I have gained some wisdom in the past three weeks. Wisdom I wouldn’t wish upon my fellow writing cohorts, but wisdom I’m grateful to now possess.
On February 14, 2025, I quite frankly had the rug pulled out from underneath me. After six months of working and waiting and working some more, I received word from the editor at S&S that they must pass on my project. I honestly didn’t see it coming.
It being Valentine’s Day, I had some fun plans with my daughter and grandmother that evening and was forced to pretend nothing at all had happened. But when I got home and settled, I sat my family down to deliver the bad news and that was such a hard thing to have to do.
I knew I was going to break their hearts…and their hearts were not as “seasoned” by the publishing industry as mine. But, they were loving and supportive and handled it well. A few days later, I finally “broke down” and shared with them just how full of shame and doubt and fear I actually was now. Getting it all out there was cathartic. A part of my healing process.
As some time has passed, a fresh perspective has washed over me (maybe even a few times) and I’m proud to share that I’m excited about the manuscript again. That’s huge. I’ve also had many conversations with other authors who’ve literally all gone through this same thing. It’s apparently very common (well, darn) and I’ve learned to – FOR REAL – not count my chickens before they’ve hatched.
I saw this little note today on Instagram…
What looks like failure to you is actually God preparing a greater blessing. What feels like the end to you is really God leading in a new direction.
So here I am, overcoming what I must admit was a huge career setback. But, I am hopeful still and most importantly, it is well with my soul.
Featured Image: Me with my 85-year old grandmother and my ten-year old daughter enjoying our Valentine’s evening at the big retirement village party
My Pilgrimage to Publication and Beyond 