The querying process is something every author knows is coming, yet no one is ever truly prepared for it. You write your manuscript, edit it to within an inch of its life, and then—if you’re like me—you send it out into the world with a mixture of hope, anxiety, and maybe just a touch of dread. And then, you wait.

So there I was, all set for the long haul. I sent out my first batch of queries on a Friday, bracing myself for what could be weeks, maybe even months, of waiting. But instead of a slow, steady pace, this journey decided to give me a whirlwind of emotions, with unexpected turns and surprises along the way.

Sunday: The First Step

Sunday morning, I woke up, grabbed my coffee, and sat down to check my email. There it was—the first response from a literary agent. My heart did a little flip as I opened it, only to find myself staring at the dreaded rejection. Now, I’ve read all the advice about how to handle rejections. I know they’re part of the process. But knowing it and experiencing it? Two very different things.

The email was short, sweet, and to the point:

Oof. Even though I was prepared for rejections, that first one still stung a bit. I mean, this book is my baby. And like any parent, I want to protect it from the harsh realities of the world. But then I reminded myself that this is just one person’s opinion. One agent’s “not a good fit” doesn’t mean that Marked by Fate won’t find its perfect match.

So, I shook it off, sipped my coffee, and told myself, “Onward and upward!”

Monday: An Unexpected Turn

Fast forward to Monday. I was still processing that first rejection when I woke up to a new email in my inbox. I almost didn’t want to open it—what if it was another rejection? But curiosity got the best of me, and I’m so glad it did.

This time, the message was different. It was still short and sweet, but with a twist that made my heart leap:

I nearly spilled my coffee.

This was not what I expected. I had mentally prepared myself for rejection after rejection, with the hope that maybe, eventually, someone might ask for more. But to get a request for the first 50 pages this quickly? Just days after sending out my first batch of queries? I was over the moon.

Now, let me be clear—I know that a request for more doesn’t guarantee representation. There’s still a long road ahead, and there’s every possibility that this agent could still pass. But just knowing that someone out there saw something in Marked by Fate that made them want to read more? That’s a victory in itself.

The Emotional Journey

This whole experience has been such a whirlwind, and it’s only just beginning. From the low of my first rejection to the high of my first request for more, it’s been an emotional journey—one I didn’t quite expect to be so intense right out of the gate. But that’s what makes this process so exhilarating.

As authors, we pour our hearts and souls into our work. We create entire worlds, populate them with characters who feel like real people, and then we send them out into the world, hoping that others will see the magic we’ve created. And when someone does, even just a little bit, it’s like winning the lottery.

But this process has also taught me something incredibly valuable—resilience. Rejections are going to happen. They’re inevitable. But they don’t define us or our work. What defines us is how we respond to them. Do we let them knock us down, or do we get back up, dust ourselves off, and keep going?

I choose to keep going.

What’s Next?

Well, I’ve sent off those first 50 pages, and now I’m back in that familiar position of waiting. But this time, I’m waiting with a little more hope and excitement. Who knows what might happen next? Maybe this agent will love what they read and ask for the full manuscript. Maybe they won’t. But either way, I’m in this for the long haul.

And to all the readers, authors, publishers, and fans who are following this journey, thank you. Your support means the world to me, and I can’t wait to share more of this adventure with you. Whether it’s the highs of a request or the lows of a rejection, I’m excited to see where this road takes me—and Marked by Fate—next.

Stay tuned, because this journey is far from over!