Thursday, July 15, 2010

Chasin' A Dream With Margaret Tanner!!!!

Welcome back, TLN'ers!!

We've got another awesome author visiting us today! Ain't that a great way to start the day?!

Please give a warm Howdy-do to MARGARET TANNER! She's back with a guest blog sure to inspire us all. Kick up your heels and grab another danish, don't worry no one will tell! Get ready, because here we go . . .


Thank you Sarah for inviting me to The Lovestruck Novice.

My latest release from The Wild Rose Press, Frontier Wife, has led a tortured existence. It has been briefly published before (twice) with the title of The English Rose, great title but very unlucky in my case. Each time, something happened with the publishers that was beyond my control - like going out of business. This was my first published novel and I wanted to curl up in a corner and die, I really did, but I re-worked my story and sent it to TWRP and after some great editing work it is now out in the public arena once more and I couldn’t be happier. So, the moral of the story is – have faith in your work and never give up.

Now, as a follow up to this, and reinforcing the adage of never giving up, I am posting part of a talk that I once gave on this topic.

So you want to get published.

You have written a fabulous novel, your mother loved it and your girlfriend said it was the best story she had ever read.

Now, who is the lucky publisher? You know everyone will want it. The dollar sign lights up in your eyes. Six figure advance, well maybe you would take five for starters. You are already debating what you will wear to your first book launch. Who will play the lead role when your masterpiece is made into a movie? Be honest, haven’t we all thought like this?

I have sent manuscripts to the large category romance publishers. The bigger the better I thought and received rejection letters, the good, the bad, and the downright ugly. I could paper the side wall of my house with them. Along the way I entered and won, or was commended in, unpublished manuscript awards so I was reassured that I had some talent.

In desperation, after a few rejections, I once sent a manuscript off and pretended to be my husband. I wrote a little introductory note saying I was a male nightshift worker at an international airport, (which he was. Of course, he couldn’t write a romance novel to save his life).

A couple of months later the manuscript was returned from the junior editor saying she quite liked the storyline, I really did write like a woman, but they had read something similar only a few weeks previously. Devastating news.

A few weeks before Christmas, a friend of ours proposed a daring plan that would get me out of the ‘slush’ pile. He said. “Wrap the manuscript up in Christmas paper, put a fancy ribbon on it and send it off addressed to the senior editor. No junior editor would dare open the boss’ Christmas present.” What a master stroke I thought, the man was an absolute genius.

Well, a couple of months later, said present winged its way back to me, my pretty ribbons intact, sticky tape untouched by human hand. The note was brief and to the point. Thank you for the gift, but we don’t accept presents, wishing you Merry Christmas etc. etc. The rejection was killing. I felt like the world had ended.

Then I got smart, and started researching publishers who published the kind of novels I wrote and whose business structures were sound.

It has taken me years and a lot of perseverance to get this far, but I am multi-published now and have two publishers, Whiskey Creek Press and The Wild Rose Press.

BIO: Margaret Tanner is an award winning multi-published Australian author. She is a member of the Romance Writers of Australia, the Melbourne Romance Writers Group (MRWG) and EPIC.

She loves delving into the pages of history as she carries out research for her historical romance novels, and prides herself on being historically correct. No book is too old or tattered for her to trawl through, no museum too dusty, no cemetery too overgrown. Many of her novels have been inspired by true events, with one being written around the hardships and triumphs of her pioneering ancestors in frontier Australia.

FRONTIER WIFE
Only in the new world can a highborn young Englishwoman and a tough frontier man, ignite the passion that will fulfil their hopes and dreams in ways they never imagined possible.

Tommy Lindsay arrives in colonial Australia to claim the rundown farm she and her brothers have inherited.

Hidden behind her fragile English beauty, beats the heart of a courageous young woman. She will need all this strength to survive the unforgiving heat, and the dangers lurking around every corner. Lost in the bush, capture by a feral mountain family, raging bushfires are nothing compared to the danger she faces if she gives her heart to Adam Munro.

Adam Munro, a rugged frontier man, has no room in his heart to love a woman. All he ever wanted was a presentable wife who would provide him with heirs. He didn’t need passion in his life, not until he fell under the spell of the beautiful young Englishwoman living next door to him.




Now, that is what I call a sweet treat! I'd like to thank Margaret for coming back to hang out with us and for sharing such a wonderful post, too! If you'd like to know more about Margaret Tanner, please click on over to her lovely website: Margaret Tannerhttp://www.margarettanner.com/

FRONTIER WIFE published by The Wild Rose Press
http://www.thewildrosepress.com/frontier-wife-p-4099.html

THANK YOU, TLN'ers! It's always a treat to see you here! I want to take you back and get your toes tapping to a tune with a whole lot of heart! Here's
SHANIA TWAIN with WHAT MADE YOU SAY THAT! Take care and have a great weekend! See you Moanday!

26 comments:

Margaret Tanner said...

Hi Sarah,
Thank you for having me at your blog again. I keep returning like a boomerang. (A boomerang is a hunting weapon of the Australian aborigine. When he throws it, if he doesn't hit anything, it returns and drops at his feet). Not bad eh?

cheers
Margaret

Anonymous said...
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Sarah Simas said...

Thanks for coming back, Margaret! My brother-in-law brought my hubs a mini boomerang from his travels through Australia. The paintings on it are gorgeous! LOL I wouldn't let him try it the house. His hunting involves opening the fridge, no boomerang needed! :) Although maybe if he were to take it with him when he goes go deer hunting, he might actually come back with one!!! LOL

Linda Swift said...

Hi Margaraet and Sarah. I'm so glad I found you today. This blog was hilarious. What a great sense of humor you have about the trials and tribulations of the published author. This "gem" was filled with great advice and observations as well as those antedotes. I wish you the continued success you are so deserving of. I'm grateful to call you friend.
I like your blog site, Sarah. I'll be visiting again.
Linda

Stephanie Burkhart said...

Margaret and Sarah, I agree - what a nice find today. Margaret, your story to publication is such an inspiration. What a journey. I took a lot of patience and perservence for you to make it though and that's what I admire.

I've never been to Australia in my reading and I'm looking forward to it with your story!

Smiles
Steph

Margaret Tanner said...

Hi Steph and Linda,
Thank you so much for dropping by I appreciate it.

Regards
Margaret

Karlene Blakemore-Mowle said...

G'day Margaret!
It was lovely to read about your journey to publication- I loved the christmas wrapped MS! That guy really was a genius.. who would have thought there were so many ethical editors out there to not have even unwrapped it!!!!
I'm going to get hold of your books and I hope to catch up with you maybe at the conference in Sydney next month?
Karly- your fellow TWRP writer and RWA member!!!

Margaret Tanner said...

Hi Karly,
Thanks for stopping by. Unfortunately, I am not going to the Sydney conference this year, but I look forward to catching up with you at some stage.Maybe the next Melbourne or Queensland conference.

Regards

Margaret

Helen said...

Hi Margaret

What a lovely post good on you for never giving up it must be such a pleasure to see your book on the shelves after all the hard work you put into it.

Congrats on the release

Have Fun
Helen

Autumn Jordon said...

LOL. I love the Christmas present rejection and I'm not laughing you, but with you. I did something similar to an agent when I firt started submitting. I thought I was being unique, creative. I guess not. LOL. I received a nice don't do this again rejection.

We learn in baby steps. Glad you kept trying.

AJ

www.autumnjordon.net

Margaret Tanner said...

Hi Autumn and Helen,
Thank you so much for dropping by and leaving a comment. I appreciate it.

Regards

Margaret

Lauri said...

Hey Margaret,

Oh, my, you have been creative in your submissions! I loved the Christmas present idea! I'm still chuckling!

Congrats on your all your successes!

Cheers,
Lauri

Margaret Tanner said...

Hi Lauri,
Thanks. I thought the Christmas present was a good idea, too. Pity it didn't work.

Regards

Margaret

Susan Macatee said...

Great post, Margaret! I think we all start off with stars in our eyes. My first completed novel was never published and never will be. I look at it as a practice novel. We all have to learn. My first romance went the rounds and finally ended up at TWRP. I've had another published there since, as well as novella and short stories. As far as the big money, I don't know if that'll ever come. But I can always dream.

Kathy Otten said...

Hi Margaret,

Writing is such an alone business. And even with the support of family no one really understands the pain of rejection unless you've been through it. Thanks for sharing your publishing trials and tribulations. Hearing about another's experience, lightens the weight of our failures, changing them into a right of passage into the world authors.

Cheryl Pierson said...

Hey-ya, Margaret and Sarah!

Great post--I must get my hands on Frontier Wife!! This looks soooo good--I love these kinds of stories, especially with the hero who doesn't have time (or so he thinks) for love. LOL Great idea about the Christmas wrap--I'm surprised they spent the postage to return it to you! I've been through a lot of ups and downs in trying to get published, too, Margaret, though I never had that genius idea about the Christmas present. LOL My first novel I ever wrote will take a lot of re-working to get it "saleable"--but it is really a good story, and one that started me on my writing journey--the one I couldn't get out of my mind. So one day, I'm hoping to go back to it and get it in shape to fly to the right publisher. Loved the post, as always. One day I'm hoping to get to travel to Australia. It's the one place I want to see more than any other.

Cheryl

Cate Masters said...

Such great advice, Margaret. So lucky for us you never gave up! Congrats on Frontier Wife - sounds like another fantastic read!

Unknown said...

Margaret, my dear friend. We have been through the wringer haven't we? I've decided that e-publishing is my niche, and I see it going places after having been involved for over ten years now. I may never be in a real brick and mortar store as I hoped, but maybe with all the new ebook readers on the market, someone will discover and love me. Loved your post. By the way, I do accept presents. *lol*

Leigh D'Ansey said...

Oh, Margaret - you're so right! I've dreamed the five-figure dream, worn the gown, said the speech, tearfully thanked a thousand of my closest friends - and then whoomp... back down to earth with a thump. How cool that your perserverance paid off. Frontier Wife sounds like an especially great story.

Ilona Fridl said...

Oh, Margaret, you're such a good writer I knew you'd find someone to buy. But I did love the Christmas present idea!

Martha Eskuchen said...

Hi Margaret - very good post. I had to smile at your creativity but it is the perseverance that prevailed. We are glad it did. The book sounds lovely. Best wishes for future acceptances!

Lisabet Sarai said...

Hello, Margaret,

Ah, those naive dreams about fame and fortune! I had them too.

I think the core nugget of truth here is to find the right publisher for YOUR book--your genre, approach, storyline and so on.

As they say, size doesn't really matter... ;^)

Warmly,
Lisabet

Unknown said...

Congratulations Margaret you really did try hard and got there... patience is a virtue LOL

I love the sound of this book... sounds like a good aussie book

Margaret Tanner said...

Good evening ladies.
Thank you Susan, Kathy, Cheryl, Cate, Ginger, Leigh, Ilona, Martha E, Lisabet and Barb. I appreciate you dropping by and leaving such nice comments.

Cheers

Margaret

Tiffany Green said...

Hi Margaret, Frontier Wife sounds like a great book! It's definitely on my TBR list. Love the Christmas present story. Best wishes to you!

Margaret Tanner said...

Hi Tiffany,

Thanks for dropping by I appreciate it.

Cheers

Margaret