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| Lisa Belcastro |
Enjoy her journey to publication. ~ Dawn
Following
a Dream, and a Friend
by Lisa
Belcastro
“I’m going to a Christian Writers’ Conference,” I announced
to my family. I had, in the previous week, finished the third draft of my first
full-length novel, Shenandoah Nights.
I was ready to compose my proposal and pitch my story.
I’d been to one other writers’ conference and had loved it.
At that time, I didn’t have a book to pitch. I’d spent years as a journalist,
but novels were a whole new ballgame. I was impressed with the number of
agents, editors and publishers who attended the conference. I heard many
writers comment that a conference was the best place to sell your book. I made a mental note to remember that advice
when I finished my first novel.
Two years later, manuscript in hand, I flew down to Florida
with my list of agents and editors that I hoped to pitch my book to. Attendees were allowed three appointments. I
read through the list, crosschecked the publishing house with what genres they
were publishing and looking for, and then decided on my three. I was beyond excited. The classes were
informative and fun, the daily worship and large group events inspired and
lifted me, and I met new friends.
One of those new friends was nervous about her publishing
meeting, and asked me to go with her. They were scheduled to talk over lunch,
so the meeting was more informal than some of the pitch appointments. I had already been to two of mine. Both
editors had been kind and had asked to see my manuscript. I was floating on
Cloud Nine. My friend Beverly was in knots about her upcoming meeting. I agreed
to go.
We met Ramona Tucker from OakTara, and Bev pitched her
trilogy. The series wasn’t the right fit
for OakTara. Over lunch, the three of us began to chitchat. Ramona asked if I
was also a writer and what I was writing. Without a thought about an elevator
pitch or back cover blurb, I told her about Shenandoah
Nights. She asked more questions. I bubbled with enthusiasm and shared how
the story came to me while chaperoning my daughter’s school trip aboard the
schooner Shenandoah.
Do you know what happened? Ramona asked if I had hard copy
of the first three chapters. I did, back in my hotel room, and promised to give
them to her before dinner that night. The next morning, Ramona found me and
said she wanted to read the full manuscript and that she was “very interested.”
I had no plans to meet with Ramona, but God knew better. I’m
on my third book with OakTara, and Beverly is getting ready to publish her
third book, too. We were both blessed by the conference. Going to a conference
was some of the best writing advice I’ve been given. Next year I’ll attend
three, and I’m eager to see what new friends, new ideas and new inspirations
will meet me there.
Tweetables:
Going to a
conference opened the door to publication for Lisa Belcastro. Click to tweet.
God can provide
people or circumstances to help make our dreams come true. Click to tweet.
Lisa Belcastro
shares her journey to publication on Seriously Write. Click to tweet.
Tess
Roberts may live on Martha's Vineyard, vacation spot for movie stars and
presidents, but the Island feels anything but idyllic. Tess has had it with
lousy dates, lying, cheating men, and the rules that forbid her from working on
her family's centuries-old schooner, Shenandoah. Lucky for Tess, she knows a secret-the
Shenandoah has magical powers. Her best friend, Rebecca O'Neill, once stayed in
Cabin 8 and discovered a time portal that transported her to 1775. A month
after Rebecca's "disappearance," Tess's father, brother, and
Shenandoah's annoying first mate, Hawk, plan to shut down the time travel for
good by dismantling the cabin.
But
what if Rebecca might someday need to come home? What if Tess isn't ready to
say good-bye forever? Sneaking onto the ship late at night, Tess slips into
Cabin 8 and drifts off to sleep. She wakes anchored off the New England coast
amidst the American Revolution in 1776. The British frigate HMS Greyhound has
seized Shenandoah and taken the crew, cargo, and all onboard hostage. To make
matters worse, Hawk is relentlessly tracking her, determined to bring her back
to the twenty-first century against her will. Sparks begin to fly, from more
than cannonballs and gunpowder....
Lisa Belcastro lives
with her family on Martha’s Vineyard.
She loves chocolate, reading, writing, running, working in her gardens,
including weeding, and almost all outdoor activities—as long as the temperature
is above sixty degrees! Being on or near the water is pure joy for Lisa.
When she’s not at her desk working on her next novel or
writing the cuisine column for Vineyard
Style Magazine, Lisa is volunteering at her daughters’ schools, serving in
her church community, gardening and cooking up those vegetables, trying to run
a marathon a month, or walking the beach looking for sea glass.
To learn more or connect with Lisa, please visit:
Author website at www.lisabelcastro.com
Author Facebook page at www.facebook.com/belcastrolisa
