Maybe I was a little bit chicken. (There’s a pun here you’ll get momentarily.) Who knows? We’ve all seen them. Those books under many titles that starts out with Chicken Soup for the Soul. I’ve enjoyed several over the years. I always thought it would be fun to get a story in one. But I never tried.
I met others that had. I gazed longingly at them and the feat those writers had accomplished. Chin resting on both hands lightly fisted. Wondering what it was really like to have a real life story published in one of them.
It wasn’t until I had a couple of books of my own published that I bravely attempted to submit a story to CSS. The first few were not accepted. That was okay, I reasoned. I have my books. And I’m no stranger to rejection of my writing. Lord knows, in trying to break into the publishing world with a book, I have seen - and collected - a pile of rejection slips that if I strung them together they’d be longer than a receipt from CVS Pharmacy. But some things just have to be written and some things just have to be seen by the masses. So I kept trying.
I submitted my mom’s favorite story. In fact, she kept bugging me for a lot of years. “You have to get that published somewhere.” (She might possibly say that about everything I write. Moms.) If you know me, you may have heard about this story. That time I drove all alone to Minnesota to help my aging parents move to a new home. Then drove all the way back to Colorado alone with my CD case of music that I blasted and sang along at full volume. A concert of one. How I just wanted to get home to my hubby so I drove straight through. Well…until…..
Yeah, you’re gonna have to get the book. Yep! I got accepted.
Sorry to torment, but I don’t want to spoil it for those reading it for the first time. Buy the book! *cheesy grin* (shameless self-promotion: Chicken Soup for the Soul: Believe in Miracles.)
The time waiting to hear anything back is long. At this point in my life, I hit the send button and just move on. If it happens, it happens. If not, I’ll write something else.
Gone are the days of waiting for a (rejection) letter in the mail. Snail mail, as we all so fondly call it now. Everything is by email. I get a LOT of email. I have on occasion missed an important one here and there. I find them eventually. (oops)
This one I spotted right away. I recognized the publisher’s name since I had months earlier been rejected in the final round for another one of their books. They can only fit so many. My heart did the little flip-flop that it – admittedly – does still when it comes to getting something published. Sure enough. I made it. At least, I thought I did. Didn’t I? Does this mean I’m in? Surely…. Ooooo, fill in a contract the email directs. Cool. That’s encouraging.
Now I also know at this age, that anything can happen. Things can change. Minds change. Production schedules certainly change. So I mailed the signed contract back and, you guessed it, moved on. I’ve been trying to finish a book for a few years. A lot of really challenging life events got in the way, but finally now I was ready to get back at it. I definitely could and should devote more time to it, but life comes along on a daily basis adjusting the best laid plans. (I always say, Man (or woman) plans, God laughs.)
So then confirmation arrived. I was definitely going to be in the book! I was happy dancing all over my living room. My poor hubby has learned over the years to just put up with my mood extremes in my writing career. He has had to scrape me up off the tear-filled floor reassuring me that I could indeed write, as well as join me, or watch me dance the dance of joy. Acceptance joy. Affirmation of my hard work. Do you know what one of the definitions for the word affirmation says? Emotional support or encouragement. Emotional. Writing is very emotional. I could go on and on with a list of adjectives that portray the truth behind being a writer. But, I digress.
Most writing success stories take a long time to be complete. It may take years to finish writing a book. A book might make it out in a year from when you get accepted. Most closer to eighteen months. Not so with the Chicken Soup books. They have this down like clockwork. Accepted in October, release date in February. WOW! So fun.
I received another email stating my copies of the book would arrive within a couple of weeks. Time slowed down as I impatiently wait. But I did get some bookmark art to tide me over. That was fun to see. But opening that box? That’s when it’s real. I can’t wait. So watch for “Chicken Soup for the Soul: Believe in Miracles” cuz they really do happen!
While waiting to post this
to my blog, that magical box arrived. I watched for it every day. Fed Ex pulled
up and there it was! Yep, I love to see the finished result. Beautiful book.
Oh, and did I mention, while all this was going on…I opened another email that I managed to find right away. It said another story I submitted has made the first round in the selection process for another CSS book.
I’m going to be very busy.
