Working With Publishers Is Great But It Doesn't Mean A Publishing Contract

Back in 2006, I worked with Walker Books on a proposed series of fairy books. I wrote the first book, received notes from Walker Books, then went away to edit and rewrite. 

Eventually, after a few months, I emailed Walker Books the revised manuscript for book 1 in my Pru the Fairy series. Unfortunately, by this time, Walker Books had learned that Lothian Books was working on a fairy series. Plus, other fairy series were being published overseas. Walker Books decided not to go ahead with my Pru the Fairy series, with the explanation that the fairy market was saturated. 

The experience of working with Walker Books and receiving notes on my manuscript is priceless. The fact that my series wasn't published is disappointing to put it mildly.

But publishing is full of stories similar to the one above. I will share another. 

In 2007, Lothian Books accepted my children's story The Pony Game for publication in its Giggles series. I was thrilled, again, to put it mildly. After talking to the publisher at Lothian Books, I submitted another manuscript for the Giggles series which the publisher was interested in publishing. Then came the news - The Giggles series was to end, with my book The Pony Game being the final book published in the series.

In spite of the "near misses" which didn't result in publishing contracts, I love working with publishers. The experience for any writer is invaluable. 

Fast forward to 2014...  

Last month, I decided to sell book 1 in my Pru the Fairy series on Amazon Kindle. I sat down to edit Pru Gets Her Fairy Wings and, to my surprise, the book needed very little editing. Obviously the work I did back in 2006 was worthwhile, even if it didn't result in a publishing contract.

I plan to sell book 2 tentatively titled Pru And A Fairy Rescue on Amazon Kindle in the coming months. From there, who knows? 

As writers, we often have to pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and get on with creating books. Publishing is full of successes and disappointments. I've had plenty of both. All we can do is make lemonade when we're handed lemons.

I'm pleased to see Pru finally out there in the world, rather than hiding away on my computer. Pru Gets Her Fairy Wings is currently available for 99 cents on Amazon Kindle. Please go to the following web page: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00Q9V2E4O/ref=cm_sw_r_fa_dp_K4hEub00G5NTG

Here's the blurb for Pru Gets Her Fairy Wings: When Pru is kidnapped by her new neighbor, a girl named Laura, she learns the shocking truth. Pru is adopted. Her parents are human. And she is a fairy. Pru has no idea what a fairy is, let alone what it’s like to be one. And what about her real family? Her fairy parents?:

I hope the story of how Pru Gets Her Fairy Wings came to be published on Amazon Kindle inspires you to keep writing and keep persisting. I wish you much success!