After debating about the changes the editor had suggested about my story, I agreed to add the sex scene in Chapter one and started working on it over the past weekend. I wasn’t feeling all that motivated about it until the editor emailed me Tuesday asking if I’d made the changes because she wanted to see the new chapter and the rest of the draft.

That was all the motivation I needed and I finished the scene and sent the full draft to her Tuesday night, California time. Wednesday morning she’d offered me a contract.  That’s a turnaround time of 12 hours, which shocked the hell out of me.

I’m not going to say which pub it is just yet, since we’re discussing some issues of title and the contract details, but soon, I promise.

I know my experience isn’t typical, getting two contracts from the first two places I subbed the work to, but I’m definitely enjoying how it’s all working out so far. Maybe I won’t wake up and find it’s all just a dream.

I’m doing some research about negotiating a contract, so if any of you have some resources to suggest, please do. I am also trying to find an entertainment or IP lawyer with publishing experience to take a look, just so I know which battles are worth fighting and which aren’t.

More soon!

Word Counts - Today: 0 | October: 21,290 | 2008: 326,424

I was emailing about ten days ago with an editor about possibly submitting a short story for an anthology and mentioned my novel PROJECT RUNAWAY, which is an M/M twist on the Runaway Bride storyline.  After about a week of freaking out over doing my first synopsis and boiling down 60,000 words into 4 pages, I finally bit the bullet and sent it off last night.

I sent Storm Grant a copy of the synopsis after the fact, and it got her seal of approval, so I thought maybe I haven’t totally embarrassed myself. I settled in to wait a couple of weeks for a response from the pub.

You can imagine I was shocked to get a pretty positive response about an hour ago–less than 24 hours after sending off my query!  The editor wants to discuss making a few changes, such as adding some sex scenes and maybe changing the title, but at least she seems really interested. I’m not sure just how much I want to change this, or whether I just want to try another publisher… but I didn’t get a rejection, and quite honestly, that means a lot to me right now! There is hope!

I’m curious from other published authors out there, am I better off making the changes and (hopefully) making a sale or trying somewhere else?

Word Counts - Today: 0 | October: 21,290 | 2008: 326,424

I’m thrilled to finally be able to announce that the story I submitted to Torquere for their ‘Tis the Season Taste Test  last month has been accepted! It will be one of three stories in a holiday-themed anthology.

I got an email last week from the editor telling me he wanted to use my story, but I wanted to wait until I got the contract in the mail, just to be sure it’s all really happening!  And it is!

I’m practically still pinching myself that my very first submission anywhere ever was accepted. Of course, I need to be aware that it’s probably not going to be as easy as this next time around, but for now, my head is still in the clouds. If only I could tell my mother! I’m not sure if she’d be more shocked to discover I’m writing gay fiction or that I’m writing erotica. Best not to frighten her at all, or just be very vague about this.

The ‘Tis the Season Taste Test is scheduled to be published in December. I’ll be making regular updates here about the editing process.

And, I’m working on the next submission already.

Word Counts - Today: 500 | October: 16,984 | 2008: 322,118

Word Counts - Today: 350 | October: 9,022 | 2008: 314,156