing houses. “Who’s going to SOKY?” one of the authors asked. Several enthusiastically raised their hands, and the happy group talked about how they “must get together” during the two-day event. I felt like a middle schooler who’d just learned that the popular kids were having a party, and I wasn’t invited.
All those old tapes kicked in. I must not be a very good writer. Why was I putting myself through this anyway?
And then, I got a call from an old friend I hadn’t spoken to in years. She’d just finished reading one of my novels and was halfway through another and wanted to tell me how much she enjoyed my work. “Your books are wonderful! I just love the way you write,” she said. “Your dialogue… it’s so authentic.”
Her call lifted my spirits and reminded me that it’s a joy to create work that others will enjoy.
Nothing to do but to keep on keeping on! Speaking of which, I’m offering a giveaway of copies of DEADLY SETUP as part of my guest blog with Crime Café. I’d love for you to enter the contest which will be open until January 4th, check out my essay, and tune in to the podcast interview I did with Crime Café, available January 8th. For the contest, go to: https://www.debbimack.com/blog/crime-cafe/guest-post-and-book-giveaway-by-lynn-slaughter/
And of course, I couldn’t end this blog without wishing all of you a wonderful New Year! May you have many more ups than downs in the coming year!