Beaten by the Carrot

A writer friend asked me how submissions were going on my next novel. I told her it was a mixed bag. A few rejections...some requests for fulls and partials. 

Requests for more is always a great thing. 

They give you hope that you don't suck. That maybe someone who knows a clause from a cluster sees something worthwhile in your work and all the cellulite you've accumulated on your arse won't be for nothing.

My writer friend agreed-- getting requests for more is definitely the carrot in the process.

And that leads me to today's shout out to my insecurity for the month...

A rejection after a request is like being beaten by the carrot. Sure, sure, it's good that you're getting nibbles, but let's be honest-- it still bites not to land the fish. 

So, just for IWSG, I shall lament and wail...

Screw you, big press! My character most certainly is sympathetic; she just isn't a pushover.

There. I'm over it. I'm off to check my inbox to see if there are any happy carrots or more stick wielders. 

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Your place to vent once a month. 

OPTIONAL March IWSG Day Question: Have you ever pulled out a really old story and reworked it? Did it work out?

Not yet. But I save everything. You never know what out of what pile of crap a juicy peach might grow. 

Thanks to Alex Cavanaugh and this month's Co-Hosts:
Tamara Narayan
Patsy Collins
M.J. Fifield
Nicohle Christopherson`

Dark Winds Rising is Mark Noce's sequel to his debut novel Between Two Fires, and comes out with St. Martin’s Press December 5^th 2017! Today is his cover reveal for the next book in his historical fiction series set in medieval Wales. 

Dark Winds Rising (synopsis)

Queen Branwen finds her world once again turned upside down as Pictish raiders harry the shores of her kingdom. Rallying her people once more, she must face her most dangerous foe yet, the Queen of the Picts. Ruthless and cunning, the Pictish Queen turns the Welsh against each other in a bloody civil war, and Branwen must attempt to stop her before her country threatens to tear itself apart. All the while Branwen is heavy with child, and finds her young son’s footsteps dogged by a mysterious assassin. Branwen must somehow defeat the Picts and save her people before the Pictish Queen and a mysterious assassin threaten to destroy their lives from the inside out.

About the Author

Mark Noce writes historical fiction with a passion, and eagerly reads everything from fantasy to literature. Born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area, he’s an avid traveler and backpacker, particularly in Europe and North America. He earned his BA and MA from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, where he also met his beautiful wife. By day, he works as a Technical Writer, having spent much of his career at places like Google and Facebook. When not reading or writing, he’s probably listening to U2, sailing his dad’s boat, or gardening with his family.

Dark Winds Rising is his second novel in a historical series published by St. Martin’s Press. His debut novel, Between Two Fires, (also published via St. Martin's Press) is available wherever books are sold. Learn more at marknoce.com or connect via his newsletter or blog.

Between Two Fires: Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Macmillan