My Goings On in July:
- I sent out my first queries! And got my first rejection. I guess that makes me a real writer, right? I haven’t heard from the other agents I queried yet, but I’m gearing up to send out a few more. I know that this process is going to be long and difficult with lots of rejection along the way, so I’m trying to prepare myself mentally. I keep editing my book too—I’ve been getting more feedback from critique partners—but I decided to take the plunge and send out a few queries after I did my edits from the WIFYR workshop. I have to start sometime!
- We celebrated our oldest’s 16th birthday! It seems crazy to think that Jade is now sixteen. How did that happen? I just … nope. Can’t get my head around it.
- I went on vacation to the UP Michigan. This was such a wonderfully relaxing vacation. We were right on a beautifully sandy beach of a small bay in Lake Superior, and most of the time we felt like we had the whole bay to ourselves. The kids enjoyed kayaking and frolicking with the dogs in the water. Plus, we went to see gorgeous Pictured Rocks one of the days. Such a fantastic vacation!
Instagram:
Only a few posts in July, but more will be coming soon!
Features & Discussions:
July 2018 Discussion Challenge Link-Up & Giveaway – Still a few days left to link up your July discussions and enter to win!
May/June Wrap-Up Round-Up “Make Me Read It” Giveaway – This one just ended and Danielle H. was the winner!
The Mid-Year Book Freak-Out Tag
The WIFYR Workshop Experience
Goodreads’ Mid-Year Book Lists. Let’s Discuss.
July 2018 Monthly Wrap-Up Round-Up Link-Up – Link up your July wrap-up posts here.
My 2018 Reading Progress:
I’ve read 76 books, so I’m still 18 books ahead of my Goodreads goal!
July 2018 Reviews
I think this might be the fewest reviews I’ve ever posted in a month (partially due to my vacation). Yikes! But I’ll have a few more coming this week!
- A Thousand Perfect Notes by C.G. Drews | Review | Rating: Absolutely Addicted!
- Kiss of the Royal by Lindsey Duga | Review | Rating: Fed My Addiction
- Fukusha Model Eight by S.J. Pajonas | Review | Rating: Fed My Addiction
- Neanderthal Opens the Door to the Universe by Preston Norton | Review | Rating: Fed My Addiction
- Nyxia Unleashed by Scott Reintgen | Review | Rating: Devoured It
July Best of the Bunch:
(Best of the Bunch is hosted over at Cocoon of Books. We link up our favorite reads of the month!)
A Thousand Perfect Notes is the clear winner this month!! Cait’s writing just floored me.
2018 Reading Challenges/Goals Progress:
If you didn’t see my update a couple of months ago, I decided to stop doing most of my challenges. Priorities.
Status: 18/31-40 Discussions Posted
I posted three discussions this month.
The Mid-Year Book Freak-Out Tag
The WIFYR Workshop Experience
Goodreads’ Mid-Year Book Lists. Let’s Discuss.
A Break in Our Regularly Scheduled Programming (& Reasons I’m Excited for WIFYR)
Some Changes Around Here
My Personal Connection to Pride Month, Some Recent LGBTQ+ Reads, and Integrating My Faith and LGBTQ+ Issues
Top 10 Writing Tips I Learned at WIFYR
My Newly Organized Bookcases!
My First Time Switching Between an Audiobook and a Print Book.
The Rain on Netflix: Danish or English? (Subbed or Dubbed?)
Why Is Voice in Writing So Hard? And Do You Think About It When You Read?
Expectations About POC Names in Books.
Great Reasons to Get to Know Your Bookish Friends Better
Top 10 of 2017: Books I’m Looking Forward to in 2018
2017 End of Year Book Survey
My Writing & Reading Goals for 2018
My Book Outlet Weakness (& Why My Latest Haul Is All Your Fault)
Which Types of Reviews Are Most Effective? Let’s Discuss!
HOST/SIGN-UP LINK – Feed Your Fiction Addiction & It Starts at Midnight
My 2018 Goals Progress:
Complete a second edit of my MG novel. Done!Attend a writing workshop. I went to WIFYR this month!- Read more writing craft books/materials. I’m reading a great book right now called Writing Irresistible KidLit. I feel like this book has been so helpful for me!
- Finish the first draft of YA novel. I still haven’t moved back to my YA book. Soon?
- Read one review book for every one that I request/receive. ) I crashed and burned on this goal this month. I received 8 books (a few were unsolicited, though!), and I only posted reviews for 3. Oh, but I also read 2 others that I’ve decided not to post reviews for on the blog, so I can count those as “crossed off my list,” bringing my total to 5 read/reviewed. (So far for the year, I’ve received 49 and read 50, so I guess I’m still 1 ahead.)
- Read more middle grade. I didn’t review any MG this month, but I did read one that I’ll be reviewing later! (I’ve reviewed 14 MGs so far this year.)
- Work out! Once again, I started the month out strong … and then went on vacation and ate my weight in junk food every day. Um, better get back to it.
Wrap-Up Round-Up!
Don’t forget to link your July wrap-up posts up to the Monthly Wrap-Up Round-Up! And check out the giveaway, which is scheduled to go up on the 7th!
Oh wow how exciting with sending out queries!! Good luck! Your vacation sounds like it was great and that picture looks pretty. I need to get to A Thousand Perfect Notes. Hope you have a great August!
Thanks. Querying is nervewracking, but it’s the only way to get to the point of being published!
Hopefully you find an agent quickly! Querying is a depressing process. Happy birthday to Jade! I’m glad you had a fun vacation. I hope you have a good August!
I’m trying to really put myself in the mindset that querying is going to be a years-long process, but it’s still hard. There’s that little tiny part of you that hopes for instant success. 🙂
You are much more organized about the number of review copies you receive and review. I try to buckle down when I find myself creating yet another pile of review books. I’m 6 books ahead on my reading goal for the year which is really good for me as I often fall behind during the summer.
This is the first year I’ve tracked review books received vs. read/reviewed. I’ve gotten a backlog in past years (especially because of events like ALA and BEA), and I knew I needed to buckle down and make sure I’m not taking in more than I’m reading. Honestly, I’m taking WAY fewer review books than usual, but I’m only staying about even on them, so it’s only sort of a success… but I’m still counting it as one!
Congrats on your first rejection!! That is a good thing as you’re now a full-fledged writer!! Keep sending them queries in!
Happy August!
Ha! Yes, it is a bit of a rite of passage. Some people print theirs and frame them!
Gah – querying is so nerve-wracking. I did it back in the day! I hope it goes well for you though and you get an agent sooner rather than later. But more than anything, I hope you get an agent you just LOVE. Happy belated birthday to Jade! And I’m glad you all had a lovely vacation.
-Lauren
What project did you query? Now I want to know all about it! 🙂
Sorry about your first rejection – but that’s great you’re sending out queries! Good luck!!!!
I can’t really be sad about a rejection at this point. I’m sure there will be MANY more. Can’t be a writer with think skin, that’s for sure.
Aww, I believe in you! You’ll find the perfect agent for you eventually, even if it means lots of rejections at first (sometimes it’s not you either – it’s just their personal preferences). Best of luck!
Pretty much everyone goes through a whole long list of rejections before they get that yes, so I just have to prepare myself. 🙂
Great job putting your work out there into the world. I wish you the best of luck. I also tried a few years ago submitting and never received interest. I have two middle grade novel manuscripts drafted. Someday I hope to be brave enough to go back and revisit them. Wasn’t the water super cold? I remember it being clear and gorgeous, but almost instant numbing. Glad you were able to enjoy and recharge in da UP.
I hope you do go back to it someday. I’m trying to gear myself up for rejection, but I’m really hoping that I won’t give up. If things don’t work out with this book, then I need to move on to the next one. It can be really disheartening, though, and I’m preparing myself for some heartbreak (at least I’m attempting to!).
I wanted to add that you were already a “real” writer before you queried.
Very true. Thanks for that reminder. 🙂
Sorry you got your first rejection but yes! of course you are a real writer! I ti s funny you say this because I scheduled a post coming up soon where I revisit a checklist I posted when I started my blog and I reach the same conclusion! I AM A WRITER! I’m been writing consistently for almost four years now, I am editing a first draft with a deadline, I have beta readers, an appointment with an agent AAAAAAAND most importantly an awesome Critique Partner!!! YAY Love your family vacation pic! And so glad you enjoy Cait’s book. I heard wonders about it. Sorry I’m been MIA promise to visit more often after my deadline! I CANNOT WAIT TO SEE YOUR “I GOT AN AGENT/PUBLISHING DEAL POST” I KNOW it is coming!
I’ve had a hard time getting around the blogosphere lately too. On Wednesday, my youngest starts school, and then I’ll have a LOT more time!!
Glad you had a great holiday and the 49/50 reading stat is right on target! Are you keeping that first rejection letter? Fingers crossed its acceptance counterpart drops onto your doormat soon 🙂
I save the rejection emails. Haven’t printed them out or anything, but I might at some point. 🙂
Your book will make it into the right hands. I can’t wait for you to hear back with a “yes.” It is hard to see kids grow up, isn’t it? My first group of students are juniors now. It is so weird to see them at their jobs or driving around town when I still remember little 10 year old them. Looks like you had a great trip!!
I know it might take a lot of no’s, but they always say you only need one yes. 🙂
Exciting querying. Fingers crossed on the others coming back.
Thanks! Still no bites, but I’m not giving up!
You are so brave! I admire you going for it and trying to get your work out there. That’s awesome! The place where you vacationed looks beautiful. Glad to hear you had a great and relaxing vacation.
Querying is sort of terrifying, but I can’t get anywhere unless I take that step.
Yay for sending out queries! I’m sorry about the rejection but fingers cross for better news this month! And yes, you are a real writer! I started working on my book this month at least as far as the outlining go. Your vacation picture looks awesome!
I hope you have a wonderful August!
No luck yet, but I’m not giving up!
I don’t want to say to your first rejection, but getting it out there and trying is a good thing so half yay? Your vacation sounds like it was good as well, I’m a little bit jealous (but only a little).
Right. I’m sure there will be many rejections ahead, so I need to develop a thick skin. It would be easier on my ego to just keep tinkering with the book forever and never take a chance, but I’m choosing to put it out there. 🙂
A rejection is a good thing, it means you’re getting your work out there! I sent out a query once after a class, but it wasn’t with a finished manuscript, so I didn’t keep trying. I need to finish what I’ve got and then get trying like you are! Good luck!
Yeah, they say your book has to be ready to go when you query. Of course, “ready to go” feels completely impossible sometimes. My book feels ready one day and the next I’m totally doubting myself. 🙂
Congrats on starting querying! That’s so exciting! It sucks about your first rejection, but I’m sure you’ll find the perfect agent for your book.
Best of luck with it 🙂
I’m not surprised to get a rejection. I know there will be many more. But I’m not giving up!
Looks like you had a good month! Congrats on the achievements (and a rejection is totally an achievement) and Happy Birthday to Jade! 🙂
Yep, I have to see my first rejection as an achievement because it means that I actually put my work out there. That’s a huge (and scary!) step.
Wow! Sounds like an awesome month! Good luck on querying! I hope you had a nice vacation. I think these recaps are really nice because it gives a snapshot of everything that’s been going on and shows how much you accomplished!
I agree. Plus, I often find posts that interest me that I’ve missed in people’s wrap-ups!
I am so impressed that you are WRITING BOOKS and then FOLLOWING THROUGH with queries and all that. Very inspiring, and I hope some day to lavish the love on your published books that you are lavishing on Cait’s book here! (Which actually inspired me to go request that both library systems I belong to purchase a copy.)
Any summer time by water makes me happy. I got a day at a mountain lake last week.
Enjoy your August!
First off, I’m super excited that you requested copies for your library, AND you made me think to do the same! I just requested that my local library purchase it.
Secondly, thanks for the support of my writing journey. It makes a HUGE difference that I have people rooting for me!
Good luck with the querying process, from everything I’ve heard is a literary Herculean task; so I’m also going to wish you a thick skin and lots of patience!
I still haven’t read A Thousand Perfect Notes, but it looks like I have to because a lot of you guys are loving it to pieces, so… there’s clearly something there!
Yes, I know I need to develop a thick skin for this business. It’s worth it.
Wishing you lots of luck on your queries! And happy birthday to your oldest! I hope she had a wonderful birthday! ♥ And isn’t it crazy how fast time flies, I swear it was just the other day that my kiddos were little tiny babies *sobs*, I wish time could slow down at times.
Oh, I know. It seems crazy that my kids are all teenagers now. I just don’t even want to think about it.
Good for you for sending out queries! Best of luck with that – it’ll happen! Glad you are having a nice summer.
Thanks, Karla! It’s hard to stay positive in the publishing world sometimes, but I’m going to stick it out!