Rejection

Strange how rejection affects a person. I think I'm ready for it, but when it comes, it knocks me back.

I've sent submissions and queries to several publishers/agents. I received one from Avalon Books yesterday. The letter was personal, not a form letter they send to everybody. Signed by the editors, they thanked me for allowing them to consider my story, Copper Penny, for publication. They told me they found several scenes either too intense or violent for their press because they only publish family-friendly press.

Not a word about how bad the book is or anything like that, just that it doesn't meet their publishing guidelines. And that's all good. I missed the mark when I sent my book to them since they don't publish this kind of story.

But I've thought about why this rejection bothered me and think this may be the reason. This book is "my baby, my child." The plot is about a woman who has been held prisoner for ten years and finds the opportunity and courage to escape her captor. The protagonist who shares the spotlight with her is a police detective. Violent and intense? Intense maybe but the violent term stings.

Calling my baby names? Although I might see my child's failings, hearing about them from someone else doesn't feel good.

I don't think the book is really too intense and violent for most publishers. But we'll see. If I had to rewrite it and make it any less, the story would disappear. That's hard to imagine after spending two years putting it together.

This is all about rejection anyway. I've had it before and it never feels good. Do we always want everything we do to be lauded and praised? Maybe I do. That will never happen so I may as well get over it!