Every time I read these “My first sale” stories I always wonder how those initial publishers that rejected those manuscripts feel when seeing how well your books are received and adored by legions of fans and other authors.

Awesome story!

All your books are great. I will tell you this… the first book I ever read by you was “Awaken Me Darkly” I loved Kyrin, after reading that I was hooked.

Congrats on your past success and all the future ones you are going to have.

Marley = )

You saved me from committing suicide! Okay, maybe that’s a little extreme, but I’ve been really, really low lately, and after reading this story, I have hope.

I relate to so much of this. Like you, I wrote a bazillion (okay, seven) novels before I finally signed with a (wonderful) agent. Then that first book she repped didn’t sell anywhere – it was too YA for the adult market and too adult for the YA market. Sigh. So I wrote another one, made sure it was firmly Adult Urban Fantasy, No Room For Debate. It’s currently on submission and getting summarily rejected (the usual “I just didn’t fall in love” line…) It’s still out there, but I’m not encouraged about its prospects. Thankfully, my agent is, bless her heart.

Still, to hedge my bets, I’ve started yet another novel. For about a day I felt pretty good about it, thinking maybe this time, this book will be loved. Then, doubt crept in and crippled my desire to write. No one will like this one either. I will never be published. I’ll never get to share my stories with the world. I should just take up accounting, and I definitely shouldn’t quit my day job (no, you don’t want to know what I do for a “living”…)

Every writer I know, it seems most recently, has done this: agent–>contract! BAM! So I thought I was an anomaly, a flawed and hopeless case, with my agent–>heck no–>maybe…er, no progression. Now that I’m not alone (still, I wish you could’ve been spared this nightmare scenario), I think I’ll keep writing this book. Maybe someday I can say, I got my first sale almost the same way as Gena Showalter. :-)

By the way, I picked up one of your books in the Darkest series and luuuurved it. I’m getting the others ASAP. You rock!

You know, things worked out the way they were meant to. I didn’t realize at the time, but all that pain was worth it. I wouldn’t be where I am now if things had happened differently. Christy, nope, all the other books are still buried. And what a shame — Heaven’s Fury is a real gem LOL

Sigh. If I didn’t love her so much, I might hate her.

Jackie, so many of us feel that way!

Seriously, I had the pleasure of doing a book tour with Gena and learned right away that she is one of those amazing people you want to keep as a friend for life. She’s so genuine and honest and funny and kind. My favorite Gena Showalter novel is whatever is most recent!

Gena, I never knew about the sale/no-sale. If my respect for your work ethic could go up, it just would have…but it’s already at the top. Your creativity and talent amaze me! Not to mention your stick-to-it attitude. Wow. Shame on that other publisher. I bet they’re kicking themselves in the arse now! (Success is the best revenge!)

Mega congrats, Gena, and thank you for so many wonderful books!

So… tell us… what happened with all of those other manuscripts that you didn’t sell? Or did you eventually?…. (inquiring minds want to know!).

*scampering off to pimp more* (See? I’m tireless in my efforts to make you Queen of the World!) ((HUGS))