A Drop of Sunshine #5

January 2023 - Reaping What We Sow

Hello Dear Ones,

I’m starting off 2023 with some truly, deeply, fabulous news:
I accepted an offer of literary representation!

After years of sowing the seeds of draft, revise, query, rinse, repeat, I’m thrilled that I’ve officially clawed my way out of the query trenches. Bethany Fulk at Holloway Literary is everything I could want an agent: a keen editorial eye, an ambitious vision, and a love for not only the story she offered on, but a love for my writing voice in general. She is also funny, kind, encouraging, and an animal-lover, so all good things there.

In the coming months, we will polish my middle grade fantasy THE HEART BLOOM PATH until it is ready for submission to editors at publishing houses. Which means, there will be hours and hours of quiet, dedicated work, many emails swapped, and then, finally, a glorious day in which I hand my novel into Bethany’s capable hands, and she enters the submission trenches on my behalf, as she pitches it to editors.

Then the real waiting begins…publishing is always a slow industry but in a post-pandemic world, even more so… we could be “on submission” for up to a year (or longer) before I have any news to share, and that news might very well be: it didn’t sell, back to the drafting board!

It’s a long road from draft to agent to book deal, but I’m loving the journey and as long as I have stories to tell, I’ll keep writing. In fact, I’m already 60K words into my next project…so though of course I hope THE HEART BLOOM PATH sells, if it doesn’t, I’ll have a new manuscript waiting in the wings.

I’d like to say a big thanks to my family and friends for celebrating so heartily with me. I’m blessed to have such loyal people to rejoice with me. Huge shoutout to my writer friends who beta read for me, to my critique partners who offered hours of their time to read and improve my work, and to The Dream Team who did all of the above, and also texted me and video-called me through every high and low and who are honorary Order members at this point (your Bloom Crowns are not yet in the mail, but maybe someday).

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Thank you for reading this gushing thus far. I wish you all your own joyous harvest in the coming year. And if you’re in a sowing year (I certainly am in many areas of life) may you press on, knowing that you are not alone and your time to reap will come.

Blessings,
Shelby

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Quote to Ponder:

“Discipline is choosing between what you want now and what you want most.”
― Abraham Lincoln

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What to Bake

“Pizookie” AKA “Skillet Cookie” - The easiest thing to make and yet it looks like a real delectable treat…which it is. Serve hot with ice cream and enjoy leftovers dunked in a glass of milk.

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What to Listen To

Sonder by Dermot Kennedy: One of my favorite musicians released a new album. I surprised Cody with concert tickets at Christmas. We’re going to see him live at Red Rocks in May! (The album is not nearly as somber as his facial expression implies.)

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What to Read*

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society
by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrow

This book is a modern classic, brimming with wit, humor, heart, and compassion. I nearly didn't read it because WW2 books simply gut me, but when I saw it was epistolary I couldn't resist, and oh I'm so glad I read this book. An important story, extremely well told. Highly recommend.

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Question for You:

What are you hoping to sow or reap in 2023?

I’m praying to grow in many aspects of my faith and one of the best ways for me to sow those seeds is by reading. I just finished a re-read of Managing Gods’ Money by Randy Alcorn and I truly can’t recommend it enough. If you only read one book this year, you won’t be remiss choosing this one. Next up on my list? Hearing God by Dallas Willard.

Until next time, wishing you sunshiny trails!
Shelby