I received my first rejection and decided to channel the twinge in my chest into a swivel on the heel and a sway of the hips. Dance with me. Make it a country-western line dance. Maybe a neoclassical ballet. Or my personal favorite, the Humpty Dance.
This will not bring me down.
I began my hunt for a literary agent–one who would love my story as much as I do–expecting hundred rejections and years of No, No, No. This is a difficult hunt, full of refusal and heartache. But even after my mental preparedness, the twinge of the first No still hurts. Each rejection adds to the million reasons NOT to write. Won’t stop me, though. I’ll never be able to ignore that goddamn whisper in my head. The one that says, You’ve got stories in the attic, Godwin. Write them!
So, stand up and point your slippers, cowboy boots and Air Force 1’s. Here’s to my first rejection.
Hi Pam,
It was so nice meeting you at Thrillerfest, and I want to thank you so much for letting me review HALLOWED EVE. Unfortunately, after careful consideration, I think it is best at this time for me to step aside.
There is no doubt that you are a talented writer, and your abilities show through in your strong and clear voice. The story is certainly action-packed and kept me engaged. But in the end, I just didn’t connect with the story as I had hoped I would be able to. I believe you are definitely on to something here, Pam, and I encourage you to continue writing. That being said, I just didn’t feel confident enough about my ability to sell your work in order to offer you representation. I sincerely wish you the best of luck with it, and I thank you, once again, both for being in touch with me and allowing me to review it.
All best,
Stephanie