Well, here I am, still agent-less and crestfallen. However, I feel remarkably chipper when I re-read your lovely comments on Otherworld. The sad truth is that this book is on the very short side of adult fiction (at 50,000 words, as opposed to 80,000). So, my options are…
1) Add about 30,000 more words to my basically complete story–half the size of my book.
2) Write another book–definitely longer in length, and POSSIBLY more Christian (in other words, don’t mention Wicca or anything that doesn’t fit into the Christian fiction “box”).
3) Write another book, of sufficient length, throwing caution and possible popularity with Christian pubs to the wind, about something I think is important.
So, I think option three is looking the best right now. I’m thinking of writing a follow-up book to Otherworld or something completely different.
I love that you all are so hungry for more of the story. I wish I could give it to you! For free! But I think it’s something that people may pay money to read. The end is just something that I don’t think you’ll see coming.
And a huge SHOUT-OUT to my pre-agent, Diane, for picking up the pieces of my miserable self-esteem as a writer and telling me that I can write, that I’m a good mother, and that the world is just not as black as it seems sometimes.
I truly appreciate you all and love all your comments. Someday, I will get a book into your hands, written by Heather Day Gilbert. And hopefully, it’s the end of this book you’ve been following faithfully!
–Heather
I think you are right to go with writing something longer since book length seems to be an issue with publishers. I watched an interesting panel recently by book reviewers and they said definitely do not self-publish your book…they don't even pick up a self-published book. They highly recommended to the authors to keep pushing with the traditional publishing route even if it's a small press and then try to get a reviewer to review your book in the NY Times or some comparable publication. It all sounds so easy but I know it's not! I just think it's great that you're writing and that you've got 1 book complete!