So far, on this crazy fiasco of a publishing roller coaster, I’ve self-published. This means all and any waiting I’ve done is for my beta readers to give back whatever I’ve sent and my “concept date” with my dad so we can brainstorm over covers. Usually my dad and I can hammer out a cover in a single afternoon, so there’s not much waiting there.

The only other waiting period I have is on myself. Motivation to do something is all I need in order to get going. Self imposed deadlines and such. Other than that I have nothing to actually WAIT on.

This past October I attended GRL (The Gay Romance Literary Retreat) and I met the co-owner of a publishing house I’ve heard a lot about. I heard of her through the other co-owner who I’ve been talking to on a personal bases.

We chatted a lot and I found her absolutely adorable and likable. Through our chit chat and general silliness she mentioned the other co-owner (the one I’ve been chatting to on a personal level) said to chat up Lor and get her to submit.

Color me flattered.

Too bad I had nothing to submit nor would I anytime soon. Anthology calls she told me. Well, okay. Looked through all the calls and I found a few who tickled Animus just a smidgen.

As of now, all three I said I’d do are finished.

Two are set in pre-existing “worlds.” It took Animus and I a little bit of arguing, some threats, another intervention from Epicene, and perhaps another therapy session before he and I agreed on anything. The third isn’t really set in a world but it could fit into my Emotio series if I added a little extra dialogue.

The third one was for a GBLT Coffee Break Quickies call. The deadline was November fifteenth but I turned it in October twenty-ninth. If you counted that’s seventeen days early. Seventeen. Days. Early.

It’s now November nineteenth and I’ve still heard nothing.

It’s nerve wracking.

Utterly nerve wracking.

This type of waiting is something I’ve never had to do. With self-publishing everything is on your own time so there isn’t anything to wait on except me. I know when something is going to happen, how long it’ll take, and when there abouts something will be published. I also know whatever I’ve written will be published. It’s just a matter of when I get around to it.

When submitting something like this I have no idea what’s going to happen. I suppose if it’s rejected I can self-publish the work(s) but what’s the use if it was rejected by a publisher?

I guess I’m just babbling and acting like a baby but I can’t help it. The waiting is just driving me bat-shit crazy.

I know the publishing house is hectic and weeding through a lot of submissions so I keep my mouth shut and don’t probe. I just write whiny blog posts instead.