Ouch.

These letters are the “Dear John” writer equivalent of taking one on the chin.  Is there anything worse for a writer?

Answer: Yes.  Let me explain.

About a year ago I queried a “reputable” publisher specializing in both digital and print publishing about an idea I had for a novella based on the topic of spiritual abuse.  They gave me a green light to submit the full mss.  I did.  Awhile letter I received a “Letter of Acceptance” from the head honcho and a contract, etc.

‘Meanwhile, Back at the Ranch…’

Knowing that the path from acceptance to finished, ready-for-market book can be a long one, I waited.  And waited while said “process” moved with the speed of a growing redwood.

Hearing not a word about the status of my magnum opus after many moon, I grabbed “the bull by the horns” and inquired.  Nothing.  Inquired again. Was told that “We are closed to new submissions at this time so we can focus our efforts on our current authors.”  I thought that ‘focused effort’ included yours truly.

So I waited.  And waited some more. I didn’t want to nag, but this novella was far too brilliant to keep my adoring public waiting much longer.

Long story short: The last communication I received from said publisher (who shall remain nameless) was that the organization had “gone through some major restructuring over the past several months” and that I was “lost in the cracks during this time.”

Huh?

Then the kicker: “We are no longer publishing fiction, but thank you for submitting your novella and for your patience during this time.”

And just when were you planning to convey this teensy-weensy train derailment?

Here I was, being “patient during this time” – approximately a year – while they were tossing my baby under the bus.

Just in case you’re wondering, there is something worse than a “Dear John” letter: an acceptance letter that’s meaningless.

Bad News/Good News

The bad news?  I get to start the process all over again from square one.  The good news?  Maybe this is one of those “blessings in disguise” deals, where the fit may not have been as good as it appeared to be.  And I learned from the process.  Like when a publisher is unresponsive, evasive or otherwise disengaged, run!

Anyone have a spare Tylenol?

One day, as I studied the scripture known as the Ten Commandments, I was so stunned with its harsh rigidity that I had to reread it, again-and-again-and-again, looking for the caring and protective Father I thought I knew. Where was He?

         Then as I reread—aloud—this moral code for Israel and for all who would become His, the words I heard lost their firm harshness as I realized how deeply He too suffers from our rejection of His protective guidance as well.

                        A DEVOTIONAL PLEA FROM OUR FATHER

If we honor other gods before Our Father,

We commit spiritual adultery and we knowingly violate Him.

If we make an idol of anyone else’s likeness and we worship it,

We cheapen His glory and sabotage our allegiance due to Him alone.

If we use His holy Name in vile utterances,

We flaunt our ignorant scorn of its splendid power.

If we commit murder,

We challenge His wisdom as our supreme Creator and Judge of all life.

If we commit adultery,

We violate His Holy Spirit, residing in the temples of our bodies.

If we steal,

We encroach upon His stewardship over the fate of all humans.

If we bear false witness against our neighbor,

We damage a defenseless member of His earthly family.

If we covet anything belonging to a neighbor,

We reject His promise to give to us the desires of our hearts.

In surrendering to His loving leadership, we find that:

As we choose to honor our parents, though they may fail us,

We still respect His right of stewardship over our lives.

As we remember and keep holy the Sabbath,

We accept His invitation to be in harmonious fellowships with Him.

As we confess our sins to be truly against Him,

He is faithful to forgive and to forget them.

As we repent,

He joyfully celebrates with all of heaven.

As we love Him and keep His commandments,

He warmly draws us unto Himself.

As we humbly choose to be His bondservants,

Our Father strengthens us to take up the Cross of His Son.

~~~

Barbara Bassett lives in Rancho Santa Margarita, California, where her long and storied life includes being part of both a Vineyard fellowship and a writers group. A loving mother and grandmother, at 93-years-young she confidently claims, ”After more than eight decades of receiving My Father’s loving words of wisdom, I find his guidance to be new every day.”

A quick heads up on some upcoming posts:

- Anyone Have a Spare Tylenol?

- A review of No Ordinary Day by Deborah Ellis

- How do You Know? (if you’re a real writer)

- ‘Just Do It’ (what to do when you hit a blogging wall)

-  So I Decided to Give Up.

Lots more. Thanks for joining me, and stay tuned!

Roads Diverged is accepting guest posts on these and other writing-related topics.  Submit below.  The more we connect, the more our readership grows and the more opportunities available to all. You don’t need to be a professional writer or have the publishing “big boys” banging down your door day and night in order to post at Roads Diverged.  Just a passion for writing and the desire to learn and share.  If accepted, your post will include a byline and a link to your blog or website as applicable.
Submission guidelines:

1. I prefer content that’s fresh and original.  That is, content that hasn’t been previously published elsewhere.
2. Yours truly is partial to “short and sweet.”  Stories should be between 500 – 750 words.   (Tip: humorous and/or true-life “slice of life” vignettes as well as travel stories always catch my eye!)
3. If your post is accompanied by an original photo or two, so much the better!
4. I do not accept anonymous posts.  You may use a pen name if desired, but it must be specified as such and your real name must accompany your submission (withheld from publication upon request).

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What if I told you some folks had written a book about capturing the Disney magic every day of your life?  Would you dash out and pick up a copy?  Well, here’s your chance!

The following is an interview with writer, researcher, word fan, editor and wordsmith Peggy Matthews-Rose.  Read more about her part in the  fascinating “How to Be Like” series, particularly her role in How to Be Like Walt: Capturing the Disney Magic Every Day of Your Life.

First things first:

*Tell us about your book (title, publisher, publication date, etc.)

Our book is called How to Be Like Walt: Capturing the Disney Magic Every Day of Your Life. The authors are Pat Williams (Orlando Magic SVP) and Jim Denney. The book was published by HCI in 2004 and continues to sell well and inspire readers everywhere. It is part of a Williams/HCI “How to Be Like” series that profiles leaders like Michael Jordan, Amway founder Rich DeVos, baseball legend Jackie Robinson, Coach John Wooden, and even Jesus. My role in the book was that of researcher, contact-maker, and editing assistant, based on my longtime involvement with The Walt Disney Company. You won’t see my name on the cover, but I am listed on the dedication page and in the acknowledgments.

*Tell us about yourself. (Where are you from, what is your background, how long have you been writing or anything we might find interesting about you.)

While not a prolific writer, I’ve definitely been a word fan since childhood. Excelled at creative writing projects and began focusing on journalism classes in junior high. Continued with communications as an emphasis in college though my degree was ultimately in English literature. I found that reading great writing helped me improve my own. Grew up and still live on Orange County, California. My friends like to introduce me as, “This is Peg. She used to be Peter Pan at Disneyland.” So I guess that must be the most interesting thing about me! That debut was followed by many Disney years, about half of which were in communications roles. Today I freelance as a collaborative writer, editor, and general, all-around wordsmith.

Why did you write this book? My involvement in this book is what I call a “God-thing” and way too long a story for this blog. Suffice it to say that I met Pat Williams at a book show, he told me about this book he was writing about Walt, I told him I had every book written about Walt (at that time) as well as contact with many people who knew or were inspired by Walt – and the rest was publishing history.  We wrote the book as a tribute to Walt and to further inspire readers as Walt inspired so many who knew him. Walt was a one-of-a-kind, a true American original. No one can be Walt. Be we can all be like Walt by studying what drove the man. We can all keep his light in our window.

What obstacles did you encounter in getting this book published? How did you overcome them? Since the book was already under contract when I got involved, there were no real obstacles. We did encounter some curious resistance from some of the folks we interviewed and then, of course, minor issues when the publishers decided there was “too much soap in the box.” How do you cut anything from a book about Walt Disney? But we did.

How did you know you wanted to be a writer? How did you get started? As I hinted earlier, I knew I wanted to write the first time a grade school teacher read one of my stories out loud. I think that was first or second grade. My professional start came when I interned for a staff writer job at Disneyland and was hired fulltime shortly after that. I edited the “cast” newsletter and an internal magazine for several years, as well as at Walt Disney Studios later on.  A number of years later, I returned and worked in similar roles. When I left, I decided it was time to see if I could do this writing thing on my own. Answer: yes and no. I’m fortunate to no need a full-time employer, but I definitely need partners.

Did you learn anything from writing and publishing this book?  What? Where do I begin? This book was the launch of what I could easily call some of my greatest life adventures. Always a Waltphile, I learned more about the depth of this man’s soul than I ever could have in any other way. I reconnected with people I’d lost contact with, made new friends, and generally enriched my life in many ways. Beyond what I learned about Walt, I learned the ins and outs of the publishing world in working with Pat and Jim and HCI editors. In the process of working with Pat and Jim, I learned about the wonderful world of collaborative writing. Since this book’s publication, I’ve personally written five books with Pat and several with other collaborators. And beyond all that, this book brought me a great couple of friendships with Pat Williams and Jim Denney. Pat is an inspiration to everyone who knows him: a consummate sports professional, motivational speaker, father of nineteen, and now a cancer survivor. Whatever hurdle life throws in his way, Pat continues to knock it down and keep going. I am so grateful for his friendship and patient support over the years. Jim has likewise been an encouraging, wise, and helpful mentor. May blessings overflow to them both.

If you were doing it all over again, what would you do differently? Not in any way, except for maybe starting earlier. But I always was slow on the uptake.

What types of books do you like to read? Who are your favorite authors? Why? I’ve always lived in Fantasyland, literarily. Love children’s classics (especially Peter Pan J), C. S. Lewis’s Narnia books, Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings. These authors knew how to grab hearts and imaginations. They didn’t write down to the child but well understood and spoke to the child inside us all.

What other books have you written? With Pat Williams, I’ve written Read for Your Life: 11 Ways to Transform Your Life with Books (HCI 2007); Lincoln Speaks to Leaders: 20 Powerful Lessons for Today’s Leaders from America’s 16^th President (with Gene Griessman, Elevate Books 2009); The Take Away: 20 Unforgettable Life Lessons Every Father Should Pass On to His Child (with Karyn Williams, HCI 2009); Nail It: 10 Secrets for Winning the Job Interview (Advantage 2010); and Daly Wisdom: Life Lessons from Dream Team Coach and Hall of Famer Chuck Daly (Advantage 2010). With Saddleback Church pastor Erik Rees, I’ve assisted with S.H.A.P.E.: Finding and Fulfilling Your Purpose for Life (Zondervan 2006) and co-written Only You Can Be You: 21 Days to Making Your Life Count (Howard 2009). I’ve also co-written a children’s picture book with ministry partner Sandra Maddox called Tiffany and the Talking Frog in The Search for the Crown of Rye Chestnuts. This latter title was self-published by Ms. Maddox in 2008. The book and characters were inspired by her daughter, Tiffany, who was tragically killed in an automobile accident in 2003 at the age of 24.

Are you working on something now?  What? Got a couple irons in the fire. Not ready to share just yet. Always have a possible book of my own in the back of my mind, been there since my college days (just last year J), my own fantasyland tale. It seems to get stuck there, however. Who knows? It may resurface one day or always remain my book in a box somewhere.

What is the best advice you could give other writers about writing or publishing? 1) If you believe in your book and believe your message deserves to be heard, be ready and willing to do what it takes to self-publish. Besides the fact that the traditional publishing world isn’t kind to unknown writers, those who self-publish always stand to profit more from this avenue than any other. 2) Unless you are a highly skilled and confident communications professional, hire a wordsmith or editor! I see way too many self-published books (reading one right now) that have so much potential but are riddled with misspelled words, poor punctuation, badly constructed sentences, etc. These “little” details scream “unprofessional.” No matter how you seek publication, getting it right in manuscript is critical. Can’t emphasize that enough.

Where can readers learn more about you and your book?

http://www.amazon.com/How-Be-Like-Walt-Capturing/dp/0757302319/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1334687850&sr=8-1. You can also find me on Facebook and/or LinkedIn (Peggy Matthews Rose).

Anything else to add? If you love to write, just do it. Writing really is its own reward. If you must have an audience, read to your friends, your kids or self-publish. Writers groups are hugely helpful. Can’t find one? Start one. Just make sure you’re all there to help one another. But if you want to sell what you’ve written, be ready to do a lot of work promoting it. Someone once wisely said, “Nobody loves your baby as much as you do.” Finally, I’d like to say thank you so much and forever to Pat Williams and Jim Denney. At this writing, I have no idea whether or not I’ll ever do another book. But for the time I’ve had so far, it’s been a real E-Ticket attraction.

He is Risen!

Re-reading Blixen’s memoir years later as I looked back on our summer in Texas and the events that lead up to it, I realized that like Blixen’s departure from Africa, I was not leaving California; California was leaving me, receding like an outgoing tide.

So you might indulge me for a moment when I say that I think I understand what Karen Blixen wrote regarding how the Kikuyu natives of Kenya view the loss of their land.  The Kikuyu were displaced when she had to sell her farm and return to her Denmark homeland.

“It is more than their land that you take away from the people, whose Native land you take,” she explained.  “It is their past as well.  Their roots and their identity.  If you take away the things that they have been used to see, and be expected to see, you might as well take their eyes.”

***

Excerpted from Lone Star Summer, a memoir. Stay tuned.

Photo by Anna Cervova.

I sighed, brushed a strand of damp hair out of my eyes and wondered how my family and I wound up in the baking heat of the Texas Hill Country.  How long could we last?

***

Excerpted from Lone Star Summer, a memoir.  Stay tuned for more.

By Mary McDonough

Kensington Publishing Corp., 2011

For millions of American television viewers, The Waltons was a Thursday night staple.  It was in my house.  Candidly, I considered the second Walton daughter the least credible character in the whole clan.  Mary McDonough’s Lessons from the Mountain: What I Learned from Erin Walton provides some explanation, connects some dots and offers a glimpse into the girl who portrayed the red-haired Erin and her post-Waltons life.  It also chronicles pranks on the Waltons set (not shot in Schuyler, Virginia but in a studio backlot in Burbank, California), her difficulty in getting other acting gigs, her years of illness, nightmarish experiences with silicone breast implants, and her public speaking and activism.

Looking back on her growing up years on “the mountain,” McDonough
paints a bittersweet picture of gratitude and merriment as well as anxiety and depression.  Lacking any formal training when she was hired to play Erin Walton at age ten, McDonough recounts confusion, angst, fear, anger and frustration when directions on the set were unclear or non-existent.   She also recalls memorable episodes, good-natured teasing and mischief (usually in the kitchen, although once in a “mountain top jacuzzi” a la Richard Thomas and Will Geer),  kindness and camaraderie among the close-knit ensemble that became one of America’s best-loved and most enduring TV families.  She speaks well of fellow cast members and recalls plenty of fun and fond moments, such as working with Jonathan Frakes as her love interest, Ashley Longworth, Jr.  She also mentions at least one (nameless) male guest star and a certain assistant director who vie for Biggest Jerk award and sexual harassment on the set (crew, not cast).

In terms of pacing, McDonough’s style is brisk, engaging, and down-to-earth.  Her tone is direct and appealing, a quirky blend of humor and pathos.  Several pages focus on McDonough’s strict Catholic upbringing which led her to equate unintentional mistakes like a blown line with sin.  “I expanded to include and added other religious teaching to my foundation,” she explains. “Learning acceptance of other faiths, cultures, people, and backgrounds created the space for me to being accepting myself.” She currently embraces an eclectic religious cocktail of Shirley MacLaine-isms, connection with her “Source” and “returning to my inner knowing self.”

If you’re looking for a Waltons memoir, keep looking.  Lessons isn’t just about The Waltons, just like it’s not about lupus, implants, acting, or activism.  As McDonough writes, “I am not just one element of my life.  I have been a child performer, former child performer, nonprofit worker, filmmaker, wife, mother, blogger, activist, actress, writer, acting teacher, and producer” (emphasis in original). Lessons offers a candid “behind the scenes’ look into how and why a frequently frightened, insecure girl grew into a multi-dimensional, sturdy woman.

Hearing the familiar musical lead-in to The Waltons the other day, I noticed something.  When the second Walton daughter came into frame, my reaction wasn’t “There’s Erin,” but rather, “That’s Mary McDonough.”  And that’s a lesson worth learning.