AUTUMN COLORS Anniversary Sale and Contest

Posted on December 30, 2011 by Dawn Essegian Lajeunesse

On January 7, 2012 my first novel, Autumn Colors will celebrate its first full year in print. It’s been a great year, with sales exceeding my goals in spite of the rather high price set by the publisher on both the paperbacks and the e-books. Thanks to all of you who purchased it, and shared or recommended it to your friends and family.

To mark the occasion, I will be offering a special sale price for anyone ordering the book between now and January 7. If you order copies directly through my website during that time, I will send you a signed soft cover copy for just $9.99! Place your orders for the anniversary discount books through my website, http://www.dawnlajeunesse.com, using the Buy button on the Purchase tab.

Additionally, I will be holding a contest to win one hard cover copy and one soft cover copy during this first week of the new year.

If you are the first to answer question #1 correctly, you will win the hard cover copy.
If you are first to answer question #2 correctly, you will win the soft cover copy.

(Hint: the answers can be found on my website!)

Question # 1
Why was main character Kerry afraid to get involved with Tom?

Question # 2
Why did I become a nurse?

Post your answers to the questions as comments to my blog. Winners will be announced as the winning answer comes in, but no later than January 7th.

(If you are strictly an e-book reader, you can purchase Autumn Colors for Kindle or Nook through Amazon and B&N. Unfortunately, I can’t control the price on those, but they are available for $9.99.)

AUTUMN COLORS
Autumn Colors tells the story of Kerry and Charles, who have been married twenty years. However, Kerry never really said goodbye to her first fiancé, Tom, who was lost to her forever nearly thirty years ago. Charles is a loving and patient man, but the persistent presence of Tom gradually erodes their relationship. Just when she finally discovers what she has been throwing away for all of these years, her husband leaves her. Is it too late for them? Has she repeated with Charles the same pattern that had kept Tom at arm’s length for so long? What will it take for Kerry to prove her love to Charles?

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CHRISTMAS WISH TO NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTION

Posted on December 30, 2011 by Dawn Essegian Lajeunesse

I feel a bit like the little girl who didn’t find what she wanted under the tree on Christmas morning.

But I’m not a little girl. So what does a big girl do when she can’t have what she really wants? She modifies her wish and starts looking for ways to make it come true on her own. She’s proactive, not defeatist.

I’m talking, of course, about finding an agent for In Her Mother’s Shoes. I haven’t received any new “no thanks” notes, but time marches on and I’m seeing the writing on the wall. Like so many writers out there, I have a story I want to share, and I’m going to do that one way or another.

So I’ve started researching self-publishing options. Shoes has been edited by three professionals at this point, so the writing is clean. It won’t be one of those self-published books that make you cringe with the poor grammar and dozens of misplaced commas. The story flow has been critiqued and numerous changes made. It’s in great shape. It simply hasn’t caught the fancy of any agent.

In Her Mother’s Shoes explores a woman’s relationships with her family, both past and present. It takes main character, Meredith Fields, on a journey to a more nourishing and nurturing life, and through numerous life adventures along the way – not the least of which is having a chimpanzee left on her doorstep. (Really, it fits in the story line!) It’s a feel-good story with a satisfying, happy ending, along the lines of Maeve Binchy or Debbie Macomber.

I still have manuscripts out there with three agents and two publishers, so that dance hasn’t ended yet. But in the meantime, and in anticipation of the potentially negative responses, I’m ready to look at other options.

A new writer friend of mine was kind enough to share her choice with me. She’d been published traditionally twice, and chose to publish her third book on her own. She researched how to format her book for e-book publication, put it on the market for $.99, and says she has made more money on this book than on the other two combined. She sent me a how-to manual for do-it-yourself e-publishing. I looked at the inch-thick document, read a couple of pages, and fired up the internet for a Google search of self-publishing options. I’m simply not technically savvy and confident enough to do it on my own, although that would give me the most freedom. I also don’t feel I have the time to wade through the manual and use trial and error to get my book out there. Maybe another time, but not this one.

So now I’m looking at a few companies whose names I’ve heard: Xlibris, Abbott, Dog Ear (I love that name – would go with them in a heartbeat just because of the name if I wasn’t so set on making a careful choice!), and Lulu. I’d love to hear from you if you’ve had experience with any of these. A friend has published her book through Xlibris (I wrote about it a couple posts back – Celestial Mesa 2012) and was pleased with them. But I want to explore multiple options and hear from as many of you as possible.

Meanwhile, I can’t help myself – I’m still hoping for a “yes” on at least one of the manuscripts out there!

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THE (HOLIDAY WISH) BEAT GOES ON

Posted on December 21, 2011 by Dawn Essegian Lajeunesse

Just thought I’d update my readers on the status of my persistent drive to land an agent and a traditional publisher.

It’s not looking great.

I’m now up to 32 rejections of 85 queries sent. I have 3 partial manuscripts out there and 1 full manuscript. Both could take into mid to late January to respond. I also sent two queries out to publishers who accept unagented and unsolicited work. They take up to 3 months to reply.

So the waiting game continues, and I’m starting to think about contingency plans.

I spoke this week with an author whose first two novels were published by large, traditional publishers. She chose to self-publish her third one, and is so pleased she not only doesn’t have any second thoughts, she’s not going back.

She says:
“I took the opportunity to explore the new world of self-publishing. It’s been a lot of fun and tremendously rewarding, both creatively and financially. My third book is self-published, and it’s sold more copies than my last Harlequin! In self-publishing, you’re connecting directly with readers, and you have control over the cover, pricing, marketing and distribution.

“I did everything myself, from formatting to cover design. I didn’t go through a company for the very reasons you state–I didn’t want anyone else telling me how to price my book. I’ve priced my self-published title at .99, and I’ve sold more copies and earned more money than I did through Harlequin!

“I know the “stigma” against self-publishing that you’re talking about, but as more and more authors (including some big names) are going that route, that stigma is fast disappearing. The link below is to an article in USA Today about self-publishing that speaks to this issue:

http://www.usatoday.com/life/books/news/story/2011-12-14/self-published-authors-ebooks/51851058/1.”

And so, my friends, I am actually considering going this route if my Christmas Wish doesn’t come true by mid-January. Then it may be time to move from the Christmas Wish stage to my New Year’s Resolution: In Her Mother’s Shoes will be out there in 2012.

Persistence can be defined more than one way!

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CELESTIAL MESA 2012 – A NOVEL – THE STORY BEHIND THE MAYAN PROPHESIES

Posted on December 17, 2011 by Dawn Essegian Lajeunesse

The Mayans predicted that on December 21, 2012, the world as we know it would come to an end.

Just Released! In Celestial Mesa 2012, Sharon Delaney builds a suspense-filled story of the history and religions of the ancient tribes of Central America and the southern United States. Here’s the back-of-the-book blurb:

“The Cherokee Nation has been sued by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, claiming they murdered the Mound Builders Indians of the American southeast in the fifteenth century.
A tribal elder, Running Dog Paxton, has called Sue Benson, a canine search and rescue expert and his best friend, to help him discover the truth of their innocence. Their investigation leads them through the ancient history and religions of several tribes who abandoned their opulent cities of centuries past, including the Olmecs, the Mayans and the Aztecs, and then the Anasazi and Hopi of the southwestern United States. Each tribe confessed their knowledge of the Mound Builders as described in their prophesies – the same prophecies which related to the destruction of the earth on December 21, 2012.”

Sharon Delaney spent over forty years supporting lawyers in the courtroom. She began her search and rescue work with her dog right after the bombing of the Murrah Building in Oklahoma City in 1995. Upon retirement she reinvented herself and has written three other books: The Grass Whispers, Near the Water’s Edge, and Blatant Sacrifice. Her greatest pleasure in life is to present her readers the stories of Sue Benson and a big German Shepherd Dog, Edgar. Sharon lives with her husband and their German Shepherd in Alberton, Montana.

There’s still time to add Celestial Mesa 2012 to your Christmas wish list or to give it as a gift that will thrill and entertain. It is available in “real book” and e-book formats through Amazon

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Writer’s Holiday Wish – Will it Come Tr

Posted on December 10, 2011 by Dawn Essegian Lajeunesse

Writer’s Holiday Wish – Will it Come True? http://ow.ly/7V2wn

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Might Holiday Wishes Come True?

Posted on December 10, 2011 by Dawn Essegian Lajeunesse

I’m wondering if a little Christmas magic is in play. Two weeks ago I admitted that my holiday wish (and most writers, if they were honest) was to land an agent so I could have my next book (currently titled In Her Mother’s Shoes) published by a major publisher.  At that point I had queried 65 agents and amassed 11 rejections. Since then my agent query list has grown to 85 and a whopping 25.

So why am I pleased?

Because in that same time I also received 3 requests for partial and full manuscripts. Yes, I know they could still say “Sorry, but…”. However, this is 3 chances closer to hitting the jackpot as I have defined it – my Christmas wish.

I also realize that there’s a good chance those agents won’t get back to me by Christmas. So technically I won’t be getting my holiday wish. But just the hope may be enough to carry me.

So I’m heading into the prime holiday season with raised spirits. The last few rejections that filtered in didn’t hit me like yet another sucker punch, because I carry my holiday hope close. I may even put off sending out any more queries until after the holidays – chances are they wouldn’t get answered or would be an easy “no” as the agents wade through their overwhelming piles of queries. Instead I’m going to bask in the pleasure of knowing there are three rays of hope out there.

Maybe my holiday wish will come true!

And I’m hoping yours may, also!

 

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A Writer’s Holiday Wish

Posted on November 29, 2011 by Dawn Essegian Lajeunesse

Several postings ago I wrote about the importance of persistence. I keep pulling that up for my own encouragement as I continue my pursuit of that elusive treasure – a YES from an agent, which would give me at least a shot at a major publisher for book #2. By the way, the book #2 I’ve written about in the past has a new name and a proposed new look! Sentimental Journey  stepped aside for the more fitting (and perhaps less hokey) title, In Her Mother’s Shoes.

Since July I have been sending out queries to agents who handle women’s fiction. A daunting 174 appear in QueryTracker in response to a search for agents who are open to submissions AND have a website (so I can learn more about them and their books) AND accept email queries. Perhaps, if I do not succeed with emails, I may open the list up to those who only accept snail mail queries. But by then my persistence may just have run its course. We’ll see. Actually, the 174 agents include multiple agents from the same agencies, so the selection actually is much smaller than that – approximately  half, by my visual assessment.

My hopes were raised back in September when I received not one, but two requests for the full manuscript. Alas, both subsequently rejected it, with one specifically saying it was too slow. So I sent the manuscript off to my former instructor, Mark Spencer, who did a slash and burn. It would have upset me if I hadn’t been prepared – he did the same for me with Autumn Colors, and the result was a better flow. So I made the edits he recommended, taking the manuscript from 96,000 words down to 88,000.

Then, after many more rejections based solely on the query, I sought assistance from Andrea Hurst, and we improved upon that. Through it all, I’d been bothered by the title. Although the main character did indeed go on a sentimental journey, that title fell short of capturing the book’s theme. Then one night as I drifted off to sleep, the new title came to me. Fearing I wouldn’t remember it in the morning, I dragged myself out of bed and wrote it down. Unfortunately, that had the effect of revving up my brain, as I played with potential cover art.

So here I am, over 4 months into my query process, and I’ve yet to achieve my goal. I did receive (just this morning!) a request for a partial manuscript. And I’ve received a number of rejections. But mostly the queried agents have been silent – and as many of you know, in this business no news is not good news. Since September, when I started using QueryTracker, I’ve queried a total of 65 agents and received 11 rejections and one partial manuscript request.  I have maybe 40 or so to go, eliminating the agency duplicates and those who are only accepting submissions by referral, as well as those who rejected me earlier.  I’ll keep at it, following my own advice to be persistent.

But it will come as no surprise to you that my holiday wish is to celebrate the incoming new year with the coveted gift of an agent contract. And since I’m feeling generous, I’ll wish the same for any of you who are traveling the same road.

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SHAKE UP YOUR LIFE AND WRITE MORE!

Posted on November 6, 2011 by Dawn Essegian Lajeunesse

Well, it’s official – I didn’t get laid off from my full time job, so I need to bite the bullet and find a way to deal with working another 3-4 years while continuing my pursuit of publication that pays. (Hmm, maybe I should have used that for the title of this post: Pursuit of Publication that Pays – catchy alliteration, huh? But it’s not really what this is about).

I did a lot of whining in my last post. I’m past that now. I know that I need to create balance, since I won’t be handed the gift of time (in the form of unemployment, which came with its own price). So I decided to shake up my usual patterns and see if the freshness revives both my energy and my creativity.

It’s not easy to do, you know, especially when you are “of a certain age.” Changing lifelong habits gets harder with the passing years. I’m grateful the habits I need to change are not addictions, like smoking or substance use, but just patterns of life.

I’ve always been a morning person, so it seemed natural that if I wanted to fit exercise into my life, it should happen first thing in the morning. But there’s a downside to that. Not only does it mean getting up earlier (and losing sleep in the process), but having to pack everything needed to shower and dress to go to my professional job. So my first shake-up (those of you who aren’t morning people will never understand how hard this is) is to change my workout times to after work. It means I can sleep 2 extra hours and don’t have to pack anything but workout clothes and sweats to wear home after my workout. No more remembering to pack towels. No more “oops, I forgot underwear” that means I have to wear wet workout bras under my work clothes all day. I’m going to try this for at least two weeks and see if it works better for my life (and mental state).

I’m also letting go of my obsession with distance running for the next few years. I can manage a much more modest workout schedule, stay fit, and create time to accomplish other activities. It’s not like I’m a competitive runner who will lose precious competitive years. I’m not even a jogger. I’m a schlogger – I schlog through 13.1 or 26.1 miles. I’ll still be able to schlog in 3-4 years as long as I maintain basic fitness until then.

I’m also going to make a commitment to play one day every weekend. That means I have to reserve the non-play day to be really productive – but most research shows that taking a break from your work allows you to return to it refreshed and ultimately more productive.

Okay, so I’m the first to admit that this post is probably pretty boring for the average reader – and I apologize for wavering from my usual goal of writing about writing. But really, I didn’t waver in this case – because this really is about my finding time to accomplish both writing (book #3 in process!) and all the writing-related activities, so I can maintain my writer presence until such time as I can commit to it full time.

And who knows, maybe one or more of my books will do well enough to help me escape the contrictions of a full time job and long commute!

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THE LIGHTER SIDE OF LIFE

Posted on October 23, 2011 by Dawn Essegian Lajeunesse

I’m about to reveal my age by this post – oh, wait, I did that in the last post, so I have nothing to hide!

I graduated from high school in 1967. I was a cheerleader in those hope-filled years. Somehow, a photo of all of the cheerleaders, plus the soccer team and the 1968 class officers ended up blown up and on the wall of the Friendly’s on Hoosick Street in Troy, NY. Last Sunday we pulled together a reunion of most of the eleven cheerleaders in that photo for a “then and now” shot. What great fun we had for those few hours, reconnecting and reminiscing. The Friendly’s staff requested a copy of one of the photos for their newsletter and possibly for another wall photo. Thanks to all who came and brought cameras, and thanks to the very accomodating Friendly’s staff. Here is one of the shots:

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CROSSROADS

Posted on October 21, 2011 by Dawn Essegian Lajeunesse

When is it time to admit to yourself that you’ll never make a living as a fiction writer?

When should you abandon your lifelong dream?

When does the cost of pursuing that illusion become too high when the benefits are too few?

I ask myself these questions daily – sometimes more than daily.

I’m tired and discouraged.

Lately I’ve questioned why I invite the optional pressures into my already busy existence.

I live in a rural area where most of the available jobs pay little more than minimum wage. So in order to earn a (real) living, I have to drive 84 miles one way to get to my job. I work full time. So add the nearly 3-hours of commuting to my 8-hour day and my work day spans eleven hours.

Then there are the days I have to go to NYC for my job. On those days I leave my house at 4:30am and get home sometime between 8 and 9pm.

So my work days tend to be long. But then I add on the voluntary activities.

I get up most work mornings at 2:30am. WHY??? You ask. Well, I need to spend up to an hour doing my social media marketing activities and checking for emails from potential agents, and on an otherwise slow morning, editing my current manuscript-in-progress. By 3:30 I need to be on the road to go to the gym. Yes, exercise is optional, sort of. But not if you want to stay healthy and maintain a level of energy to sustain the other activities in a
busy life. And not if you like to challenge your body in marathons and half-marathons. Yes, those are optional. But without those goals, I’m not sure the pure health benefits would keep me exercising. I have to start work at 7:30am, but I try to be there by 6:30 to give myself another hour to work on writing-related “stuff.” By the time I get home at close to 6pm (or 8:30pm on NYC days), all I can do is suck down a quick dinner, pack my gym bag for the next day, and go to bed so I can get up and do it all over again the next day.
I can’t afford not to do this – I have bills that won’t go away just because I’m tired of the rat race.

Did I mention I’m turning 62 next week?

I’ve published one novel, Autumn Colors, through a small publisher (and then self-published when it went out of print). I’m still in the red on that one, since I had to do
all of my own promotion and buy my supply of books. I’ve so far sent queries for my second novel, Sentimental Journey, to nearly 20 agents. I’ve received about 15 rejections, and I’m assuming the rest are rejections without responses, since it’s been over 3 months. I keep reminding myself that lots of successful books were rejected multiple times before they hit it big. I recently heard that The Help was rejected 65 times, and we all know how that turned out. I keep going back to the manuscript to find the shortcomings that might be keeping it from producing a “yes” from an agent. This weekend I will spend most of the two days reworking parts of it in hopes of getting to that illusive “yes.”

This week I received word that Autumn Colors, which I submitted for the Writer’s Digest Self-Published Book Awards, did not get so much as an honorable mention.

Did I mention I have a husband and we used to enjoy doing things together? But this obsession with making a success of writing has taken over what little free time I have, and I resent the intrusion of dinner invitations and other social activities that I used to enjoy.

So…

When is it time to admit to yourself that you’ll never make a living as a fiction writer?

When should you abandon your lifelong dream?

When does the cost of pursuing that illusion become too high when the benefits are too few?

Well…

I haven’t reached 65 rejections yet. My husband hasn’t threatened to divorce me yet.

I’m tired, but that illusive butterfly seems just beyond my reach, and if I just try a little harder, a little longer, maybe this time…. “Maybe this time, I’ll be lucky,” as the song goes. “All the odds are – they’re in my favor…” “It’s gonna happen, happen sometime…” “Maybe this time I’ll win.”

So my answer this morning, as it has been for years now, is…not yet.

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