VICTORY!



It's been a long journey and an arduous battle but at last, we are victorious!  All those years of persistence and dedication to telling the story of the fall of Alexander the Great's dynasty has finally come to fruition. I HAVE A CONTRACT FOR PUBLICATION!!!

Yes, the Media Arias Publisher in UK have sent me a contract which will be signed and delivered within the next few days. I've gone over it with a knowledgeable friend and will go over it again with information from the Writers' Union, but it looks very good.

I was a bit reluctant when they suggested they would like to make it into two books, because of its length. But after consulting with them and with my friends who know the story, I've decided this may be the best way to go. And it means TWO books instead of one.  The first book will hopefully be published by August 2014 and the second volume a bit later than that (not too much later, I hope!)

This 'victory' was accomplished because I wouldn't give up. Though I'd sent out many queries (most of which didn't even get a reply), just before I left on my journey to UK and Greece in June, I had decided to send out a couple more queries. Two days later Media Arias replied asking to see the full manuscript. I had a good feeling about them -- not only because of their promptness, but because evidently their director is a fan of Mary Renault and other writers about this history.  Meanwhile, when I was away I got three other requests for the MSS but had to wait til I returned. And then the news came that they wanted to publish it and just a couple of weeks later the contract arrived!

The lesson here for other writers is, DON'T GIVE UP! Because eventually someone will recognize the worth of you story. I am more than thrilled. But I won't start to really celebrate until next week when I ink my name onto the last page of the contract and send it off to the publishers. Then it's a done deal. And after all these years I'll be a published author. Not only that, but my novel, which I spent so many years to write, will finally be made available to the public.

Alexander was with me all the way. And when I was in Greece this summer I knew he was there, giving me courage. I am proud of this accomplishment and dedicate this in his memory.