I Passed the Teenager Test

Early critics call 27 "Astounding! Cinematic! Action-packed!" You won't be able to put it down either.

Read to the end to see how you can get a pre-published copy of my new and now-finished novel, 27!

I wanted to update you all about what’s happening with my novel right now. If you recall from the last update, I completed my second novel, 27, in September. (I may do some further edits and rewrites, but…you know what I mean.) You might also recall, that when I decided to complete this novel a year or more ago, I had turned my back on traditional publishing given all the headaches I had with my first novel.

But after my mentor, Michael Collins, read a big chunk of it, he really felt it would be a disservice to me and the book to go straight to self-publishing without at least trying the traditional route. So, I have decided to take his advice on that score.

Recently, he read the entire finished manuscript, and I really couldn’t be more pleased with his feedback. I don’t know what I was expecting, exactly, but the words “this is bestseller material” were music to this author’s ears. The full quote is as follows:

Can we talk tomorrow? The book is amazing and the final chapters had such a dramatic pacing and sequence of actions. This is best seller material.

Best of all, I passed the teenager test.

My novel is geared towards young adults. The first novel I wrote was geared towards young women specifically, and in the back of my mind I’ve wondered if I had it in me to write a story which would appeal to both teenage girls and boys.

I got my answer a few weeks ago when my sister, her husband and their fifteen-year-old son, Miles, came to visit. Miles, like all their kids, is an avid reader. I noticed his interest in the printed manuscript I had lying about so I could pen edit, and told him he could go ahead and read it if he wanted.

Once he picked it up, he and the book were more or less inseparable until he finished it in about two day’s time. I was pleased that this old aunt had passed the interesting-enough-for-a-teenage-boy test.

So far, my husband, my mom, Miles, my brother, Michael Collins and a friend from college whose name is also Amanda have all read it. And to a person (minus Miles who is not often verbose especially when his old aunt is around), they describe the book in cinematic terms. Most of the time, they say, “This should be a movie.” Or, “This should be a TV series.”

I never really set out to write a gripping, action-packed thriller.

I wanted to write something that would inspire young people to greatness. Something that would touch that place inside a young person that longs for deep meaning and sees poetic beauty in nature. I wanted to reach the hidden philosopher in each teenager that I know is lurking down there under all that angst and acne.

Because I remember being a teenager like it was yesterday. It was quite horrible and quite wonderful all at once.

Anyway, I guess I succeeded in more ways than I thought I would.

So, what is the book’s progress so far?

Michael is going to send my manuscript via a good friend to a mutual acquaintance whose name you’d recognize if I wrote it. He’s a published author whose novels have been made into major films many times over. I don’t really want to name drop, because…it just doesn’t seem fitting or proper at the moment. But! Michael is going to ask him for an endorsement. We’ll see what happens with that. Could be something. Could be a whole lot of nothing. Such is the nature of publishing.

Meanwhile, Jonathon has a massive list of people he’d like to approach about the book. We may be doing some traveling to talk to these people. We have toyed with the idea of hiring a marketing company. I’m considering launching a podcast next year to drive engagement. All of this will cost money.

In that vein, I want to thank a recent free subscriber who became a paid subscriber a couple weeks back, one Patrick Peterson! It was a huge blessing to see that he thought my newsletter worthwhile enough to contribute financially. It has been a long time since anyone has done that and it has been a long time since I’ve asked.

But since the search for publisher has begun in earnest now that my book is done, it’s time to ask again.

The funds that you contribute to my newsletter go into a dedicated bank account for any expenses this whole venture incurs.

By subscribing for just $8 a month, you will literally be putting gas in my tank as my husband and I chase down the people and publishers that can help us see this project through to publication… and maybe even film production.

In return, you’ll get a digital preview copy of the first 10 chapters of the manuscript. And anyone who donates at the annual level of $80/year or more, I’d like to loan you a printed preview copy of the FULL manuscript…so you can see how the story ends! Once we’ve published, we’ll send you a copy of the finished product for you to keep.

If you are already a paid subscriber, look for my email soon to arrange the details.

So would you click the button below and become a paying subscriber? Every penny will be used to see that 27 gets professionally published:

After you’ve become a paying subscriber, would you help me spread the word about my newsletter to anyone you think would enjoy it?

Big tech isn’t our friend, and I’ve found that my social media is frequently shadow banned. I post, and no one likes, comments, or clicks the link, because Facebook won’t let them see it.

This is why I need you to reach out directly to your friends and share with them this post or a previous post that was especially meaningful to you. Send it to them through email, text message, or on your preferred social media platform. Encourage them to subscribe, as well.

The more subscribers I acquire now, the better 27 will do later. Publishers look at these things when they consider taking on a new author. So, please share, share, share!

Finally, Do any of you have any connections to publishers? Or do people you know, know any publishers? If you have any leads at all, please do send them my way!

That’s all for now! Until next time, folks…