I can't say "at long last" any more seriously. Trading on Trust has been a complete manuscript for over two years!
Here's a taste of the back story. Trading on Trust (called Its Not Like That until 2 weeks ago) is the second novel I've written. The first I shared by chapter and sometimes paragraphs with my dearest, long time friends. Their "ooohs" and "ahhhs," however genuine--not sure if Unnamed Story will ever see a Kindle--were enough for me. I wanted an audience!
Last year, I ran the gamut of writing query letters. First, there were many versions but there was no control with that method. I work in a scientific research lab. If you change everything all the time, you don't know what is working and what isn't. I refined my query to one letter. I poured over literary agent websites and I hit send, and send, and send. I agonized. I have a spreadsheet with agencies, agents, dates of contact and dates of rejection.
I'm not in marketing or sales. I didn't even know how to talk up my own book. (I'm getting better). This year, I resolved at New Year's to e-publish it myself. Again, research and sharing my vision to those I trust and respect the most. Publishing is very personal. Another of my great friends suggested she didn't like the ending as much as she could and the cover options I was designing weren't really setting the scene or piquing the interest. Thank goodness for her!
Fully researched and revised with a brand new title I can't take full credit for, I hit submit two weeks ago. My heart has been racing at double speed since!!
Is it flawed--yep. Almost embarrassingly so for someone who takes pride in writing and editing on a professional level. I've already uploaded two re-edited versions and have to live with the fact that the people who downloaded in my original rush of excitement got the flawed version. It's my first time out and I don't sweat the things I can't change.
I'm a published author.
More on the nuts and bolts of the process and 'where to go from here' ideas next time.
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