In June 2008, I sold my short paranormal erotic romance, Foretaste of Forever, to The Wild Rose Press. I was thrilled! But it's been a long rocky road to publication. Nine years in fact!

 

The first time an editor took an interest in my writing way back when I first started, I was over the moon. She loved the concept and worked hard with me to polish that story until it glittered. We got to contract stage – and then the company went into liquidation.

 

A few months later my writing caught the eye of an editor at Harlequin Mills & Boon. Whoo-hoo! I was really on my way now! I was obviously going to be a millionaire by Christmas *cough cough*

 

After working with me on a couple of projects, this lovely editor left the company. My work was passed onto another editor, who also subsequently left the company.

 

Hmm. In the meantime, I subbed a short story to Arabella, a US romance magazine. Within weeks, they went into liquidation.

 

It was about this time I started to feel just a bit paranoid. Was somebody trying to tell me something here?!

  

Every now and then I'd put my writing on the back burner, or even tried to forget about it altogether. Never lasted very long though. Within days I'd get twitchy and bad tempered and before long I’d  be back at the computer, itching to plunge into a new world of my creation. The truth is, I was and still am so addicted to the whole I-Am-The-Goddess-of-My-Own-Universe thing I couldn't stop even if I wanted to.

 

Then, in May 2008, the Romance Writers of Australia held their inaugural Romance Roadshow in Perth. It was an amazing experience. I met so many local writers I'd only known online before and the overall buzz and atmosphere was so friendly and encouraging it completely revitalised me (I'd been feeling a bit down about my writing prior to attending). I was so inspired, I queried The Wild Rose Press the following Wednesday. On Saturday, the editor emailed and said my synopsis intrigued her and could I send her the full.

 

I sent her the full. And a week later she offered me a contract for my paranormal erotic romance!

 

It really is the truth when they say the only writer who doesn't get published is the one who gives up. I've come close to giving up so many times, and only the encouragement of my fellow witches (and the fact I go slightly insane when I DON'T write!!) has kept me going. I've tried my hand at writing category romance, first person chick lit, light paranormal, dark paranormal and erotic romance. As they say in Galaxy Quest: Never Give Up! Never Surrender!