Why Do This Job?

Okay, so yeah, I write a column here called How Not To Be a Douche Bag Author 101. And I participated in the second #queryfail (renamed #queryday). And I regale people with tales about diva authors, psycho writers who harass me, and the general frustrations of working this job. I mean, let's face it--all that stuff is wildly entertaining if you're not the subject of those discussions.

I seem cranky and frustrated 99% of the time, always threatening to run away from home and join the circus, and frequently tweeting about the staff mood being red for homicidal.

So why do this job? Not just me, but all of the publishing staff out there? Because let me tell you, a whole lot of the time, people would love to close up shop and go home. It's certainly not the pay and we don't get any health benefits.

Now I'd like to introduce you to Sarah-Jane Lehoux and a book called Thief...

I began work at Mundania Press in December 2007 (for which I will always be eternally grateful) helping out with promotions and PR. Several months later, we had a staff change and I began working in acquisitions reading slush with a few other people.

We had something like four hundred submissions to go through. And I read a whole lot of crap.

And then I read this fantasy novel called Thief.

It was one of the few times that I was immediately captivated by just the synopsis alone. I connected with the main character (a self-proclaimed bitch--gosh, why would I like her?), the heartbreak, the drama... Completely adored the ending and the main character's arc. And the writing sparkled (in a non-vampirey way).

I had The Feeling. Anyone who works in acquisitions likely knows what I'm talking about. It's the sense that *this* book is something special.

In publishing, a lot of people make decisions, though. And at that point, I wasn't really one of them. Thief was initially rejected in September 2008. I had to send the rejection letter, and tried to make it clear to the author, Ms. Lehoux, that we really did enjoy her work and invited her to submit other material in the future. (I have no idea if that came across clearly or not, but it wasn't the usual form letter.)

Fast forward a few months. Final decisions were being made and we had already contracted some amazing Mundania books (my first acquisitions were Pepper Smith's Patty O'Donnell mysteries, the first of which is currently available; Lynda Scott's upcoming release Heartstone, which should be out within days; Debra Tash's Dead Lawyers (summer); Judy Bagshaw's Through All Eternity (summer); Patricia Snodgrass's Glorious (August); Colleen Helme's Songbird (August)) to start to fill out the 2010 catalogue. Everyone loved these books, and I hope you, gentle reader, do too. But as editor full read notes came in for other books, it was clear that not everyone could agree--what one person had loved, the others hadn't, etc.

My boss lamented the fact that he wanted a few more new titles to round out the year but he was at a loss because no one could agree on the others. And I still remembered Thief, the book I insanely loved but ended up having to cut, and I mentioned this. I think my exact words were, "Well, I had to reject a book I love so much more than the rest of the ones we're still looking at. And I'm still bitter about it."

This was December, three months after rejection. I received permission to see if Thief was a) still available, and b) if the author would even still want to talk to us. ;-) But first? I checked her blog and website. When you're an acquiring editor and you believe in a book, you start to build your case and gather the reasons why *this* one, out of all the others, should be picked up. Being a great book isn't enough--I always explain why I think it'll sell and give reasons to back it up, as serious time and money would be spent on it. Besides this author's lovely website, though, I really reviewed her blog. The tone of her posts and language kept me engaged (difficult as I'm ADD), which suggested she'd engage readers as well. And she didn't bitch and moan about the submissions process. There was brief mention of being disappointed about a rejection in September, but that was all. So my instincts were right and she likely wasn't a crazy person.

(BTW, I mention this because I know a lot of writers read my blog, and seriously, this was part of the process. I do this with every author we potentially contract. I know submitting sucks ass, but I'm not going to work with whiners and especially not ones who bad mouth the company I work for.)

And so I emailed and asked if the book was still available. I half expected her to tell me to fuck off, but she didn't, and she sent it along. I sent it to another editor for a full read.

That editor said to me (exact quote, as far as I can remember): "I'm twenty pages in and I'd contract everything this girl has ever written in a heartbeat."

And that's when I offered to contract Thief, and we contracted the next two books in the series as well. I should also mention that the editor above who made that comment went on to read the rest of the book--even though we'd already contracted it--simply because she loved the story so much.

So why do I do this job when there's so much about it that drives me nuts?

This is why, folks. It's finding brilliant books, fighting for them, and seeing them through to publication. It's knowing that now thousands of readers will get to experience that book too. It's getting to edit it and help polish it up. It's seeing the main character come to life on the cover.

When I first started reading slush, I saw a lot of awful books. And I saw some decent ones that were just lacking in something. And then I saw Thief and it completely changed how I looked at this job; I saw Thief and understood what it meant to believe in a book and desperately want to see it reach publication.

And The Feeling? It hasn't let me down yet. We've gone on to contract some absolutely amazing books these past two years that I'm thrilled to be able to share with you. I feel incredibly blessed to have the job I do because I get to discover talent and help it reach readers.

On the days when I'm beating my head against the desk and wondering why on earth I don't just give up all the headaches associated with my position...I think of the fantastic people I've met because of my job, the wonderful books I've read that the world will soon read too...

And I think of Thief, once rejected, then fought for, and now published.

This is why I'm an editor. And this is why I hope to be one for a long time.

You can purchase Thief in paperback and ebook right now: http://www.mundania.com/book.php?title=Thief

And if you're one of my authors? Please know that I adore you. You make all the headaches worth it with your grace and your talent for storytelling. So from the bottom of my cold, black editor heart, I thank you. ;-)

Please join me in a few weeks time when Sarah-Jane drops by on her blog tour for Thief. 'Til then, happy reading.