The Windy Road to Publication with Christina Phillips

Thank you Eleni, Hannah and the rest of the Bootcampers for inviting me over to the Bootcampers Blog to chat about my writer’s journey and first release! I’m thrilled to be here.

 In June 2008, I sold my short erotic romance with paranormal elements, Foretaste of Forever, to The Wild Rose Press. I was ecstatic! 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. I went through three rounds of extensive edits over an 18 month time frame. We got to contract stage – and then the company went into liquidation.

Devastated but not defeated I picked myself up and began to sub to Harlequin Mills and Boon. Over the following year or so I received several form rejection letters (lacks Emotional Punch and Excitement. Oh. Um, so what is Emotional Punch…?)

Then I discovered the eHarlequin boards, my first CP and the mysteries of what, exactly, EP was!!!

A few months later my writing caught the eye of an editor at Harlequin Mills & Boon. She said how much she loved the set up and requested the full. Within a month she rejected it, but with very specific reasons, and asked me to send her ‘several’ proposals so she could pick the strongest one for us to work on together.

Squeee!!!

I sent her two partials and three other outlines. Months passed and I heard nothing.  I’d finished those two stories and was half way through another, so contacted M&B only to discover this editor had left the company. 

Sigh.  My work was passed onto another editor. She also left the company.

Sometime during this period 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?!

My work was passed to a third editor who requested the full, spoke to me on the phone about my writing and then requested revisions. Ten months later I received a rejection on completely different aspects of the manuscript. Argh!!!

I thought I would try something different and wrote a couple of first person chic lits. They turned into first person romances, and writing hot sex scenes from the first person perspective was quite an… eye opener… ! Unfortunately that was just as the slump hit chic lit and my babies were without a home.

So I decided to go back to my first love of paranormal romance, shifted back to third person and received positive feedback from agents but still no offer! 

At the beginning of 2008 I was seriously fed up with the whole writing business. I didn’t know whether to go back to my beloved category romances, or pursue my paranormals. A lot of the time I just procrastinated around the web and if it hadn’t been for my fantastic CPs who encouraged me to try something new – erotic romance – I’m honestly not sure I’d ever have got my act together again. 

Then, in May 2008, the Romance Writers of Australia held their inaugural Romance Roadshow in Perth. I found out Hannah would be travelling up on the same train as me, so arranged to meet up with her.   

The Roadshow 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 was so inspired, I queried The Wild Rose Press the following Wednesday with my first erotic romance. 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!

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. As they say in Galaxy Quest: Never Give Up! Never Surrender!

Christina’s first book, FORETASTE OF FOREVER is a dark erotic romance with paranormal elements, published by the Scarlet line of the Wild Rose Press.  It's about a heroine who is prepared to do anything to be with the man she loves, and an alpha hero who is so blinded by his sense of honour that he can't see his destiny when she is standing right in front of him.     

 Blurb: 

Elyesha, last surviving descendant of a line of powerful witches, finally finds the only man she's ever loved, the man who deserted her countless years before. But Ben is torn between desire and despair when Elyesha, his only love, eventually penetrates his
protective retreat. He knows what she wants, but the price of their love is too high. At midnight, on the beach, a battle of wills and erotic seduction ensues as each confronts the other's darkest fears.

Thanks Christina for your journey to publication.  Glad you stuck it out! Please visit Christina's website and blog.

News flash:  Christina has been offered a contract for her Scarlet Rosette, 'Touch of the Demon'  by The Wild Rose Press. Congratulations Christina!!!

~ Eleni