For years I've had the worst luck when it comes to agents.
Within a month of requesting my manuscript one agent had a family tragedy and stopped being an agent. Another ran into work trouble and got buried in issues that ended up causing her to have to back off from submissions for a while (including fulls she'd requested).
After the third one had a problem I decided maybe I should look into indie. The more I learned about it, the greater I liked the idea, and so, thinking this was the way for me, I jumped in. I went editor shopping, combing through a dozen or more to find one that would fit with me.
And I did!
She was awesome, great work, great price, and fast turnarounds, and willing to do multiple rounds to make my book the best we could. I was thrilled.
And then the curse struck once again.
A week before she was supposed to have my MS back to me she emailed me to say she'd been in the hospital and hadn't been able to get as much done as she needed to. She wasn't going to meet the deadline.
I simply told her to get better and keep me updated when she would have it done. A week went by, and then two.
Still nothing.
And finally an answer--though not the one I wanted.
She had died.
Yep. Definitely cursed.
At first I was shocked and horrified. I kept thinking how much pain her family must be going through and wishing them the best.
And then the anger hit. She'd never finished my manuscript. Now I had to start all over. Again! I'd have to find another editor, get them to take me on, figure out if we worked well together. It was like living in a nightmare where what you want is constantly out of reach.
I had to run some errands and so I went, alone (a rarity with 3 kids whom I homeschool), and the anger just kept building.
This book will make it out there. Cursed or not, I will not just let it sit on a shelf gathering dust.
I will miss my editor, but it will not stop me.
So editors beware. I hope your luck is good, because I'm going to strike again.
