Realistic Expectations

The querying process has begun today.

I'll probably get a dozen rejections, but that's the way this industry works. I haven't written The Great American Novel, I wrote a romance novel. I wrote a book I wanted to write, in the style of the books I like to read, and I can only hope that other people who like the sort of books I like to read might like to read mine too.

(That said, in another lifetime on the Internet - and a completely different user name - I wrote a lot of fanfiction stories, and those had a large readership. Many comments from those I admired and respected in those circles were very positive. Some were critical about minor things; usually for good reasons, sometimes for bad. I would have hoped that if I was going about the entire process of writing completely wrong that someone would have told me by now. )

I don't want to win awards for my writing. I'm still content with my 7th grade language arts achievement trophy. No Pulitzers for steam punk.

I don't want to get a ridiculously large advance for a book. I think it would jinx the process. I'd also get walloped with taxes next year all at once.

I don't want to be famous, or eFamous, or a household name. I don't want to be on Oprah.

What I want to do is get a book published, and have people who read the same sort of books I like to read say, "Oh, Catherine Blakeney? Yes, she's one of my favorite authors." That would be worth more to me than all the riches, fame, and accolades I could possibly earn writing in any other genre.

That reminds me: Susan Kearney? Teresa Medeiros? Mary Balogh? You're my favorite authors. Thank you.

If I actually do get a book published, maybe I'll tell Mrs. Slusher at Davidson Fine Arts about it too. She'll be tickled pink.