I’m not a fan of long newsletters, so I’ll get right to the point. No news yet on a major publisher, however, I just read an article in Writer’s Digest about an author who bragged about getting offers from eight agents, only to find her agent sent the book out to editors and no one wanted to publish it. Her book died. Lordy, that could be me.
People only talk about their successes on social media. “We forget that before every one of these shiny successes, ALL writers suffer through dozens, if not hundreds or thousands, of failures and rejections. We forget this is the norm because social media only shines light on the very, very rare moments of success.”
There is a downside to sharing what you consider important news. “There is a huge amount of shame in finally getting agented, openly discussing it, and not getting published. (Lord knows I don’t need any more shame in my life.) Worse in many ways when it comes to non-writer friends and family, who don’t understand how this industry works. (You got an agent; when can I buy your book?)”
At any rate, my book probably won’t come out until 2025 or later, even if I go the self-publishing route. On a brighter note, however, I was able to get some new endorsements for The Spy from Beijing:
“Based on the world’s obsession with DNA testing, Joan M Kop crafts a thrilling spy tale about China’s attempt to steal Americans’ personal data and combines it with China’s other nefarious spy practices. Kop keeps you on the edge of your seat as she ratchets up the tension and provides several wild twists in this thought-provoking story about what is more important—family or patriotism?” –Robert Dugoni, author of My Sister’s Grave and The Extraordinary Life of Sam Hell
Bob Dugoni is a lawyer-turned-novelist, a middle child in a Catholic family of 10 children. (Check out his books. One of his bestselling books (Sam Hell) has over 75,000 (yes, 75,000) reviews on Amazon. The other (My Sister’s Grave) was an international bestseller that garnered almost as many Amazon reviews.)
“It doesn’t get better than this. Written by one of America’s few, successful female CIA insiders, The Spy from Beijing is the ultimate combination of excitement, intrigue, love, lies, and all the impossible dilemmas faced by today’s undercover operatives. More than a flight of fantasy, Joan Kop draws upon her experiences to deliver a thoroughly relatable protagonist and relevant storyline within which she conveys the complexity of today’s world of espionage where men and women are mere mortal strapped between national power struggles and their own hearts. Why settle for the usual murder mystery or tale of unrequited love when murder, lust, national secrets, blackmail, and secret agents await you in this page-turner?” – The Honorable Mary Beth Long, former Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs and CIA case officer, current entrepreneur.
Mary Beth Long is a Republican who worked for George Bush. She now owns a law firm.
Besides working on my next spy thriller, The Disillusioned Spy, revising another I just had edited called The Embassy Mole, and spending money and time on marketing my books, I continue to work part-time for Apex Financial Group, selling a conservative product with a guaranteed fixed rate of 5.25% for up to three years. (comparable to a CD). The commission isn’t very high (I share half with my boss), but I enjoy the people contact—interacting with clients I’ve known for a dozen years. Life, as they say, is all about relationships.
Talking about relationships, my 12-year-old Shih Tzu, named Koda, the only male in my life right now, is as energetic as a puppy who offers me unconditional love no matter what I do. He recently was sick with gastroenteritis probably due to the chicken with garlic salt I fed him. Didn’t know garlic is toxic for dogs. It was an expensive lesson. Vet bill was $275 one week and $83 the next. He’s still not over it and refuses to take his medicine, sniffs it out like a bloodhound.
I’ll leave you with a quote: “If you love what you’re doing, you will be successful, but don’t ever be afraid to suck!”
Until next time…