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| Heather Woodhaven |
Are you filled with expectation that new doors may open up for you in your writing life? Or are you feeling discouraged because they seem to be not only locked, but
bolted? Author Heather Woodhaven shares her personal journey and offers
encouragement.
~ Dawn
When
At First You Don’t Succeed
I love January.
Not because of the cold or the gray skies or the bills from
Christmas or the time to do taxes…wait. Why do I like January again?
Oh, yeah. It’s reminder of new beginnings to me. Last
January that’s exactly what happened.
I’d always wanted to write novels but after umpteen
rejections, I put down the desire to write fiction and found success in writing
non-fiction articles for websites and magazines. Still, the yearning to tell
stories only grew. Over a decade later, author Lisa Phillips dared me to write
and enter a Love Inspired Suspense novel to the Happily Editor After contest.
So I did.
And received yet another rejection.
This time when I went back to my non-fiction it almost felt
painful. It wasn’t until my friend, Becky Avella, also received a rejection
from the same contest that my eyes were opened.
The feedback from the editors to both of us made me realize that these
editors really did want to publish us, but we weren’t giving them what they
needed. Yet.
So I studied the twitter feeds of the editors for the line.
I picked an editor and read books that she edited and took notes. I essentially
wrote a synopsis for the books she’d edited and then…I completely rewrote my
own manuscript, submitted, and waited.
A month later I dragged myself to a department store to buy
a new pair of jeans. (I hate clothes shopping.)
While in the dressing room, I received a call from New York. I couldn’t
stop myself from answering. I was jumping up and down while the editor spoke
and after I hung up, I cheered.
I opened the dressing room to find not one but two employees
eager to see the perfect pair of jeans that I must’ve found. Despite the embarrassing
moment, it was worth it. (And I’m wearing the jeans right now.)
So if you’ve been met with rejection, I encourage you to try
again. Study and revise.
Even now, after three books sold, whether I’m writing
romantic suspense or humorous women’s fiction, I still take time to read books
in my genre and take notes. The analyzing helps me remember what I love about
storytelling.
Oh, and my friend, Becky? She got the call as well a couple
months later.
Have you ever studied your favorite novels? How did it
change your storytelling?
Accountant
Victoria Hayes never would have thought discovering fraud in her office would
put her life at risk. When her house catches fire, destroying the evidence
she's collected, it seems the mastermind will do anything to keep Victoria from
disclosing what she knows. Unsure what to do, she turns to her charming
supervisor for help. But without much evidence, Jeff Tucker is reluctant to
believe Victoria…until they both become suspects. Now they must work together
to prove their innocence…and stay alive. With an unpredictable—and
deadly—criminal after them, each step could be their last.
Heather Woodhaven
earned her pilot's license, flew a hot air balloon over the safari lands of
Kenya, assisted an engineer with a medical laser in a Haitian mission, parasailed over Caribbean seas, lived through an accidental detour onto a black
diamond ski trail in the Aspens and snorkeled among sting rays before becoming
a mother of three and wife of one. Now Heather spends her days celebrating
laughter, adding to her impressive list of embarrassing moments, and raising a
family of aspiring comedians who perform nightly at her table. She channels her
love for adventure into writing characters who find themselves in extraordinary
circumstances—whether running for their lives or battling the insanities of
life.
You can learn more and connect with Heather here:
