Never. Give. Up. Listen to me. NEVER.

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Calla Lily

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Gather 'round, my tribe, and let Zizi Lily tell you a story.

Way back in 2005 I wrote this horror novel which I considered All That. Before I found AW I entered it in contests and sent out one of the most abysmal queries known to man.

I quickly discovered the book was not All That. It was a hard lesson. Then I put on my Big Girl panties, joined AW, and set out to learn.

I rewrote this book from start to finish at least three times. Maybe four. I've also written seven other books since then, got an agent, and sold a mystery series to Midnight Ink, got dropped, and sold a reboot of the series to Henery Press.

I don't know the exact number of passes my horror novel has accumulated in the past 9 years. Enough to wallpaper a medium-sized room.

I never trunked the horror for long. It got a lot of love from betas who are also writers. It also gave several people nightmares. :yessmiley

Today I took this picture:
e002e5a3-84b5-423d-8ffa-8900f37c9682_zps1df635ce.jpg


Dark Recesses Press bought my horror novel. The first novel. The novel that looks almost nothing like its original incarnation. The one through which I learned the business of writing. It's going to be published (e and paperback) this May.

Never. Ever. Give. Up.

I'm off to pop that champagne now.
 
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Kylabelle

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Awesome story, awesome post, and many congratulations to you, Ms Calla Lily. Wow.
 

mccardey

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Brilliant news, Lily - and a great photo! Well done, you :)
 

suki

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Awesome, Lily!! Makes me so happy to see this post! :)

~suki
 

Zeddo

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Wonderful! Congratulations Calla.

I had a similar experience--dug out a short story no one on earth wanted 15 years ago and sold it to Ellery Queen. Never throw anything out. Never give up.
 

Gringa

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POP THE CORK! AND ANOTHER and 'nother and...

:Clap:
 
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