Tuesday, February 4, 2014

Publication Process and Guilty Pleasures

Waiting games are the worst.


Considering how long it took for me to receive a positive response for my queries, I suppose I should've learned a thing or two about delayed gratification. Nope. Guess that's part of being a millennial.

Working with my publishing company has been a very surreal experience. Sure, it's surreal in the fact that I can actually say I'm working with a publishing company, but it's also a tad bit more relaxed than I thought. College taught me to follow up with professional companies and to make sure you're always on top of things in the business world. The creative realm, as I'm learning, does not follow those rules. Honestly, I couldn't be happier. This "things will pass when they pass" attitude with which I'm left is exactly what I wanted for a (hopefully) budding career and has only solidified that working in a cubicle atmosphere is not the path for me. 

But I digress. Long story short: my manuscript is in an edit query, and I will be contacted when they need my input for changes and cover art. I guess I do get that time to stretch back and revel in the fact that I "made it" into the published author club. At least I can take some time to focus on my other two stories and maybe get another manuscript polished  for future querying. 

SPEAKING OF STORIES! 


I recently finished the Teen Wytche series by Ariella Moon. The series was the much needed break from my overly busy schedule. It consists of three books: Spell Check, Spell Struck, and Spell Fire. Each book focuses on a teenage girl whose life changes through an ancient grimoire (that's "magic book" for you not in the know.) I call them my guilty pleasure books, because they're very different from my usual literary diet of sci-fi and mythological series (that usually have male protagonists.)

The Teen Wytche books remind me of the old fan fictions I used to write, and I mean that in the best possible way! Any woman, no matter the age, looking for sweet tales of magic and romance should really give these books a read. I assure you that one of the three very diverse protagonists will speak to you and, despite your best efforts, you will feel all warm and fuzzy inside when the girls have happy endings. 


That's not to say there isn't conflict, because the books have plenty of it. Despite being centered around romance, the protagonists have to face several challenges and learn more about themselves in the process. Each girl starts with very personal problems (such as family deaths and mental disorders,) and they must first overcome their own problems before worrying about finding their dream guys. The fast-paced action is peppered in with personal reflection and character bonding, and you'll find yourself quickly falling into Moon's beautiful worlds of teen magic.

Overall, Ariella Moon did a great job writing a sweet YA fantasy/romance series that breaks out of the cookie cutter teen paranormal romances of late. I thoroughly enjoyed reading the series that, though each book can stand on its own, is linked through an old magic book. If you teach middle or high school or know any adolescent girls, tell them about this series. You'll be known as the "cool teacher/relative/friend" soon enough!

For more information on the series, check out Moon's website: http://www.ariellamoon.com/