I can’t pin point the exact date I started writing BattleBooks but it was sometime around July 2007. I had the idea for a range of interactive history books aimed at 9-12 year olds. The vision was for a series but I decided that I would write just one and then use this to sell the idea.
Over the next few months I researched and wrote the book, working hard to make it perfect. I produced a proposal (even mocked up a dummy front page), before sending it out to agents and publishers. I received some positive feedback and even had a few meetings but no bites.
Then, at the start of this year, I decided to have one more shot. I gave the book a re-edit, updated the proposal and sent it off to just a few agents and publishers to gage the reaction. This time it was different. Within days I had publishers and agents interested. I signed up with a great agent and then today, just over two years after I wrote the first words I had this email pop into my inbox:
We have a deal.
The message to writers is never give up. A good book idea remains a good book idea, just sometimes a writer needs to be in the right place at the right time.
