Blood Mark News
Have you noticed I haven’t mentioned my new book, Blood Mark, in a while? The crickets are because I’ve been searching for an agent to represent it. I only approached a handful of select agents who had access to the biggest publishers. And though I knew it was a long shot, the last agent who’d shown interest in the manuscript, has turned it down.
The agent wrote that she loved the premise and setting of Blood Mark, the compelling conflict and tension, and added that I am a terrific writer, right down to the sentence level. It’s hard to be upset about getting turned down on top of that praise!
Though I’m disappointed I won’t get to experience life on the traditionally published side of the street, my indie leanings will serve me well going forward. To that end, Rachel Small, editor extraordinaire, is on board and ready to go. I’m exploring book cover ideas and researching launch tactics. I don’t have a release date yet, but I expect it will be sometime this fall.
This Time Around
Happily, I’ll have Mickey in my corner. He’s the publicist I signed with at Creative Edge Publicity. He continues to keep me busy with interviews, guest VLOG appearances, magazine features, and radio shows. I still find the live events nerve-wracking, but I know it’s good for my career, and good for the books. So, I’ll keep stretching, learning, and practicing until my nerves are just a low rumble in the background. I post the events as they go live on social media, but you can check out the full listing under the Featured On page under the Media tab on my website.
On the Home Front
With the weather warming up and the soil drying out, I’ve been getting my hands dirty in the garden beds. Our crocuses and snowdrops are finished, and we’ve moved on to daffodils. The tulips are coming on strong, the clematis and other vines are growing, and the bushes are leafing out. On the ocean, the annual herring spawn has come and gone, but the sea lions, seals, eagles and seagulls are still here livening up the spring orchestra.
What I’m Reading
My latest reads are Victoria Aveyard’s Red Queen series about a future world divided by the colour of their blood. Red bloods are the servants to the silver blooded elite who exhibit imaginative supernatural powers. I loved it! Gobbled up the whole series.
I’ve also read two books by other Creative Edge authors, and I’d recommend them both:
The Witching Vault by Kathrin Hutson. Sassy and fun urban fantasy about a witch who takes on an apprenticeship at a magical bank.
Beautiful, Frightening, and Silent by Jennifer Anne Gordon. This multi-award-winning book is a perfectly creepy horror about a man’s descent into madness after losing his wife and son.
What are you reading? I’m always looking for a good urban fantasy or supernatural thriller.
Speaking of good urban fantasies, Secret Sky is just $2.99. Get your copy from Kindle with one click right here. And if kindle or eBooks aren’t your preference, click on the bookstore tab for other purchase options (or just click on the covers below).
Empty highway photo by Maksim Shutov on Unsplash
Spring lamb photo by Rod Long on Unsplash
I have no doubt that you would find an agent and a traditional publisher if you wanted to wait, but you have both the smarts and the moxie to succeed as an indie! Please keep us apprised of your journey toward the launch of Blood Mark.
Thanks so much, Elinor.
Hi JP – I’m glad to see an update from you! That’s awesome praise from your submission to a potential agent. Thanks for sharing your experience about finding a publisher for your next book. If you’d like to do an Author Update on my blog, you are more than welcome! Email me if you’re interested. Hope you are having a nice weekend 🙂
Thanks, Barb. It really was a very nice rejection! I wish I had the patience to continue submitting to agents or publishers. Indie publishing is so much faster. I’d love to do an update for you. I’ll be in touch. Cheers!
With the lovely comments the agent sent about your book, I’m curious as to why she didn’t pick it up? I mean the compliments don’t get much better than that!
On the other hand, indie authors seem to be faring better than traditionally published authors in these pandemic times, although this is a huge generalization and only based on blogs and newsletters I’m reading from others. But it sounds like too many authors aren’t receiving their royalty checks. Others are waiting in limbo to see if their next book will be picked up, etc. Others are being dropped altogether. Strange as it seems, indie publishing seems steadier these days. Still, I do plan to search for an agent when my fantasy’s finished, which just shows you how confused I am about it all.
There’s no denying the cache that is still attached to a traditional publishing deal. Not to mention the doors that it opens which are closed to indies. I’ll keep my fingers crossed for you!
I greatly admire you, J.P. McLean! I know, I could write more words to complete the phrase I started with – but I leave that to Darcy, talking to Elisabeth in Jane Austen’s ‘Pride and Prejudice.’ But, I feel like a little mouse when I read about all the things you have learned and do, but I guess it has something to do with my age. I wish you all the luck in the world to succeed – because the books you write are so engaging that nobody could put them down, once started. I said it before, and I say it again: What an imagination! Tell me, what is it that inspires you? What was it that got you started on “Blood Mark?” It seems like a new path, not another of the series.
Thanks for your kind words, Giselle. Blood Mark is indeed a new path and what I hope is the beginning of a new series. The idea has been brewing in mind for a long time, inspired by how we define what’s beautiful. Thanks for stopping by!