Welcome to another issue of the Round Robin Blog Fest!
This month's question is:
October 19, 2019: What unique situations have occurred in the writing process of any of your novels? Perhaps, but not limited to, things like where what you planned changed, or the direction you thought the story was on deviated or transmuted?
Years ago, I was given some advice from a fellow writer to set my books in the U.S. so I could sell to a larger market. The funny part is, my books have all been based on Canadian towns yet set across the border.
With my latest work in progress, I’d written a story I loved, packaged it up and sent it to my U.S. agent – who also loved it! What I didn’t like as much was the title and struggled through a couple different options while I outlined and wrote a synopsis for her to submit.
From there she shopped it around to U.S. publishers. One liked the story, but not the writing (Yes, it was rushed to get out there!) Another liked the concept, but… Another liked… And so it went until finally my agent told me to put it on a shelf and forget about it.
I couldn’t.
So, I finished writing the novel, changed the locations from my main character living in Boston and travelling to Washington State to her living in Toronto and flying to the wilds of British Columbia. Then I decided to send it to my wonderful Canadian publisher. Then two things happened:
1) I saw a Toronto based publisher was accepting unagented novels and, since I’ve joined Crime Writers of Canada a group the publisher is affiliated with, I took a chance and prepared it to submit to them.
2) I went on vacation this summer to a rustic spot along Georgian Bay on Lake Huron that was everything I’d imagined the location in Vancouver to be. If you’ve never been to one of the Great Lakes, it’s a lot like being at the ocean. Vast!
I finished writing and polishing my first three chapters and submitted them at the beginning of September. Whether or not this new publisher accepts the novel, I have a home for it with my other, smaller publisher and have some great ideas for marketing.
As far as the title, one had rolled around in my head for a long time and after a couple tweaks to the manuscript, the title Written In Stone, suits to a T. I even have ideas for two more novels set in the same location.
My fingers are crossed this project will get some positive feedback and I’ll be able to do some author events in the same area where the book was written and edited!
While I'm off to do some editing, feel free to check out what my fellow authors have to say!
A.J. Maguire
Connie Vines
Skye Taylor
Judith Copek
Margaret Fieland
Helena Fairfax
Dr. Bob Rich
Rhobin L Courtright
Connie Vines
Skye Taylor
Judith Copek
Margaret Fieland
Helena Fairfax
Dr. Bob Rich
Rhobin L Courtright
