The Year 2006

The Score:

15 rejects

5 acceptances

2 children's picture books accepted

2 children's mystery Level 4 readers assigned

1 children's picture book published

1 interview

7 reviews

1 article

 

Grand Total for 1999 - 2006:
128 rejects
60 acceptances
2 awards
10 reviews
3 interviews
WOW!

My writing goals were:

 

 

1. To sub my novel

2. To get an agent

3. To complete a new pb for Charlesbridge

4. To start on a new novel

What happened:

1. I did sub my novel to many agents. My request rate was overwhelmingly good! 

2. I did not get an agent, but I did get close and have not heard definitively yet. There's still hope out there!

3. Because my pb's have been pushed back to 2010, and I have three more coming out, I decided to write other things. :-)

4. I started brainstorming on my new novel and am ready to start writing it now--January 2, 2007!

 

Many new things occurred which were not a part of my goals. I sold one of my last pb's I'd subbed to Charlesbridge! And then I sold my very favorite pb to Marshall Cavendish! WOW!! Additionally, InnovativeKids asked me to write a mystery series for them and I completed one with one more to follow.  What a bonus!

Multiplying Menace came out, so I started doing school visits--such a dream come true.

2006 has been the best year yet for me! I really believe 2007 will be even better.

I praise God for all His blessings. I'm completely humbled by His graciousness.

 

Nov 21	WOW!!! Just heard. My humorous pb just got picked up by Marshall Cavendish. It's going to be a book! YAY!!!!!
Nov 3	WEE! Heard from the "highly respected editor". She loved my revisions so she's taking my pb to an acquisitions meeting!!! I should hear by the end of the month. WOW!
Oct 10	Very good mail these past few days! Found an email from a highly respected editor for one of my very favorite pb's that I've written. She really likes it and wants a small revision. Yay! Also, received a check for one of the mysteries today.

 

Oct 2	My book, Multiplying Menace, is listed in Yellow Brick Road newsletter! Yay!
Sept  30	Received a very nice royalty check for one of my books. That's always a welcome piece of mail!
Sept 16	Got one form for a pb query and one personal form for a pb.

Sept 11	Well, I've just had a few things in my in-box. All of it just updates on editors and agents moving. Thank goodness no rejections. The mysteries have been put on hold for a little while, so now I can catch my breath.
Aug 16	I'm ACTUALLY here in California! And I'm settling in very well. If I weren't a Texan and I wasn't an island girl, I'd be a California girl! Onto mail news--no bad news (hooray!) but I did hear from one of my editors. They've approved one of my mysteries and are moving forward with the illustrations. Ed said that it's going to be "awesome". I LOVE hearing that!

July 18

Okay, I've been gone for a while AND I'm about to move, so this will be the last entry for at least a month BUT I can't neglect my rejection total. Some really great things are afoot but rejection comes anyway... I got a really interesting rejection--seems an agent who rejected me two years ago started cleaning house and rejected me again using their own stamp and envelope. They said my proposal had bounced around to several agents who recognized much promise...hmm...not bad...but I won't count that as a reject since it's already gone in the totals. Got an uninspired e-reject from an agent, which I'm glad. I'd already marked it down as a reject since I hadn't heard, and I'm working exclusively with another agent now. Yipes. Also received a rejection from an agent I'd queried six months ago. Seems she's bogged down but she loved my writing style and wanted to refer me to one of her colleagues. Nice, but can't use the referral right now. What a sweetie, though!

May 23	Found an email in my inbox that was asking me to write for another math comic book series, but I'm so busy, I had to decline. That was a first for me. Wow.  How should THAT be scored? Under "wanted" but...?
May 10	Crushed!  One very close, very nice personal rejection and one two-page, thorough, encouraging rejection. Will it ever get better?

May 9	Received word that I was accepted for the mystery readers assignment. Will be writing two mysteries in about 5 weeks. How fun!  Thank you, Lord!
May 8	One very nice, 2 month rejection...sigh...need some Skittles right now...

April 30	Wha?? Came home from TLA to find an offer for a mystery Level 4 readers series by a mass market publisher. They wanted to know if I was available. They'll make the assignment this month. I can only pray. Gotta love mail like that.
April 20	FINALLY! I heard from my editor today--my FOURTH picture book has been accepted by my publisher. WHOOPIE!! And this one isn't with Rumpelstiltskin (I'm working on another one of those.) WEE!

April 18	One 2 week personal rejection that left me like this:  Said it was wonderful for kids but couldn't pinpoint why they are rejecting. Erm...okaaaayeee!
April 14	One 2 month personal form. Yuck. And one 2 month, very nice personal with a cute balloon sticker at the end of the letter, no doubt put there to lift my spirits. Unfortunately...

April 6	Ask for mail and you shall receive...bad news? One seven week reject on a query. and one, very nice one month personal rejection. Not upset at all! Good news is here! Gave a sample to an education company and they want me to write a series of read-alouds for them. And the money is nice. And in other great news, got a 6 week yes on an e-query. I am VERY happy about this!
March 30	Got a 7 day yes to an e-query for a ms. Very nice...

March 23	The crickets are chirping louder now. Where is everyone? Bueller? Bueller?
March 3	This is a first and I don't know how to score it...an editor, who wanted one of my novels, was forced into becoming a freelance editor through a corporate restructure and doesn't have the power to take it on. Is that a rejection? Well, I don't think it is. She's even going to help me edit it and "make it irresitible" over the next few months! Wow! How sweet...so I'm going to be a busy girl...

Feb 28	A 3 day e-form rejection. Sigh...well, at least I didn't have to wait long. Oh, I'm IN for it this year... A 4 day acceptance of a query. YES! New hope...
Feb 27	An 11 day acceptance of a query. Yow! I've got a great rate going! Now let's see if my acceptance of ms's  can go up...

Feb 24	This marks a milestone in my life. I just attended my very first picture book event! It went so well! If you want to see pictures and read about it, click here-- Book event  In mail news, received a ten minute acceptance of an e-query. Wow!
Feb 18	The article in the AF newspaper is published! It turned out great. I hope it helps the signing go well. I'm a little nervous about it.

Feb 10

Wow! Two rejections in my mailbox today. Both were thorough, very nice personal rejections. One took over 9 months. It was passed around, at least. Sigh...I hate it when they're semi-close... In good news, I just received interview questions for the paper. Yikes. These are tough! I also received a speedy, 35 minute acceptance of a query.

Feb 9

Multiplying Menace is published! WHOO HOO!!! In email news, the library has set up two signings for me plus an interview with the AF paper. My first signing is a few weeks away. I'm very excited about this. Oh, and I forgot to write that I will be appearing at TLA in Houston this April. Date and time TBA. In subbing news, well, I'm still waiting! My editor wants another pb, though. But until I write it, I won't score it as an acceptance.

Feb 2	Here's something fun--an activity guide to Multiplying Menace for all you teachers out there!  Enjoy! Activity Guide for Multiplying Menace
Jan  30	Got my SASP back--after 9 months, this "large" house is still considering. Now before I get all excited, I have it from a good source that this editor is swamped and is hiring an assistant to "deal with the pile". In other words, the ms is collecting dust as we speak...

Jan  20	Oh, my! The agent search is beginning...received a three hour request of my novel from a top agent. Also, heard that my new pb has the licensing rights sold to different countries. I will be seeing it in many different languages. Now THAT'S cool...
Jan  1	My goals: 1. To sub my novel, 2. To get an agent, 3. To complete a new pb for Charlesbridge, 4. To start on a new novel Will 2006 be another successful year? We shall see...

 

The Year 2006

Score: 15 rejects

5 acceptances

2 children's picture books accepted

2 children's mystery Level 4 readers assigned

1 children's picture book published

1 interview

1 article

Nov 21	WOW!!! Just heard. My humorous pb just got picked up by Marshall Cavendish. It's going to be a book! YAY!!!!!
Nov 3	WEE! Heard from the "highly respected editor". She loved my revisions so she's taking my pb to an acquisitions meeting!!! I should hear by the end of the month. WOW!
Oct 10	Very good mail these past few days! Found an email from a highly respected editor for one of my very favorite pb's that I've written. She really likes it and wants a small revision. Yay! Also, received a check for one of the mysteries today.

 

Oct 2	My book, Multiplying Menace, is listed in Yellow Brick Road newsletter! Yay!
Sept  30	Received a very nice royalty check for one of my books. That's always a welcome piece of mail!
Sept 16	Got one form for a pb query and one personal form for a pb.

Sept 11	Well, I've just had a few things in my in-box. All of it just updates on editors and agents moving. Thank goodness no rejections. The mysteries have been put on hold for a little while, so now I can catch my breath.
Aug 16	I'm ACTUALLY here in California! And I'm settling in very well. If I weren't a Texan and I wasn't an island girl, I'd be a California girl! Onto mail news--no bad news (hooray!) but I did hear from one of my editors. They've approved one of my mysteries and are moving forward with the illustrations. Ed said that it's going to be "awesome". I LOVE hearing that!

July 18

Okay, I've been gone for a while AND I'm about to move, so this will be the last entry for at least a month BUT I can't neglect my rejection total. Some really great things are afoot but rejection comes anyway... I got a really interesting rejection--seems an agent who rejected me two years ago started cleaning house and rejected me again using their own stamp and envelope. They said my proposal had bounced around to several agents who recognized much promise...hmm...not bad...but I won't count that as a reject since it's already gone in the totals. Got an uninspired e-reject from an agent, which I'm glad. I'd already marked it down as a reject since I hadn't heard, and I'm working exclusively with another agent now. Yipes. Also received a rejection from an agent I'd queried six months ago. Seems she's bogged down but she loved my writing style and wanted to refer me to one of her colleagues. Nice, but can't use the referral right now. What a sweetie, though!

May 23	Found an email in my inbox that was asking me to write for another math comic book series, but I'm so busy, I had to decline. That was a first for me. Wow.  How should THAT be scored? Under "wanted" but...?
May 10	Crushed!  One very close, very nice personal rejection and one two-page, thorough, encouraging rejection. Will it ever get better?

May 9	Received word that I was accepted for the mystery readers assignment. Will be writing two mysteries in about 5 weeks. How fun!  Thank you, Lord!
May 8	One very nice, 2 month rejection...sigh...need some Skittles right now...

April 30	Wha?? Came home from TLA to find an offer for a mystery Level 4 readers series by a mass market publisher. They wanted to know if I was available. They'll make the assignment this month. I can only pray. Gotta love mail like that.
April 20	FINALLY! I heard from my editor today--my FOURTH picture book has been accepted by my publisher. WHOOPIE!! And this one isn't with Rumpelstiltskin (I'm working on another one of those.) WEE!

April 18	One 2 week personal rejection that left me like this:  Said it was wonderful for kids but couldn't pinpoint why they are rejecting. Erm...okaaaayeee!
April 14	One 2 month personal form. Yuck. And one 2 month, very nice personal with a cute balloon sticker at the end of the letter, no doubt put there to lift my spirits. Unfortunately...

April 6	Ask for mail and you shall receive...bad news? One seven week reject on a query. and one, very nice one month personal rejection. Not upset at all! Good news is here! Gave a sample to an education company and they want me to write a series of read-alouds for them. And the money is nice. And in other great news, got a 6 week yes on an e-query. I am VERY happy about this!
March 30	Got a 7 day yes to an e-query for a ms. Very nice...

March 23	The crickets are chirping louder now. Where is everyone? Bueller? Bueller?
March 3	This is a first and I don't know how to score it...an editor, who wanted one of my novels, was forced into becoming a freelance editor through a corporate restructure and doesn't have the power to take it on. Is that a rejection? Well, I don't think it is. She's even going to help me edit it and "make it irresitible" over the next few months! Wow! How sweet...so I'm going to be a busy girl...

Feb 28	A 3 day e-form rejection. Sigh...well, at least I didn't have to wait long. Oh, I'm IN for it this year... A 4 day acceptance of a query. YES! New hope...
Feb 27	An 11 day acceptance of a query. Yow! I've got a great rate going! Now let's see if my acceptance of ms's  can go up...

Feb 24	This marks a milestone in my life. I just attended my very first picture book event! It went so well! If you want to see pictures and read about it, click here-- Book event  In mail news, received a ten minute acceptance of an e-query. Wow!
Feb 18	The article in the AF newspaper is published! It turned out great. I hope it helps the signing go well. I'm a little nervous about it.

Feb 10

Wow! Two rejections in my mailbox today. Both were thorough, very nice personal rejections. One took over 9 months. It was passed around, at least. Sigh...I hate it when they're semi-close... In good news, I just received interview questions for the paper. Yikes. These are tough! I also received a speedy, 35 minute acceptance of a query.

Feb 9

Multiplying Menace is published! WHOO HOO!!! In email news, the library has set up two signings for me plus an interview with the AF paper. My first signing is a few weeks away. I'm very excited about this. Oh, and I forgot to write that I will be appearing at TLA in Houston this April. Date and time TBA. In subbing news, well, I'm still waiting! My editor wants another pb, though. But until I write it, I won't score it as an acceptance.

Feb 2	Here's something fun--an activity guide to Multiplying Menace for all you teachers out there!  Enjoy! Activity Guide for Multiplying Menace
Jan  30	Got my SASP back--after 9 months, this "large" house is still considering. Now before I get all excited, I have it from a good source that this editor is swamped and is hiring an assistant to "deal with the pile". In other words, the ms is collecting dust as we speak...

Jan  20	Oh, my! The agent search is beginning...received a three hour request of my novel from a top agent. Also, heard that my new pb has the licensing rights sold to different countries. I will be seeing it in many different languages. Now THAT'S cool...
Jan  1	My goals: 1. To sub my novel, 2. To get an agent, 3. To complete a new pb for Charlesbridge, 4. To start on a new novel Will 2006 be another successful year? We shall see...