The End of the World...Er, I Mean, The End of the Road

Hello Friends, 

Does the image to your right look familiar? That's my baby. If you grabbed yourself a copy, I would like to thank you. As a writer, my primary goal is to share my stories with the world and hopefully bring joy and fascination to my readers. 

Secondly, if you did get a copy of Wallflower, you are one of the few to own a real, live limited edition novel. You see, after only one year in business, my publisher has closed its doors, returning me and my book to the mean streets of the literary homeless.

I am no longer a represented author. I am no longer published. 

I can hear you now: "But Jennifer, why can't you just self-publish Wallflower?" I would, my friends, but you must understand, self-publishing is an expensive venture. One must be somewhat independently wealthy to do so. I could just slap it up on Amazon and sell only e-copies, but I feel I would be cheating my readers out of the possibility of owning a paperback. Aside from that, I wouldn't be able to buy copies of my own book to sell at public appearances and book signings. After all, you must have an actual, physical book in order for me to sign it. 

No, I'm going to jump back into the fray to look for a literary agent to represent my stories. I've already begun the slow and arduous journey of slogging through the slush piles as I claw my way to the surface for some air.

This blog is about the evolution of Wallflower. Unfortunately, I feel this particular work has moved as far up the evolutionary ladder as it can possibly go. As a result, I've decided this will be the last entry for this blog. It's time to retire it and I'm very sad. 

No, I'm not giving up, mind you. I have plenty of finished stories and novels just waiting to test their wings, but they can't leave the nest without a nest to leave from. Perhaps I will start a blog about that. 

To those of you who have been following my work, thank you. I hope to find myself in your good graces again as quickly as possible. As the saying goes: When one door closes, another one opens somewhere. I'm off to find that open door. 

This is Jennifer B. Fields signing off. 

Write On!

Here Comes "Wallflower"

We've come a long way, baby. Do you know what today is??

It's release day for Wallflower!

Today is the culmination of years of hard work. My book has been released on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

I still can't believe I can say, "my book". It's my very own creation, from my own twisted brain.

I've found my calling and I'm living my very own dream.

When they say it takes a lot of hard work, they weren't kiddin'! Bringing my book to the world was the hardest thing I've ever done. But also the most rewarding.

If you truly love writing, you won't mind toiling in the mud repeatedly for long durations. I don't. As long as I'm breathing, I intend to do it again and again, because I love it.

I invite everyone visit my page on Bradley Publishing and pick up a copy of Wallflower today. Make sure you leave me a lovely review on Amazon or B & N. I really hope you like my little story. I think it's awesome, but I know I'm biased. :-)

The Culmination of Wallflower

My, my. It has been over three years since I started this blog about my novel, Wallflower. Three years of writing, creating, editing, toiling, agonizing, querying, requerying, complaining, rejoicing and ultimately finding a publisher for my little book.


What a ride!


Wallflower will finally be released on Amazon and Barnes & Noble in three days (April 23rd.) I will be a published author. The euphoria has yet to wear off, and I hope it never does.

But don't get me wrong, folks. This blog is far from finished. 

Upon publication, a new battle begins. Now I go from writing mode to marketing mode, which I know little about. I've certainly done my share of research on the subject. I've gotten myself a decent platform started (present blog included.) But I have a lot to learn, and I'm eager to share my findings with you.

So hang on tight. As Bette Davis would say: "It's going to be a bumpy night." I'm glad I have all of you to lean on. And while you're at it, travel on over to Amazon or to Bradley Publishing's website and pick up a copy of Wallflower. See what all this fuss has been about. 

And thank you to all my loyal readers and followers. You've helped the seed of my writing grow into a vibrant and colorful Wallflower.

♥♥♥

Shut up Murphy!

Have you ever heard of Murphy's Law?

The contemputous and fictional Murphy states "If anything can go wrong, it will go wrong."

This seems to be our mantra since we moved to Oregon...No, actually since Billy and I have been together. Life or fate or whatever you want to call it seems to have a bottomless sack of monkey wrenches to hurl into the gears of our well-oiled plans, no matter how small. The bigger and more important the plan, the more monkey wrenches we can expect.

The latest wrench?

I'm writing this entry from our brand new laptop. We were forced to spend a chunk of our precious tax return on this infernal, but utterly necessary contraption since our other dinosaur decided to join the ranks of instinction last week. As with any of our wrench-riddled life lessons, this one was unexpected and expensive.

Meanwhile, I couldn't get online. I couldn't check my email. I wondered if my publisher had contacted me. I pictured said publisher huffing and puffing at their desk because their newest venture was being...difficult. I imagined the worst: Finally getting online only to behold an angry email sprinkled with expletives about how ungrateful and unprofessional I behaved. This nightmare email always ended with YOU'RE FIRED! (Yes it was in all caps in my nightmare as well.)

You can imagine my relief when no such email was found once I was able to return to the www. 

In fact, NO email was found from my publisher at all...Now my fright has turned to panic with a chaser of disillusionment. What are they waiting for? My release date is scheduled for mid April. Hadn't we better get going on the editing?

Oh well. No news is good news, I suppose. In the meantime, I'll happy pluck away at my latest project, "Furthermoore." And I'll be doing it on my new $500 japanese-made monkey wrench. I'm not exaggerating when I say that as I prepare to finish this post with my fingers curled stiffly over the keyboard, I cast my perturbed, puckered puss skyward and ask Mr. Murphy to go pick on somebody else for a while.

Bye all!

The First Day of the Rest of My Life

Boy oh boy, do I have news for you!!   

After five years of querying agents, researching publishers and slogging through slush piles across the country, I've landed a book deal for Wallflower!!

Yes, you heard me right. Wallflower has found a home.

I've signed up with Bradley Publishing. They believe in me and my book and they have eagerly offered to market Wallflower to the masses in the form of e-book and paperback.

Let's pause here a moment and reflect. Take a deep, satisfied breath in the realization that I am going to be a published author. Zen...

Wow, what a feeling.

I can't wait to get going on the editing process. Yes, I know it's going to be difficult. Yes, I know that I may not like some of the mutilations...I mean, changes they suggest for the manuscript, but it is a necessary evil. In reality, I welcome such input. I don't get a lot of writer-to-writer interaction here in this not-so-upscale RV park or in Salem for that matter. I'm simply desperate for some writer show-n-tell. It's what I live for, after all.

In a few months, I'll have a book cover to post on my website and a novel to market. I'm just so proud. I imagine it feels like raising a baby to adulthood and watching all your hard work strike out on its own to change the world.

I did it. I'm a legitimate author.

Stay tuned for my adventures in editing. Today is the first day of the rest of my life and I'm ecstatic!