Submission

I have just sent a letter and first three chapters of Secrets & Lies to HarperCollins New Zealand. I know as an unsolicitated manuscript i have little hope of getting to the top of their pile - but we are free to dream. I will waiting the expected 6-10 weeks until i hear a reply by hopefully starting another novel.
Perhaps it will be a sequel or another one entirely. I do know i have a short story i am dying to write so perhaps that will be the next one. I've been searching the net for writing competitions to enter but they are hard to find and there are many sites advising not to enter due to scams and i don't want to get trapped in one of those! Especially after my close call with the Writer's Literary Agency. If any one knows of a reputable competition can you let me know? i'm dying to get my stories out to all and every avenue i can find.

Do something different

I found that i wasn't getting very far with my final edit. I only have 12 chapters to go and have made little progress this week. For something different i asked my husband to show me how to mow the lawns. It was quite refreshing doing something different that when i sat down to do some editing i whizzed through five chapters!
I fully recommend doing something completely un-writing related to get the juices flowing again. And my husband was really thankful too.

Oh how unscrupulous! Writers' Literary Agency is a scam!

I am so glad i have checked with Rob Parnell from The Easy Way to Write as to the professionalism of the Writers' Literary Agency. I submitted my manuscript online as per their instructions (as a new author i did not know to be suspicious!) and received two or three generic emails with information about them and what to do next. I got right to the reading the contract stage and thought i should ask someone not connected to them, about them.
Go here for more information on them. They are bad, bad, bad and i am glad i didn't sign!
http://accrispin.blogspot.com/2007/02/victoria-strauss-scam-perors-new.html
so today's tip: Check everything with another author/mentor or someone else in the industry. I know i will be checking all the time now!

I've been accepted!

It is so awesome. I entered my details on the internet to a place called Writers' Literary Agency and after answering questions, they looked at my work and have accepted me! I'm so excited. This could very well be the beginning of having my book published.
Now i just need a professional critique and to sign the contract (yikes!) and it is all go. First i will be checking with my mentor and have a good think if i want my book to first be in the States instead of NZ. But oh, so exciting!

Synopsis of Secrets and Lies

When Gabrielle Devine returns to her home village in Nortia she never expected to find the man she loves so set against her. She is shocked to discover his evil brother has a high position in the village, a position she well knows he has lied to get and continues to deceive those closest to him. After informing Wayne Langtree and his father that Chase Alton is behind the treachery scouring the country she leaves with questions of her absence and secrets burning in the mind of Wayne; the biggest is why she left him suddenly years ago a week before their wedding and why is his own father siding with her? Gabrielle frees a herd of wild horses, fights with and is injured by a scarred man and when she returns to Nortia she is accompanied by a man she seems to be very close to. Wayne discovers Gabrielle has a daughter and he is certain of her betrayal, but who is the father? When Wayne’s father is killed and Wayne is injured and nearly killed by his brother he starts to see the truth to Gabrielle’s words and she in turn has the opportunity to reveal to him the truth. Chase claims her daughter as his but is the dark haired stranger the father? Is their love enough to conquer the past and all its secrets and lies?

In Print

I never thought i would actually get to see my novel in print, other than in my head of course. My father printed it for me when i asked him to print copies so i could circulate to friends and family for feedback. It isn't the finished product but it is thrilling to see it with my name on it!

Take a Break

I fully recommend after you have written a story, poem whatever you do, to take some time away from it. I took a month away. Basically because it was December and i had Christmas shopping and then Christmas and went on holiday. But coming back to look at my manuscript and my eyes are fresh to the words on the screen. I am able to see all the mistakes and make a better edit than i did when i edited immediately after i had finished the first draft.
So give yourself some time away from your manuscript to let your mind and eyes have a rest. When you come back you will be amazed at what you see and what needs to be fixed!