Okay, I'm not sure anyone truly follows me, but because I can view the number of page views I have accumulated on this blog since I first established it, it is obvious that people are checking this site out and I can see that all those folks are in the United States! No more page views from India; not that I'm complaining about any page viewers much less where they are located. Bring on Europe, South Africa, and the Caribbean.
Back to the point of this post. On Tuesday of this week I had a publisher write and tell me that I was in the final stages of being reviewed by their editorial staff and could I please fill out an author questionnaire and a
book brief for them so they could make a final decision on my book's potential publication. I have to be honest. At first, I was like, could they be a vanity publisher because I truly want to be legitimately published. I researched the publisher and checked with a few folks. No definitive answer. So I then emailed a literary agent who has a partial of my manuscript and asked her. She says they are small, but legit. And by the way, she requested a book proposal. Hallelujah! So I spent two days and sixteen hours drafting the answers to the author questionnaire and book brief. My former English students are laughing hysterically at this point and thinking finally, someone dishes it out to Mrs. S!!! Calm down kiddies, I finished the work and it is quality work because I have never accepted anything less of myself or my students.
Here's the interesting part people. The publisher would like endorsement blurbs from established authors and I am thinking, well, I'm a debut author, who in the world do I know that is established??! After taking half a valium and breathing deeply for two seconds I think, well, I will just email and make the request from some of my preferred authors. What's the worst that could happen right? Oh Lord Help Deliver Me. My first author choice responded that she was busy and no she could not at this time read a sample copy of my book and make an endorsement. Okay, she has a book tour coming up so that is entirely possible. I get my nerve up and send an email request to my second choice for an author endorsement.. This author is so major that I figured she would not repond, an assistant would respond, or she would tell me she did not have time either. Well, folks, her reponse was that she does not endorse anyone whose work is published by a self-publisher/vanity press and obviously, my memoir was fiction. Say WHAT?!! First, I never told her who the publisher is and second, she has NEVER seen my memoir manuscript. I've got four immediate family members who will sign their names in blood that this manuscript is true from first word till THE END darlin'!! AND HELLO?! WHAT THE HELL EVER HAPPENED TO SUPPORTING YOUR FELLOW LITERARY GIRLFRIEND WHO IS JUST STARTING OUT?! Needless to say, I was shocked and saddened, but not for me, for her. I did not send a response because I'm Grace Sutherlin and I would never knock someone like that no matter what fame or wealth I do or do not achieve. I'M STAYIN' THE COURSE MATES AND WILL KEEP ON SAILIN'!!
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