The hardest thing I have ever done, is chase my dream to become a writer.
I completed my first novel in 2012 and started sending query letters to agents in the same year. Naive, I expected literary agents to basically fight over it. They did not. My first novel, a literary fiction, was an utter disaster. I didn't give up on it though. I queried the mess of a book for four years, editing and rewriting. I never got a request from an agent–not one.
I started writing my second book in 2015. It was a paranormal romance. I started querying that in the same year. I was very excited to send it out because I thought I had written pure gold. Unlike my first novel, I actually got a few requests...that all turned into rejections. I gave up on that in 2017. I started writing my third novel in the same year. I took a different approach with this one, actually drafting and plotting rather than just sitting and writing. When I started querying in 2018, I received a lot of request from agents. Though, they all turned to rejections.
I knew I had something special, but it just needed more work. I didn't want to give up on this one...I couldn't give up on it. In 2018, I decided to enter Pitch Wars. Pitch Wars changed my life!! Seriously. In October, I received the news that I got into Pitch Wars. My mentor was the amazing Kristin Wright who totally understand my book. She knew all the things my book was missing and knew how to help me. And damn, did I need help! Finally, it seemed like everything was going well–I could see the light.
For four intense months, I worked with Kristin to perfect my novel. On February 12th, when my novel was in great shape, I submitted a few query letters to agents. On the same day, I got a few requests. Yayy! Things were looking good. On the morning of February 13th, I woke up, checked my email, and saw that I had an offer from an agent who read my novel within hours of me sending it to her. I'll admit, I cried and screamed a lot. FINALLY!! After all the years of rejections, someone saw me.
I spoke to the offering agent, and it was a great, detailed conversation. She understand my book, she loved my book, she thought I was talented. I thought she was perfect. After the phone call, I cried some more–tears of joy, of course. In the same week, I received another offer from another incredible agent. In the end, I went with Kevan Lyon, the first agent to offer. She was the right fit for me!!
And that's how I got my literary agent. And about a month after getting an agent, I got a book deal with Berkley!!
My faith planned a significant part in keeping my head up after soooo much rejection. My favourite Bible verse was on repeat in my head.
Proverbs 18: 16 - A man's gift maketh room for him, and bringeth him before great men.