Judith Arnold
I’ve been writing romance novels since my first publication
in 1983. I would probably still be writing romance novels if editors,
publishers, agents and karma hadn’t roughed me up a little. But in a period of
just a few years, my single-title publisher dumped me, my series-romance editor
got laid off, my agent and I parted ways, a bunch of other agents declined to
represent me, one agent did finally agree to take me on but failed to sell
anything of mine, I left her, I teamed up with another agent who also failed to
sell anything of mine, and I left him.
I’d been cruising along in a comfortable romance-fiction
bus—smooth ride, beautiful scenery, no complaints. And suddenly, I found myself
lying in the rutted breakdown lane, choking on the bus’s exhaust fumes as it
continued down the road without me.
I had two choices: I could remain where I was, watching the
bus grow smaller and smaller until it vanished from view, or I could move. I
decided to move.
I wrote a mystery, and I wrote The April Tree.
The mystery, Still
Kicking, was a hoot. It was a comedy, an affectionate satire of suburban
mores. The victim deserved his fate. The heroine saved her own neck, solved the
mystery, and enjoyed some great sex along the way.
The April Tree was
not a hoot. It was a wrenching emotional exploration of fate and faith. The
story of three teenage girls and a college boy whose lives are torn apart by a
small-town tragedy, it addressed thoughts and feelings I’ve wrestled with since
my own adolescence. I had approached this story many times over the years, from
many different angles. Each time, I’d wound up running from what I’d written.
But this time, I steeled myself against the fear and forced myself to keep writing.
By the time I’d finished The
April Tree, I had sold (without an agent) a humorous women’s fiction novel
to Bell Bridge Books. My editor wanted more books from me, and I had these two
manuscripts: a funny, breezy mystery and a searing tale of friends learning how
to recover from a devastating loss. I figured my editor would have no idea what
to do with The April Tree—to be sure,
I had no idea what to do with it. But
I sent it to her, along with the mystery. I said, “Read The April Tree and be honest. If it’s crap, tell me. If I’ve just
wasted a couple of years of my life on this book, let me know. I think you’ll
like the mystery, though.”
It turned out she loved both books. The April Tree is out now, and Still
Kicking is scheduled for release early next year. I’ve just sent my editor
another mystery, a sequel to Still
Kicking.
I never set out to reinvent myself. If I hadn’t been booted
off the bus, I’d probably still be writing romances. But I did get booted off.
What do you do when you find yourself myself tossed to the
side of the highway, bruised and covered with road dust? You stand up, brush
yourself off, and start walking in a new direction. If you’re lucky, you’ll
discover other roads that will take you to exciting destinations—and you’ll
realize that riding a bus isn’t the only way to get where you’re meant to be.
USA Today bestselling
author Judith Arnold still writes
romance novels and novellas which she publishes independently. Her non-romance
novels are published by Bell Bridge Books. Her new release, The April Tree, is available in ebook and trade paperback
at Amazon,
Barnes & Noble,
and Kobo.
For more information about Judith, please visit her web site.
Wow, Judith! What a story! I had no idea you'd been through so much. But I'm delighted that you stood up and brushed yourself off!! Both books sound amazing.
ReplyDeleteWhat an honest and thoughtful post, Judith. Kind of goes with that old saying about a window being opened somewhere. Your post & journey should inspire many! I hope you sell a bazillion copies of both books!
ReplyDeleteThanks for being an example of "pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and start all over again." Sometimes gifts don't come in the wrapping we expect. Go, you!
ReplyDeleteWhat an inspiring story! I've been working on this one manuscript for years and can't quite throw my arms around it as a novel. It's in a different genre from what I normally write. I was hoping this would be my next big thing.
ReplyDeleteStill, I continue to wrestle with it - something isn't quite right. Today I decided it's much better as a short story and I'm feeling such relief. This will set me free to move on to that next thing and I'm so excited.
It was invigorating to read about your experiences. Thanks for sharing!
Wow! Good for you for not letting it get you down. You are amazing.
ReplyDelete