A Lighthouse in Time — Blog

In the past two weeks many of my children’s author friends have faced the gut-wrenching feeling of yet another rejection from not one but two publishers. I too, received a rejection and am preparing myself for the next inevitable one.

So how do we deal with this painful reality?

We can kick and scream, feel absolutely defeated, and give up.
Or drink our sorrows with a glass of champagne and celebrate the success of exposing our manuscript to someone else’s opinion.

Celebrate your successes no matter how big or small.

The world is full of examples where a story has been rejected time and time again, only to finally find a publisher willing to take a chance on an unknown.

Allow yourself time to be upset, wallow in a bit of self misery, even get angry, but don’t give up. Keep re-writing, keep submitting. Your story will find a home.

I am the perfect example of all of the above. Twenty years ago, I thought I had done it. Two of my manuscripts reached acquisitions by two different publishers. I was ecstatic. Twelve months later the rejections dropped like a bombshell. I did the unthinkable. I gave up. I look back now and wonder what I might have achieved had I continued to edit and resend to other publishers.

Twelve years later, I began my journey into publication again. A teaching friend self-published her own book. Until then, I had no idea that this was even possible. Full of naivety and bravado, I set forth to do it too. It was a huge step and one I’m glad I made. It was through this endeavour I found like-minded people who were grappling with the same issues. I learnt a lot and shared just as much. I also continued to write and dived deep into writing workshops and social media writers groups.

Me with fellow children’s authors from SCBWI ACT and The Duck Pond at the CBCA Conference 2019.

For the first book I published, I used a self-publishing company. You know the ones, they take your money, promise you the world but give you nothing. These are vanity publishers and you want to run a mile in the opposite direction. They pay for editing, formatting, graphic design, even an illustrator. Their packages are expensive as they promise you marketing, distribution, sales and even royalties. Beware, they never deliver. I persisted with this particular company for four books, I never saw a cent in return for my investment.

So why did I continue to return to them?

I had no idea what I was doing.
I perceived they were helping by at least making my print book become a reality.

My four self-published books that helped get me started.

However, any money I made was through my own endeavours. My marketing, my social networks, school visits market stalls and word of mouth. In fact, even after 5 years these books are still selling. Emma the Eager Emu is in her second print and I am about to reprint Frazzled Freya as I found another market for her.

I am a bit of a slow learner, but I finally came to the conclusion that I had better options. I started sending out submissions to publishers again. Naturally the rejections started flowing in again, or often ‘crickets,’ nada, nothing but silence. This time was different, I had learnt a lot and didn’t let the rejections get me down. We move on, we grow, rewrite, edit and resubmit.

I joined a critique group and had manuscript assessments. These are both essential in your journey to improving your writing and a chance for that holy grail - finding a publisher.

Finally in 2018, I had a manuscript accepted and the Adamson Adventures was born. Yes, my publisher was new and small, but they sent me an advance payment, (which was so much nicer than paying out for a change.) They also found a distributor and my series was sold all around Australia. Again, much better than I could do on my own. They promoted and marketed my books, even found me school visits I couldn’t book myself. I started to be known in the industry. I was recognised as a published author and even enjoyed receiving royalty payments. My publisher entered my books into competitions, which was another learning curve for me, and Secrets Hidden Below, the Adamson Adventures 1, was shortlisted in the Australian Speech Pathology Book of The Year Awards 2019.

Sadly at the beginning of 2020, my independent publisher was forced to close. I entered the submission slush pile again. - More rejections. No publisher wanted to pick up a third book in a series. Then with book3, Fossil Frenzy, still in manuscript form, I won shortlisting in the Queensland Writers Centre Adaptable - Book to Screen Competition 2020. After pitching to film producers, I was more determined than ever to see this book published.

Secrets Hidden Below, the Adamson Adventures1, Shortlisted Australian Speech Pathology Book of the Year 2019.

Fossil Frenzy, the Adamson Adventures3, Shortlisted Winner, Queensland Writers Centre Book to Screen Competition 2020.

So I did it myself. No self-publishing company to help this little duckie this time. I had the contacts. I had the editor, formatter and graphic designer all sorted myself. I learnt where to purchase my ISBN and contacted the printer. Fossil Frenzy the Adamson Adventures 3 was released under my own imprint in November 2020 and is receiving amazing reviews and recognition from children and my peers. I am marketing myself and it is selling well, in three months since publishing I have already recovered my costs. Now, I just need that distributor to come on board too.

I’m still submitting to publishers, chasing the next contract. Finding an acceptance in my inbox would be wonderful, but I’m no longer getting hung up on disappointment. I celebrate the opportunities, and maintain a positive outlook on rejection. I have decided to become a hybrid. A little bit of both traditional and self-publishing can only be a good thing. I plan to publish another picture book soon under my own imprint. After all, you’ve got to be in it, to win it. Publishing is a long term game, nothing happens overnight, but it will happen.

All my books are available right here on my website. I am always happy to send signed copies. https://sandrabennettauthor.com/books

How do you handle those rejections?

Do you go it alone or seek help from others?

Please let me know in the comments below.

Have you ever felt that you could do with just one more day in the week, the month or the year, to get things done? Do you ever hear yourself say, ‘if I only had a bit more time.?’

The good news is, this year, as in every four years, you do. It’s February and it’s a leap year. We have one whole extra day to do all those things we keep putting off for another day. How are you going to spend your extra day?

This blog post is part of a #Gr8Blogs Leap Year 2020 Blog Hop, where fellow authors and myself are suggesting ways we are spending our extra day, hoping to inspire your thoughts and actions so that you don’t waste a second of those precious moments.

Research suggests that unless your birthday happens to fall on February 29, to most people, it is just another ordinary day. No one really slows down or takes notice of the fact that it is an extra day in the year. February 29 falls on a Saturday this year, why not take advantage of that and use it wisely. Here’s a little known fact for you, did you know that on February 29 it is said that a woman is allowed to ask a proposal of marriage? Out-dated I know, but a fun fact if you want to take advantage of it.

This Summer has been a particularly long and difficult one for most of us here in Australia. The devastating bushfires have touched the lives of most of us in one way or another. We have been impacted for months by thick smoke that has prevented us from our usual summer outdoor activities, most coastal beach towns were closed to holiday makers and even a simple walk was impossible without wearing a mask. Some of us here in Royalla were impacted by evacuation prospects twice. I had neighbours who were down the South Coast when the fires burnt through there, only to face the same scare several weeks later when two fire fronts, from the west and south, threatened our own small community. When the call-out came to help feed our heroic firefighters, I knew I had to help. I couldn’t evacuate and leave our home until I had done my bit to help in whatever small way I could. Within days we were told the winds had changed, the temperature had dropped, we were finally safe to return., for now We still prayed for rain. The threat continued.

The smoke haze that engulfed our property most of the Summer.

The Orroral Fire in Namadgi National park quickly raged out of control spreading quickly depending on the wind direction. Photo taken from our back deck.

Little did we know, rain too, would bring its own destructive force. Hail hit Canberra in an unprecedented size. Many were caught unaware and 39,000 cars were destroyed. A further 31,00 cars were destroyed in Sydney and Melbourne combined, bringing the total from the storm to 70,000. My son watched from his office window, knowing there was nothing he could do as the hail pelted golf ball sized holes into every panel of his car and smashed both his front and back windows. Like so many people, his insurance company has written off his car, he is still waiting for the payout to purchase a new car. That won’t be an easy task either, with so many people now looking.

Parliament House in the centre of Canberra, two photos taken just a week apart.

Alex’s car as a result of the hail damage.

Amidst all this climatic stress, I also received the devastating news of the sudden loss of a very dear friend’s son. As any mother will tell you, this is impossible to comprehend. It took me weeks to come to terms with this. Even now, I struggle to understand and feel so hopeless being unable to comfort a friend in a time when she needs me most, but we are separated by the size of this huge country of ours. My arms can’t reach across from east to west, although my heart does every day.

The final blow, the termination of my contract. I knew it was probably coming, but I was living in hope. Sadly, due to circumstances out of my control, my publisher can longer continue trading. So, while I have two amazing Adamson Adventures out in the world, I now need to find a new publisher for the third.

2020 has not been a great start for me, but I have made steps forward to change that. Out of the depths of despair comes a ray of hope. I have picked myself up, dusted myself off and am ready to face the world again. I have begun the submission process to publishers for Fossil Frenzy, the Adamson Adventures 3, and submitted two PB’s to a publisher and a short story to a competition. I have started the process of entering A Lighthouse in Time, The Adamson Adventures 2, into Award Competitions for this year and the most exciting bit of news - I entered Fossil Frenzy into the Queensland Writer’s Centre Adaptable Competition and have so far been longlisted. This was a competition I accidentally stumbled across while searching for publishers. The closing date was approaching, so I figured I had nothing to lose and entered. The shortlist of 25 is to pitch to film producers at the Gold Coast Film Festival in April. This shortlist was due to be announced on Feb 15, but due to the overwhelming amount of entries, so far they have whittled it down to a longlist of 40. I feel proud and excited to have reached the longlist, but am hoping my manuscript is strong enough to make the shortlist. Consequently just last Wednesday I attended a course on body language and public speaking to help me prepare my pitch.

Kerry Malone and I at the Speakers Institute Workshop on Body Language and Effective Communication.

What does my story have to do with an extra day for leap year? I am spending Feb 29 doing another workshop. Business Skills and Marketing Prowess for Authors. I am not wasting my extra day and I implore you not to either. If there is one thing I have learnt this Summer, it is life can be all too fleeting. We need to be grateful for who we have in our lives, appreciate what we have and fulfil our dreams. Don’t put things off. Make a plan and take action today. Spend the day with your loved ones, take care of your health and rest if you need to, or start that project you always wanted to do.

By the way, for the next month, for every copy sold, I am donating a copy of A Lighthouse in Time to schools down the South Coast devastated by the fires, Have you ever walked into a room and felt there was a presence in there? I have found there is usually a logical explanation, but not always. Research has shown that 35% of Australians believe in ghosts, while over 46% of Americans do. I can tell you stories of my experiences another time. 'A Lighthouse in Time' explores this possibility as the kids investigate the old ruined lighthouse at Cape St George in Jervis Bay. I have been told by delighted readers that it is even scarier than some Harry Potter books. Buy a copy today or on Feb 29, and a school in need down the coast will receive a free copy.

Update to this post: Yesterday, 25th Feb, it was announced that I have made the Adaptable shortlist. I’m off to Queensland in April to pitch Fossil Frenzy to producers. Yay, so excited!

I hope I have inspired you to stop and make a special plan for that extra day this month. How will you spend your extra day? Please leave a comment in the section below.

Before you leave, if you enjoyed this post, please consider reading the other #Gr8Blogs about how they'll celebrate a year with an extra day on 29 February..

Cat Michaels - Five Easy Things You Can Do with Your Extra 24 Hours on Leap Day

Rebecca Lyndsey - Very Superstitious...

Rosie Russell - We're Leaping and Hopping for Leap Year 2020

Julie Gorges - How Baby Boomers Can Make Leap Day Count!

Jim Milson - Happy Leap Year Day! What Will You Do With Your Extra Time?

Carmela Dutra - How to Take a Leap on Leap Day

Auden Johnson- How Will You Spend Your Extra Day This Leap Year?

https://www.audenjohnson.com/2020/02/how-will-you-spend-your-extra-day-this.html

Chris Gorges - A Rare Gift https://aslbasics.com/?p=359

Julie Schooler - https://julieschooler.com/3-easy-ways-to-make-february-29th-your-best-leap-day-ever/