If you love writing, getting THAT break and having a publisher take on your work can be SO frustrating. My Guest this week tells how she handled the problem. Ladies and Gentlemen...
Fleur Ferris
Just keep writing
The
last time I wrote a blog for this wonderful site I was celebrating signing with
literary agent, Tara Wynne, of Curtis Brown Australia (CBA), and my young adult
novel was about to go on submission.
My
manuscript went out to publishers and I hovered over my communication devices,
checking my emails every few minutes. When I told a friend (a published author)
what I was doing she laughed at me and said, “Don’t sit around waiting, it
could take months. Just keep writing.”
So
I started writing my sixth novel, 'Risk'. 'Risk' had been brewing in my thoughts
for months, and the characters and plot were vivid, in my head, before I
started writing it. My aim was to have a decent chunk of 'Risk' written before publishers made a decision on Book 5. But, the
words flowed fast and I finished the first draft before I received any
responses.
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| Amazon Australia Link |
Soon
after, I received news. A publisher from Random House Australia liked Book 5,
but wanted some changes. They asked if I was open to revising and resubmitting.
Of course I was. I felt it was my big chance - maybe my one and only – and Penguin
Random House were my dream publisher. I wanted to show them I could do the job.
I revised Book 5 and sent it back (via my agent), with 'Risk' attached.
My
friend’s advice, just keep writing, rang
in my head. I was too emotionally drained to write another YA thriller, so I
wrote a lighter adventure story (30K words) for my three children, suitable for
middle-grade readers. Again, the words flowed fast and it was soon finished,
and a plot for another book preoccupied my thoughts. As soon as I completed the
MG story, I was ready to write another YA thriller. Still none the wiser about the
fate of Book 5 and 'Risk', I started writing
my eighth book.
Soon
after, one afternoon, when I had a houseful of guests and an oven full of hors
d’oeuvres, I received news from my agent. A publisher at Random House Australia
loved 'Risk' and was pitching it at the
next acquisition meeting.
I
jumped with joy, cried a little, and poured champagne. I removed the burnt hors
d’oeuvres from the oven and allowed myself to think, maybe, I might be published by Penguin Random House.
The
night before the meeting I didn’t sleep. What if the marketing department didn’t
think it would sell? What if my research was flawed? What if some of the team
didn’t like the writing? What if they think I’m not the person to write such a
book? What if? What if? What if?
The
day of the meeting came. I drank a lot of coffee, stayed close to my phone and
email, and thought up clever slogans for t-shirts that captured the
unpleasantness of waiting.
The
news came – 'Risk' made it over the
line!
And
because I just kept writing, I now
have two more books (Book 5 & Book 8) in the pipeline. 'Risk' was published by
Random House Australia (July 1).
Kindle Edition (available in Australia):
http://www.amazon.com.au/Risk-Fleur-Ferris-ebook/dp/B00TGJ7OHS/
Audiobook
narrated by Marny Kennedy, produced by Audible. US: http://www.audible.com/pd/Teens/Risk-Audiobook/B00ZIWAREO
UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00ZIRGAP4
UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00ZIRGAP4
'Risk' highlights the
importance of attaining online safety. Teachers’ Resources can be found on the
Random House Australia Website.
BIO
Fleur
Ferris spent the first seventeen years of her life growing up on a farm in
Patchewollock, north-west Victoria, Australia. She then moved twenty times in twenty
years. During
this time, Fleur sometimes saw the darker side to life while working for a
number of years as a police officer and a paramedic.
She
now lives a more settled lifestyle on a rice farm in southern New South Wales, Australia with her husband and three young children.
Fleur's
colourful and diverse background has given her unique insight into today's
society and an endless pool of experiences to draw from. When she isn't weaving
this through young adult fiction, reading or spending time with her family, you
will find her with friends, talking about art, books and travel.
'Risk' is Fleur's first
novel for young adults.
'Risk' Blurb
Taylor
and Sierra have been best friends for their whole lives. But Taylor's fed up.
Why does Sierra always get what – and who – she wants? From kissing Taylor's
crush to stealing the guy they both met online for herself, Sierra doesn't seem
to notice when she hurts her friends.
So
when Sierra says Jacob Jones is the one and asks her friends to cover for her
while she goes to meet him for the first time, Taylor rolls her eyes.
But
Sierra doesn't come back when she said she would.
One
day. Two days. Three . . .
What
if Taylor's worrying for nothing? What if Sierra's just being Sierra,
forgetting about everyone else to spend time with her new guy?
When
Taylor finally tells Sierra's mum that her daughter is missing, Taylor and her
friends are thrown into a dark world they never even knew existed.
Can
Taylor find Sierra's abductor in time? Or should she be looking for a killer?
When
a former police officer and paramedic writes a novel inspired by true stories
of online predators and love gone wrong, you know you're getting the real deal.
When Fleur isn't writing cutting-edge novels, she can be found here:
Website: http://fleurferris.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/FleurFerris
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/riskdotcom
Thank you, Fleur, for talking to us about your writing journey. The message you give to all would-be writers is important: Persistence wins the day! I urge you all to read Fleur's book: an outstanding novel by a very talented writer. Check out 'Risk' today.
Eric @ www.ericjgates.com
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