Summer is upon us, a time for reaping the harvest of seeds sown. I dug in garlic cloves last fall and was surprised to see sprouts in March, despite our long, frigid winter. Early this spring, I sowed a mix of greens, the thinnings of which can now round out a meal nicely. Scrumptious—and healthy. My 7 tomato seedlings already have blossoms, promising a rich harvest of juicy, red globes. Two kinds of sweet corn. Do I need to go into the delights of that harvest?

     A number of years ago, I planted the seeds of a new novel—An Unpresentable Glory. I tilled the ground and watched the plot emerge, but according to three pre-readers, the story badly needed weeding. Taking their comments to heart, I did some serious cultivating and fertilizing, then watched it grow toward maturity. Another batch of readers are currently taste-testing it, and out of two responses so far (both positive), one declared it my best novel yet.

Now I’ve started constructing my produce stand and have a proposal ready to send to my agent, Joyce Hart. This includes a

• cover letter
• “sell sheet” (brief overview of the story)
• bio
• story synopsis
• market analysis
• competitive analysis
• marketing strategies
• the first three chapters.

Whew! Joyce will hunt for a publisher, presumably starting with Whitaker House, but no guarantees there.
If/when a publisher is found, the editing process begins—one of the truly fun parts of it all. I’ve learned much from the five editors I’ve worked with in the past; they all served me well.
Next blog, I’ll share a bit about the story itself. The SuperFertilizer of prayer would be much appreciated.
In the meantime, HAPPY GARDENING! I’d love to hear what you’re planning to grow this summer.

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