I received word on my “big” book deal on Friday from Harper Collins – but the book won’t be published until winter 2012.
Gasp!- you think. No…. it’s not really that long of a time in the book world. The big publishing companies are not Kinko’s, agreeing to something today, and pushing it out overnight. It’s more like an elephant’s pregnancy. Something expectant and huge.
But how long did it take to write my book?
On and off, six years.
The first draft came in a flurry in 2003 when I was a very inexperienced writer. The first draft was 125 pages long. In my naive exuberance, I sent it out to publishing houses and got plenty of rejections. Rule #1 – never, never, never send out your first, second or third draft. You are not that good, and I was no exception to that rule.
2004 – I redrafted during my pregnancy and maternity leave. Things got better. I expanded by about 40 pages.
2005 – Signed with a literary agent. We got two rounds of rejections and he stopped submitting. Note to self: the world is not quite right when flooded in post-hormonal sleepless nights. I constantly tinkered with the book, plus I wrote and published other things.
2006 – I did another round of intensive edits on this book. Agent seemed not interested, and I grew to hate book. I moved on to new book. When I submitted new book and received no response from agent – he and I parted ways.
2007 – Writer friends encouraged me to work this book even though I told them I hated the characters and wanted them all deported. They encouraged me to go to conferences and submit the work.
2008 – I began a search for a new agent.
Mid 2008 – A new wonderful agent was kind enough to fall in love with my characters and take a chance on me. She asked all the right questions which prompted more revisions, more writing. (I have signed with her)
Late 2008 – The manuscript, ILLEGAL, went out to one editor who bought it in April 2009 and will publish it in winter 2012.
Nine years to birth a book.
I thought throwing up several times a day, every day, for nine months was a bit much during my pregnancy. I am so relived this baby is safe in the womb of her new mother, Harper Collins and her editor, Katherine Tegen. It will be fun to watch it grow up.

In the mean time, my very cute, very funny Moose and Magpie (Sylvan Dell) picture book will debut next month at Book Expo America!

Related posts:

1. Connect with Bettina Restrepo: Potty Talk
2. Connect with Bettina Restrepo: Moosing Around
3. Connect with Bettina Restrepo: Golden Books, a Golden Legacy
4. MOOSE AND MAGPIE by Bettina Restrepo
5. Connect with Leigh Brescia: The Importance of Being . . . Flexible