How do you cope with Rejection? Here's a happy ending for you! Plus a writing challenge and blogfest.

You open your email, and there it is...the Subject Line that you've been checking feverishly for months, weeks, days...but do you like what you see?

When you receive a rejection letter or email, what do you do after you finally open it?

a) Yell, scream, sob, and vow never to put yourself through that pain again.
b) Keep on reading, hoping there is some gem you can take away from the experience and use in the future.
c) Decide that you don't care...that agent/editor just didn't get it! They're so dumb.
d) Look skywards and thank that agent/editor because you know you can make your ms even better...and send to someone else.
e) All of the above...(sometimes we go through stages)


Whatever you answered from the above multiple choice, I'm guessing most of us (if we've been brave enough to submit our work) have received heart-wrenching letters ourselves. But there is an upside -- don't get down in the dumps -- give that ms the workout of its life. You never know, it might end up bright and shiny and published. My guest today, Sandra Harris, has just such a story to share...

 

Over to Sandra...

Rejection – It Can Be Your Lucky Break

Several years ago I attended my first Romance Writers of Australia conference. I’d girded my loins and applied to pitch to an editor and an agent. I can still recall how hard my heart pounded as I waited to go in to my first pitch. Fortunately for me, the husband of one of the girls in my writing group was volunteering to help organize us terrified pitchers. Seeing a friendly face certainly helped calm my nerves, but I’m sure my pulse was at least 170bpm when I went into that pitch room.

Long story short, I was asked for a full of the ‘Alien, Mine’ manuscript by the editor. Man, I thought I was in. After conference, I took four weeks to polish the ms then sent it off.

I held my breath and waited.

And waited.

After eight weeks, and having turned a rather unattractive shade of blue, I sent the editor an email, asking in the most polite and respectful way if she’d had a chance to read my submission, and if so what were her thoughts. A lovely email came back, apologizing for the length of time she’d taken to reply and saying that she liked my voice, thought I wrote very well, but wasn’t sure if the story was right for their line and that she’d asked another editor to look at it. But no, sorry, it wasn’t a story they could accept.

I gave up writing for fully, oh…5 minutes.

I put ‘Alien, Mine’ aside and began my next ms. Then, my lucky writing angel smiled on me and I connected with my Critique Partner, the fabulous C.T. Green. Working with C.T. brought my writing to a whole new level. I went back to ‘Alien, Mine’, tore it apart and rebuilt it.

That rejection gave me the opportunity to improve my story, to have it published at a standard that I will always be proud of.

Sandra's Alien, Mine was released by Soulmate Publishing in June 2013.

Alien, Mine

Back Blurb

THE BLUTHEN HAVE ONE CONSUMING PASSION: THEMSELVES.

IN THEIR EXPANSION ACROSS THE GALAXY, THEY WILL GO TO ANY LENGTHS TO DOMINATE SPECIES THEY ENCOUNTER.

Torn from modern day Earth and stranded on the far side of the Galaxy, Sandrea Fairbairn must use every particle of courage she possesses to adjust to her new life and live for tomorrow/a new day.
Eugen Mhartak, a general in the Tri-Race Alliance Army, refuses to bow to the merciless Bluthen. Haunted by the loss of far too many innocent lives he has vowed to drive the ruthless invaders from Alliance space.
The strength and valour of Eugen Mhartak attracts Sandrea as no man ever has, but she struggles to read the enigmatic general’s heart. Determined to help him triumph over the Bluthen she uncovers a diabolical plot against the Alliance.
Drawn by the courage and exotic beauty of Sandrea, Mhartak battles to overcome the barriers of cross-cultural differences that separate them and claim her ardent interest. He must conquer his deepest fears to be the man she needs. When his principles are betrayed by his own government and he is faced with the impossible prospect of taking Sandrea’s life in order to save his home planet, Mhartak desperately searches for a way to keep safe both his world and the magnificent woman who has stolen his heart.

Sandra has a giveaway of her Alien, Mine for one lucky commenter! It is a great novel -- it starts with a bang, has wonderful world building and completely grabs you throughout. If you don't win, I highly recommend it to you.

Sandra Harris on the web:

Website

     Facebook     Twitter      Author Page

Buy Links

SoulMate Publishing        Amazon      Amazon UK

• How do handle rejections? Have you a story to share with us?

If you'd like to read about some of my travels, with photographs, go here to RomanticFridayWriters where it's all about honeymoon this month. You can write a story/poem with 'honeymoon' as the theme. Linky goes up on July 19th, for 3 days. Join us! 

And I've joined Charmaine Clancy's Imagination Sparks blogfest, where we share what gets our writing juices sparking and find new ideas to help our creativity. Why not join up too?