Rejected

Well it finally happened. The response from the publishing houses was as expected- rejection. The funny part was the excuses given: "the story is familiar," or, "we have a similar story we are already working on." Now correct me if I am wrong, but aren't most stories similar in their root? And if one publisher already has one similar they are working on, they must have thought there was a market for it.... 

Nonetheless, I've been rejected by some of the big boys. Additionally, the agency I was using doesn't take first time authors, so they have decided that since no one took the book out of the 5 houses they tried, they don't foresee anyone else wanting it, so I lost my agency too. 

So, fortunately I have a friend who owns a publishing house. Granted it isn't Knopf, Simon & Shuster, or one of the other big guns, but punished is published. I will see this book in print in the not so distant future. Once it happens I intend to work on #2 in the series (already planned out) and try and sell about 7,000 copies of this first book. I am told that's the magic number. If we can sell 7k a bigger house will notice the title. They may purchase the publishing rights from my publisher- which will be of financial benefit to both of us- and then they will decide to sell it. 

So I give this tale to say: it ain't over. No fat lady singing here! Stephanie Meyers was rejected often. Jk Rowling was denied, and so was the author of "The Help." It's the business, and it is hard to break in. There's only a few who make it big fast, and like everything in my life I have to take the long road. When this book comes out however I expect my entire Facebook family to sell 7! That would mean instant notice!