My Advice to Writers
If you are anything like me than you have received the advice to ‘never give up’ over and over again. And generally it’s coming from an author who published their first book after only five rejections or an agent who’s already rejected you and you think ‘what do they know’.
Well now you’re going to hear it again, only this time it’s coming from someone who has been where you are. Realm Walker is not my first, second or even third book. It is, in fact, my fifth. I started submitting this book almost two years before I sold it to Carina. It went through so many changes (including a POV shift) that it isn’t even recognizable as that original book anymore. It was rejected over 100 times and I thought many times about just giving up and setting it aside.
But I loved this book. I love the world it’s set in, the characters and the story. I wasn’t ready to let it die. So I tried again and this time I sold not only it, but the second book in the series which hadn’t even been written yet. And I’ll tell you something, all those changes I made to get this book to what it is today made it a better book.
My fourth book sat on my shelf of shame for several years, mainly because it was completely devoid of any kind of emotional conflict. I pulled it out completely rewrote it and got an agent after only three weeks of querying. I think I sent ten total and pitched four agents in person and as opposed to rejections, I withdrew most of those when I signed with my agent.
What about those first three books you ask? They will never, ever see the light of day. I might revive a character or two, or steal a plot thread, but those books are horrible. And I kind of knew that even as I was writing them. I had to learn the craft, learn what worked and what didn’t. The time and effort I put forth on those books was worth it simply because it helped me improve my skills. A minute spent writing is never a wasted minute.
So take it from someone that’s been there. Keep working, keep writing and keep trying. You never know when it might pay off.
Realm Walker
Realm Walker Series
Book One
Kathleen Collins
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Publisher: Carina Press
Date of Publication: October 28, 2013
ISBN: 9781426896545
ASIN: B00E1V5S3S
Word Count: 76,000
Book Description:
An estranged mate, a mangled body and a powerful demon who calls her by name…
As a Realm Walker for the Agency, Juliana Norris tracks deadly paranormal quarry using her unique ability to see magical signatures. She excels at her job, but her friends worry about her mysterious habit of dying in the line of duty without staying dead. That’s only the first of her secrets.
Most people don’t know Juliana became the mate of master vampire Thomas Kendrick before he abandoned her seven years ago. Most people don’t know the horrors she endured at the hands of the vampire he left in command. Most people don’t know her true parentage, or why a demon on a world-threatening rampage has taken a personal interest in her…
Even as Juliana pursues the demon, it goes after all she holds dear—including Thomas, who is back to claim her for his own. But if she can’t reconcile her past and learn to trust herself again, she will lose him forever.
About the Author:
Kathleen Collins has been writing since Kindergarten. And while her ability has drastically improved, her stories are still about monsters and the people who play with them.
The rare instances that she actually finds some spare time, she spends it playing with her two boys. Three if you count her husband.
She is currently hard at work on her next book.
@kathy_collins
www.facebook.com/kathleencollinsauthor
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7191208.Kathleen_Collins
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