The Blood and Guts of Publishing

By Colby Marshall - July 8, 2012

I'm so excited to announce today that the ink has dried on my contract, and my debut thriller, CHAIN OF COMMAND, is set to be published in 2013!  Which brings me to the reason for this post today: the glamour of that beautiful day when the contract made it to my hands.

So, what did I do after I signed the dotted line?  My husband poured me a glass of Cold Duck (or, for those of you who aren't familiar, "sparkling grape juice"--pregnancy and champagne don't mix as well), and we toasted.  I ate hotdogs with ketchup in my pajamas and watched Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone on DVD. 

Now, you might be thinking, "Wow, that's not as glamorous as I might've imagined."  The truth is, it's not glam.  But, just like the thrillers I write, the publishing business is brutal and sometimes gory.  At the end of a thriller, the main character might be beaten up, bruised, and barely able to move, but that doesn't make it any less victorious when they pop the bad guy and put away his associates. 

Tonight, I think that's exactly how I feel.  I've travelled a long road, and it's even longer to the finish line of holding the book in my hands.  Even so, like the triumphant thriller main character, I hold a smoking gun in my hand, breathing a satisfied sigh (with my finger tensed on the trigger just in case the bad guy pops up for round two).

Or...something like that.

Thank you to everyone has shared this journey with me so far, and I look forward to venturing into the next chapter with you!