Publishing Contacts? They’re just like buses! You wait three years for one and then two come in the same week?
When I’d completed Deniable Operation about 3 years ago, I started sending it to agents and publishers, and almost immediately started receiving rejection letters. The most popular comments used to ease the pain of rejection were, ‘This is not suitable for our lists’. Followed closely by, ‘Sorry, not for us’ and, ‘Our lists are currently full.’ I probably have enough rejections letters to paper my office walls!
So you can imagine my surprise when, just before Christmas, I received not one, but two, contract offers for the same manuscript. I won’t name the publishers just yet, but one appears to have a prestigious address in Canary Warf in London and the other has an address in Gloucestershire. If they are reading this… they know who they are!!
Which one will I accept? The truth is, I don’t know. Both contacts have some attractive clauses, and one even offers and small (very small) advance. However, both contracts have some clauses didnt seem right so The Society of Authors currently has both contacts and I hope their comments will help me make up my mind. I then have to arrange appointments with both publishers and ask some pertinent questions. Once I have decided which contract to sign, you will be the second to know. I’ll also reveal the names of the publishers.
I’ve been trying to find the impetus to continue writing over the holiday. Lots of distractions. Hope to settle down to a routine soon. I feel I might have taken on too many outside activities for the coming months. On the 12th Jan I will run a drama course for kids in the village called ‘Dramarama’. With others, I will spend two hours every Saturday morning for six weeks with up to 20 children between eight and fifteen, working towards a village concert on 23 and 24th February. I am also directing the concert and performing in it, as well as reading some of my humorous poetry. Also next week, I’m holding auditions for Agatha Christie’s Witness for the Prosecution. This play is a courtroom drama set in the fifties which I have also agreed to direct. The production will be at the Plough Theatre in Torrington in May. I have also agreed to direct and perform in another charity concert of sketches and songs for production in April. When I’m not doing any of those, I will be concentrating on finishing The Pistachio Package, the sequel to Deniable Operation in the hope that whichever publisher I choose wants that one too. Busy, busy, busy!
More next time.
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