I've known Kate for years as we share the same agent the wonderful Selwa Anthony. Below is a photograph taken at the Sydney Launch of Kate's debut book, The Shifting Fog (released in the UK as The House At Riverton). This photo always makes me smile as it looks as if I"m trying to rub some of Kate's success off on me.
From left: Kate, me wearing the purple chook feather, Kate Forsyth (who has previously written an Inspiration post for Tale Peddler), and the very Sassy Leigh Redhead.
The reason why Kate is my pick for an Inspiration post is not her great success but rather her tenacity. She had previously written two books which were both turned down by publishers before she wrote The Shifting Fog.
I just love stories like this. I believe when it comes to writing, you have to have the hide of an elephant and be able to pick yourself up off the floor after many crushing disappointments.
We all know stories of people like JK Rowling, Louisa May Alcott (who had to work as a servant when Little Women was being floated around) or Stephen King (Carrie received 30 rejections before it went onto enormous success). The English crime writer John Creasey received 753 rejection slips and went on to publish over 500 books.
I know personally how tough it can get in the world of publishing. You can spend years investing all your being into one book that can go nowhere.
You can possess the talent, the discipline, the marketing appeal, the best ideas in the world in spades. But if you don't have tenacity and determination – well, publishing is a game of snakes and ladders, often with more snakes on the board than ladders.
You have to keep rolling that dice, stay pure to the work and never give in. If you need a dose of stamina power, here's a link to an article of some great souls who refused to give up.
Enjoy your week. Keep creative.
Flops are a part of life's menu
and I've never been a girl to miss out on any of the courses."
~ Rosalind Russell
image of Kate Morton Source
