Sunday, July 18, 2010

A Leap of Faith

I don't intend to lambaste the publishing industry for any inability to sensibly provide adequate forums where emerging authors can be discovered. That would be self defeating and perhaps I'm merely unaware of most arenas that exist. I've been told to have confidence in the faith of the industry and eventually my dedication will be rewarded. I can only say that through my experience- so far- the acceptance process seems hit or miss without much feedback to restore my fleeting assurances.
Months elapse without reply and false optimism sets in like that of a innocent defendant awaiting a verdict in a murder trail. The longer the verdict is withheld, the more confident the faithful has in believing he is to receive a positive outcome. However, when the judge enters the court and all rise, the sounding decisions become repetitious: we ask that you accept our apology for the insensitive treatment of the project,but due to the voluminous contributions of daily submitters, we request that you go somewhere else. The project is sentenced to death row.
My all time favorite rejection was when an assistant to the literary agent provided a hand written response on the upper right corner of my query letter. The staggering amount of material received in that particular agency must have overflowed into piles of slush heaps that were blocking the aisles and preventing the assistant access to the copiers to create the standardized rejection form.
It also seems the industry has restricted its scope and is obsessed with accepting only suspense thrillers catering to "who done it" murdering and creatures sucking blood from the necks of female students enrolled in the town's high school senior class- an exception comes to mind of a series about the education of a boy wizard. However, my novel has none of that, which may contribute to the problem.I suppose I'm not cookie cutting my project to fit the paragons of what the industry insists is evidence of mass appeal.
I always felt good literature stood uniquely apart from the norm, consuming the reader, not by cunning sensationalism, but by subtle allure in the context of a story. It is like the enjoyment one savors from a fine wine. It is to be tasted, slowly, and not gulped down. The intoxication should arise gradually, and when the final content of the bottle is poured into the glass, a certain tranquility is achieved that yearns for the experience to continue. I've achieved that sensation each time I've reread To Kill A Mockingbird. I hope future posts will convince followers that reading Benson's House will inspire a similar gratification.
My manuscript seems polished but could use direction I suppose. Admitting such is not a sign of self doubt, only an acknowledgement that synergy can generate a more successful project. My novel speaks to the stimuli of a generation of Baby Boomers. In the weeks that follow I will offer description on the novel's portrayal of the family chronicles that when told traces the evolution of the music that became Rock 'n' Roll!

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