First Step of a 1,000 Miles

I have a feeling that today was the beginning of many beginnings.

Wanna know why?

Today was my first official day of publisher-searching!

(Even though I’ve been trying to get published for about 4 years)

Anyways, I went into today with one goal:

to find at least one publisher who might accept one of my novels.

And my search began in the library.

    Libraries are labyrinths of possibilities and adventures!

                                                    With halls

and corridors,       

                                                   all lined with books;

shelves just harboring vast amounts of

worlds,

knowledge

and

adventures …

ah, there’s no place like home.

I was in heaven and if I hadn’t had a job to do, man, I would’ve been scrounging through the teens’ section like a hound dog on a scent!

    The library is great for school and for reading assignments,

(and for adventure-seeking : D),

but did you know it’s also an invaluable tool for publisher-research?

    Indeed, there’re entire books that list publishing houses! You can find a publisher, get one of their titles, look it up in the computers, and find that book on the library shelves so you can get a feel for what that house publishes.

Way convenient!

    So I sat there at a table with my nose in a writer’s guide slowly sniffing through the listings, but I felt like a Dragon just freshly hatched trying to fly yet her wings were too heavy to lift. The number of houses seemed

eeeennnnddddllleesssssss

and suddenly I was feelin’ real           small         and overwhelmed. I was getting the feeling I was way in over my head, and that this was just the beginning of something

                                                                                           big.

    But I kept on keepin’ on and even though I was practically cross-eyed by the end I read through about half that book before we had to go. I’m pleased to say that there seems to be a rise in Christian book publishers. But I was having trouble finding someone who published my genre.

(I mean, who would publish someone without an agent. I am, currently, flying this trade wind solo right now... well, not entirly solo I do have a lot of support from family and friends – thanks guys!).

    When I finally am published I’ll probably look back on this beginning day and just laugh and smile.

Mostly because there I was,

                                                    a little

blond

                                          18-year-old

hunched over (another) book with goose bumps on her arms (it was f-r-e-e-z-I-n-g in there!). But mainly because I’ll be able to see how far I’ve come and the entire journey will be funny to reminisce.

  

 Because it’s all about the journey, right?

     I managed to find some promising-looking publishers though, and taking my newfound knowledge I took some notes and came home with bloodshot eyes and the determination to surf the web a little.

Ironically, I was listening to my MP3 Player while I searched, and every song that played was encouraging and uplifting as if the Lord were telling me (which I’m sure He was) not to stop, you can do this, and (in one song) That I cant back down!

Unfortunately, the fruits from this labor were empty-tasting so I think I’ll take a break and try again later. Maybe I’ll go write, or read, or play Video Games with my sister…

But this Dragon isn’t staying on the ground - mind you - she will Fly!

    

Just like my Dad told me today:

“Don’t stop. Keep moving forward!”

   

 And that’s exactly what I intend to do!