Welcome guest Danica Favorite

What I learned since I left the island...

www.danicafavorite.com

So many people think that getting published means that so much in your life will change. Honestly, what I've learned is how little things change. Here are a few things people think will change (and doesn't).

·         Recognition as a published author: Even when you get the “unpublished” sticker off your forehead, there's always going to be someone who doesn't think you're a real writer- either because you write X genre or because you haven't published X number of books or you aren't making X amount of money. 

·         The money: Okay, I will admit that I got an advance, and it wasn't shabby. It also isn't going to buy me a vacation home in the mountains. But, easy come, easy go, as they say. I no sooner put the money from my advance in the bank than my dog got diabetes (not fun vet bills), my kid got nominated to go on a very expensive school trip, and a whole lot of other little things popped up to suck the money right out. Don't get me wrong, I am so grateful for the money and grateful that we were able to take care of the situations that sprung up. But we still live in the same house, have the same lifestyle, and that's okay.

·         The writing: I've had so many people tell me that it gets easier when you're published. I don't know what kool-aid they were drinking, but I've found it not to be true. For me, it is exactly the same. I'm plugging along on my next book, hoping my editor will like it, and hoping that if she gets back to me with the word that she doesn't like it, it's in time to fix it.

·         The wait: Many people also think that the wait changes once you become published. It's funny, because I know a number of published authors who have been waiting to hear back on their submissions for their option books as the unpublished authors.

So what does this all mean for the people still on the island?  I think you have to take a step back from your expectations of what's going to change in your life and realize that the nature of the publishing business is exactly what you've been witnessing all along. Here are a few pieces of advice to combat the temptation to think everything is going to change:

·         Accept that no matter where you are in the publishing journey, whether on the island or off, YOU ARE A REAL WRITER. Other people's definitions don't matter.

·         Be grateful for whatever money comes your way, but be realistic in thinking that it's not going to change your life overnight. (Unless you get a million dollar book deal, and in that case, I'd love to know how it's done!) Don't plan your financial future based on a book deal that may or may not come your way.

·         Remember that a contract isn't a ticket to continued publishing success. Always strive to grow as a writer, and no matter what, keep writing. Especially if you're waiting.

·         The worst thing you can do is stop writing or slow your pace while waiting. So many of my friends sent partials and then stopped writing because they wanted to know what the editor thought of the partial before writing more, and then couldn't deliver when asked for a full. We've all heard the adage that you can't edit a blank page. Spend the waiting time finishing the current project or working on the next one so that you have something to offer when the editor wants more.

Now it's your turn: If you're still on the island, what do you think or hope will change by leaving the island? And for those who've left the island, what did you think would change that didn't?


Danica's debut book for Love Inspired Historicals, set to release late 2014 or early 2015:

Joseph Stone comes to the mining town of Leadville, Colorado to find his missing father and bring him home to support their impoverished family. Instead, he finds an illegitimate sister he didn't know existed and clues that his father may have been murdered over a hidden silver mine. The sole hope for keeping his siblings out of an orphanage is to find the mine- before his father's killer does.

An area in Leadville representative of where the mining camp would have been. Of course, in the book, there would have been far fewer trees because the wood was needed for support beams for the mines as well as for construction, heating, etc.

Annabelle Lassiter is worn out from working in her father's ministry to aid struggling miners. She doesn't believe their work is doing any good in a lawless town full of people interested only in getting rich quick. All she wants is to leave Leadville to create a new life for herself, away from the pain of working amidst so much tragedy. At her father's urging, she reluctantly sets out to help what she believes is just one more miner in a sea of thousands.

My family and I took the Leadville train, very similar to what my heroine would have been taking out of Leadville at the end of the book.

As Annabelle and Joseph work together to care for his younger sister while trying to find the mine, they learn to look past the preconceived notions they had of each other to see something deeper. But even as they consider the risks to their hearts by becoming involved, the greater risk may be to their lives.

Because my book takes place in Leadville during the silver mining boom, and a lost silver mine plays such an important role in my book, I'm giving away a vial of Colorado silver.

Leave a comment to be included in the drawing!!

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For more birthday details check here.

Hi Everyone, Audra here!

Can you believe it's time for ANOTHER Seekerville birthday party? There's a great month ahead -- we're just getting started! In addition to Danica's generous giveaway of real-live, honest-to-goodness silver (!!), leave a comment for more giveaway drawings --  TWO $10 Amazon gift cards.

Join us each day for fun in the sun and valuable conversation!!