Putting on my second hat

I love my job. As cheesy as that sounds, it's true. Being a publicist suits me. There is nothing more satisfying to me than a perfectly planned tour schedule or a beautifully tailored pitch email. But it's hard to move from talking about someone else to talking about yourself.

Aspiring authors must expect rejection. And I got a LOT of rejection when I started submitting my manuscript. Of course, if you work in the industry there's always the bonus of meeting those who rejected you at a launch party - "Ah yes! You're the one who sent me that fantasy nonsense about birds and cream scones! - more white wine?" I'm kidding! That never happened!

But I know the thought of being rejected by people you might meet professionally can be a real fear for those secret authors working in the industry. All the feedback I received from those failed submissions was vital in shaping The Bird Singers into the book it is today. It's all part of the process.