Publishing News Kismet

In November, I had the amazing opportunity to attend the WriterUnboxed Unconference in Salem Massachusetts, as well as the privilege of sharing space with 120 other highly motivated and highly talented writers and authors.

It was my third time to attend and I’m hoping to rack up a fourth in 2021. If you’re not familiar with WriterUnboxed, it is an organization and blog site dedicated to empowering positive and provocative ideas about the craft of fiction. That philosophy is integral to the WriterUnboxed Unconference, where craft is the sole focus.

You won’t find sessions on promotion, marketing, advertising, and no pitch sessions with agents. Character, plot, motivation, scene development, story, and writer discipline are the sole topics of discussion for five whole exhausting, but exhilarating, days. There was an incredible amount of sharing among us writers about our hopes, dreams, goals, struggles, successes. And for a lucky few, some exciting publishing news. 

I count myself lucky.

First, a bit of backstory, I have two novels (romantic suspense and paranormal romance) published with small publishers and I had submitted a completed manuscript of my first work of women’s fiction to Red Adept Publishing in July, 2019. Since then, I had incorporated edits and revisions that I believed made the story better, more marketable and had come to the conclusion that I had jumped the gun, submitted too soon. And so I had written off that opportunity, chalking it up to another valuable writing/publishing lesson learned.

I hoped that the WriterUnboxed Unconference would provide inspiration on how to make my story sing an octave higher and I would submit to other publishers and maybe even an agent or two (or 100—you know how that goes).

It was on the last session of the last day of the conference, as I was soaking up everything agent Don Maass had to say in his workshop, that I surreptitiously checked my email under the table.

One message popped. It was from Red Adept Publishing. “I’ve tried to call you three times and it went to voicemail.” Whaaa???? After sharing the message across the table with my dear friend, Danna Walker, who silently matched my enthusiasm (after all, we were listening to Don Maass’ words of wisdom), I scurried upstairs to my hotel room to place a return call. What followed was a lovely conversation with the publisher and an offer of a contract. That simple email as the Writer Unboxed Unconference was winding down, led to my joy at signing a contract for my third novel, tentatively titled, “The Opposite of Amnesia.” 

It’s impossible to convey my level of surprise at the news and, I have to admit, trepidation at the thought of the editing process that awaits me. But I couldn’t be happier that my story has been embraced by Red Adept.

Call it kismet, irony, a preordained alignment of the stars, but it was the perfect setting for me to receive such unexpected and incredibly welcome news and to be able to share it with my dear friend. Which is all to say, you just never know. 

Truly. 

Four whole months had passed since my submission and I had convinced myself that my story wasn’t good enough. That I wasn’t going to hear back. That I had made a grave mistake by submitting to a publisher that was above my pay grade. But she had lovely things to say about my story. I wish I had written down her words, but I was too immersed in the unexpected conversation to have such presence of mind. 

I know that almost every writer who’s gotten a book deal, whether bundled with a six-figure advance or simply a promise of future royalties, advises not to give up. Well, I’m simply adding to the chorus.

The absolute last thing I expected during my five days in Salem was a publishing deal for my latest manuscript with a wonderful publisher. So, at the risk of being unoriginal, I’m going to add my voice to the mix and say, “Don’t give up.” Keep writing, keep editing, keep revising, keep submitting, keep stretching your writing chops. Today could be the day, or tomorrow, or next week, or next month, or next year. Every key stroke brings you closer to your goal of publication. But, whether it’s your first published novel or your third, each one is a deep dive into uncharted publishing waters. You just gotta stay afloat until you make it to shore—however long that takes.

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Densie Webb (not Denise) has spent a long career as a freelance nonfiction writer and editor, specializing in health and nutrition, and has published several books on the topic. She grew up in Louisiana, spent 13 years in New York City, and settled in Austin, TX, where it’s summer nine months out of the year. She is an avid walker (not of the dead variety, though she adores zombies, vampires and apocalyptic stories), drinks too much coffee, and has a small “devil dog” that keeps her on her toes. She has arrested development in musical tastes and her two grown children provide her with musical recommendations on a regular basis. 

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The fiction bug bit her several years ago and she now has two novels, You’ll Be Thinking of Me, published by Soul Mate Publishing, and Le Reméde, published by Wild Rose Press. She is under contract with Red Adept Publishing for her third novel, a work of women’s fiction, tentatively titled, “The Opposite of Amnesia.” She also recently had her essay: “Boob Job Regrets: In Appreciation of Your Previously Small Chest,” included in an anthology compiled by Randy Susan Meyers, titled Women Under Scrutiny: An Anthology of Truths, Essays, Poems, Stories & Art. All proceeds from the anthology go to Rosie’s Place in Boston, a sanctuary for poor and homeless women. And her flash fiction piece, The Prank, was in the top ten finalists for Women on Writing’s Summer 2019 Flash Fiction contest. 

Website: www.densiewebb.com

Facebook: Densie L. Webb

Twitter: @dlwebb 

Email: densiewebb@gmail.com 

 

Le Remède, Densie Webb

Andie Rogé craves control like some people crave chocolate. But she can’t control her feelings when she encounters Vincent Dubois at Lizzie Borden’s Bar.

Tortured by blood lust that has ruled him for almost two hundred years, Vincent is unprepared for the pull he feels toward Andie. He can only surrender to what he knows is fate.

Offered a cure from a rare black orchid, he faces an agonizing choice—take the only dose and join Andie in the human life he so deeply desires or give the cure to his Kindred brother to stop his bloody rampage. Fate brought them together but will it destroy their chance at a future?

BUY THE BOOK HERE

 

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