Recently, I finished my third YA novel, The Appeal of Evil. Here is the blurb:
Not everyone picks the path of righteousness.
Since kindergarten, average teenager Katie thought kind, yet distant, Wes was her soul mate. He was her first best friend, her first kiss, a great listener. Much to Katie’s dismay, Wes doesn’t seem to feel the same way, though. He makes promises he doesn’t keep, and he abandons her when she needs him. Yet, Katie refuses to let go of her hopes and love for Wes and believes that one day they might be together.
It all changes when Katie is a senior in high school. She realizes she’s wasted years pining for Wes, especially when Josh, the attractive and popular new kid in school, asks her out. The timing couldn’t be better, and Katie gladly forgets Wes to find a new love with Josh. But everything is not what it seems. The reason Wes is gone so much is because he’s fighting the forces of evil. Josh is also not what he seems. He’s a demon from Hell who wants to reap souls from Katie’s classmates. Katie becomes a pawn in the war between Heaven and Hell and will be forced to choose sides. Will Katie choose the side of righteousness, or will she be seduced by the draw of evil?
With the majority of my books (as long as they aren't a sequel or a novella), I send queries to agents to see if they are interested. I feel I owe it to myself to try to become a traditionally published author. It's not that I'm ashamed of being an indie author, I'm actually very happy with the work I've done, but it's another step in the process. Another way of being successful. Don't I deserve to be successful?
Anyway, I always get super anxious weeks before sending out the queries. I pour over agent's websites and what they are looking for. I scrutinize their requirements and bookmark what I need to send. I get my documents in tip-top shape. I feel hope drain out of my body. The rejection rate is ridiculously high, and the process makes me question my ability as a writer. Still, I continue to do it. I'm either a glutton for punishment or insane (some might argue a little of both).
This time, though, I'm approaching it with a different mindset. Yes, I'm going to get rejected. Probably multiple times. But it's all right because at least I tried. At least I can say I put myself out there. If all of the agents turn me down, I still have indie publishers I can submit my work to. All is not lost.
In the spirit of sending out queries, I thought it would be fun to keep you all posted on the progress. I'm going to put a count on the side bar of how many queries I send out and what type of response I get. Wish me luck, keep your fingers crossed, and sacrifice a chicken for me!
