The reworked query* for Rooted in the Sky is currently sitting in the inboxes of three more lovely small publishers: Red Hen Press, Dzanc Books, and Atticus Books.
All three promise to reply within six months.
so.much.waiting.
In all likelihood, Claire and I won’t know what these publishers think about her book until New Years’! That feels so incredibly far away. There is still a whole stretch of summer and beaches and apple festivals and haunted houses and turkey dinners between now and then. With this heat wave going on, I can’t even wrap my mind around the idea that there will be a time when snow blankets everything and I will be wearing boots but will still be miserably cold.
It’s a good thing we writers are patient and virtuous.
Not.
It will, I keep reminding myself, be well worth the wait should one of these publishers eventually indicate interest in Rooted in the Sky. Most broadly, I picked these three publishers because of their huge commitment to quality literary novels and their taste for unusual characters with unusual quests (definitely fits the bill, as you’ll see in the summary below).
Also, on a side note: In this process I totally judge publishers by their book covers–I believe it is reflective of their commitment to properly producing and promoting an author’s work (say that three times fast!)–and Atticus Books, in my opinion, has some of the best cover designs.
How beautiful are these?
*Seriously, who couldn’t find this improved summary–and the book it promises–tasty?
Having never wanted to become a mother, recently widowed Hannah gives birth to a daughter who, growing up, wants nothing more than her mother’s undivided affection. Committed to purifying herself and pursuing sainthood rather than motherhood, Hannah escapes on foot to the Utah desert and leaves her daughter, Frances, to be raised by a Mormon grandfather and a Catholic nun. Together, this eclectic family lives in a pod-like architectural masterpiece, a home which hangs from the side of a mountain. Each room is an ode to nature: a desert room made of sandstone, a jungle forest kitchen, and a living room with a crystal-clear ocean floor. No matter how far they physically or spiritually distance themselves, however, neither mother nor daughter can escape the voices of the inanimate world as animals, rocks, trees, and buried bones speak to them, whispering secrets about the end of days.
Hannah Karena Jones 
The waiting is the hardest part, but then there’s the reward of the “yes!” In the meantime, you can start working on something new.
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So true!
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True. It’s nice that to keep busy, we can keep creating even more wonderful stories. It makes the wait fun :]
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I just wanted to make sure you knew — your paragraph:
“In all likelihood, Claire and I won’t know what these publishers think about her book until New Years’! That feels so incredibly far away. There is still a whole stretch of summer and beaches and apple festivals and haunted houses and turkey dinners between now and then. With this heat wave going on, I can’t even wrap my mind around the idea that there will be a time when snow blankets everything and I will be wearing boots but will still be miserably cold.”
…it’s just fabulous! I absolutely love this and if the book is compromised of similarly great writing, then I guess I’ll be waiting even longer than you because I want a copy!
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I didn’t write the book myself–it’s totally Claire’s creation and I’m just representing it for her–so the voice is different but it IS full of really wonderful fabulous writing! I’ll keep you all posted for when the book becomes a book!
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Hope things go well and you find out something really good on the sooner rather than later end of time. Best wishes.
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Thank you!! Gotta keep our fingers crossed :]
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Waiting is the worst, but you’ve got a great mindset. Oh, and I judge publishers by covers often, too. 🙂
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Yes. Covers are awesome.
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Good luck to you and I loved the summary – looks great!
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Thanks! Keep your eyes peeled! Someday soon it might be in a bookstore!
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The summary written above is really good, the idea for the story sounds so interesting. I have to agree that those covers are really marvelous. Best of luck while you wait.
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Thank you! I’m so glad you’re intrigued by the story. I loved reading it and think lots of readers would enjoy it :]
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