The long and misleading adventure of The Doors of Time.

[felisblanco]

First, I want to thank all you interested parties reading this for your patience with me in supplying news about The Doors of Time since I pulled it down. I've been avoiding answering requests and questions about it for so long because I didn't know what I was allowed to say without jeopardising my chances. But, as the whole thing just fell through

Comments

[onlythefireborn]

SO disappointed for you - especially since I love THE DOORS OF TIME like honey and hot buttered toast by the fire - but don't give up just yet, please.

Did the English agent give you specific details about which scenes or characters were overwritten or why something in particular "just didn't grab her"? If you have that information but don't want to edit it yourself, it might be worth submitting it to an editor (here in the U.S.?) for review and suggestions about how to make it better. Preferably an editor who has connections to agents.

I know that might be difficult for you. It's such a wonderful story, and I'm sure you feel about it like you would a favorite child. (I feel that way, and it's not even my story!) But you wouldn't HAVE to follow the editor's recommendations - just might be interesting to get a different POV.

[felisblanco]

No, that was all she said. Maybe, seeing as she was a fan of Icelandic literature, she was expecting something more in that genre and not a New York gay love story. But who knows. I've been licking my wounds (and dealing with other RL stuff) and so haven't really taken the time to ask her yet for further details.

Actually, I'd very much want an editor to work on it, I'd assumed that would be the next step if she'd decided to take me on so I was prepared for that. I just don't know how to find a good and reliable one, without an agent. I have a feeling things work very differently elsewhere from how it does here. We don't even use agents here, you simply submit to a publishing company and they take it from there. Or not. It's a very different world on our little island from the big bad one out there.

[vodou_blue]

Oh, sweetie! *HUG* I'm sad that it didn't come through for you. But what an accomplishment making that short list! Congrats!

Just a thought: Some ePublishers will do hard copy also. I know it's not what you were aiming for, but I think it's worth contemplating, at least.

[kubis]

I'm sorry you lost so much time and for the disappointment. But huge congrats on being short-listed! That's definitely something you should put in every cover letter you'll ever write. :)

Have you considered reaching out to e-publishers? Many of them do print versions as well and there's usually no advance, but higher royalty share. There's Riptide Publishing, Pride Publishing, Dreamspinner Press, to name a few. Carina Press, too.

Self-publishing is also an option worth looking into, there's a boom of independent authors in the last few years. It takes more work, though.

Whatever you decide on, wishing you all the best! I love Doors <3

[felisblanco]

Thank you! Yes, if/when I get my guts back I will definitely add that to my cover letter

[kubis]

That's true, most e-publishers won't get you into bookstores, but *so* many readers buy books online now, ebook or print. If your dream is to see your book in bookstore, that would be tricky (although maybe you could approach your local bookstores once the book is out?), but if it's just about holding your book in your hands, it's doable

Dreamspinner Press

[cattraine]

specializes in hard to fit books--gay paranormal, etc. and yes, they publish paper and digital editions. If I were you I would dust off Doors of Time , give it a hard reread (because yes, it could use a bit of a trim) and submit it. No first book is ever going to be perfect, and it may not win a huge prize but it is publishable if you keep trying.

Re: Dreamspinner Press

[felisblanco]

Well, I've been working on it, rewriting and editing, on and off for the last 6 years so I'm not sure how much difference one more re-read will do at this point. Whatever faults it has, if I could see them I'd have fixed them by now. Honestly, I'm not sure how the publishing business works elsewhere but over here this would be the point where the editor should take over, finding what needs fixing and letting me work on it from there.

[jimbobjoe]

I have no advice. I just wanted to say that Doors is utterly awesome and they suck for not seeing that.
*hugs*

[felisblanco]

Aww, thank you. :)

One of my all time favorite story!

[67_black_impala]

I don't think I have ever commented before but I have been reading your stories for years