A very nice rejection...alas

[clarentine]

The agent who'd requested a partial of Cavalier Attitude sent me a rejection this week. It's never fun to get those envelopes you've addressed and stamped, hoping never to have them come back, and I regretted seeing this one (not least because I really do think Cavalier is the strongest book I've written thus far). Alas. But it was a very nice, very helpful rejection letter, and I appreciate the kindness that went into its composition.

"While the tone, flow, and voice hit all the right notes for me, Cavalier runs the risk of being sub-categorized to death - a fantasy novel, a high fantasy novel, a gay novel (and more, a novel about gay love and its proscription) - which I fear would limit its audience from the start. I simply can't be confident that you'll find publication at a trade publisher; it's the sort of project that would do quite well at a small press, and it doesn't suit my time or yours to involve me in the hunt for the right place."

Good thing I got today's words in before the mail came. I have a feeling I'll be mulling over that bit about small press publication for quite a while.

Comments

[jmeadows.livejournal.com]

Well pook. Nice buts are nice, but... *sigh*

It's a step forward! You'll fine one who falls in love! Onward!

[clarentine]

Thanks. One writes what one writes and finds the market afterward, right? ::sigh::

I need to ask in chat what people think, if they have an informed opinion, of a first novel being published in small press--what, if anything, that does to one's career. I knew going in that Cavalier was going to be a tough sell, in part because of the m/m love story subplot. It might just be that Cavalier will not be the first published Chris Coen novel. *g* Bells, the first one I got in draft with novel_in_90, has the potential to be better and more commercially marketable, I think (no icky boysmoochies and a nice, solid adventure plot).

Or, you know, maybe small press's cachet is looking up, and that really is a good idea.

(The first question I asked myself, after rereading the letter and digesting it, was, did I think she was in a position to judge the categorization of the novel? After thinking about it, I decided she was. Though I'm still not sure about "high fantasy novel"!)

At least she didn't call it a romance! *g*

And yes, onward. Ever onward. There is no other direction possible.