One Author's Journey

by Jacob Airey

This the story behind my writing journey. I hope it will give you inspiration as you try to find someone who will publish your novel.

When I was nine years old, I was given a copy of “The Hound of the Baskersvilles,” a Sherlock Holmes mystery. It made me love reading, but more importantly, it made me want to write. I experimented with short stories and poems, even as young as ten. A few years later, I started the process of writing my first novel.
At the young age of sixteen, I wrote a straight up “whodunit” because of my love for mysteries. I shopped it around for some time and a publisher, though they were not interested in the murder mystery genre, liked it enough to connect me with a literary agent. The agent seemed like a nice fellow and made several great suggestions. I put my trust in him and waited for him to come through.

But I got impatient with the process, so I turned to writing a novella that I had tentatively named “Messenger Wars.” I actually finished the first draft during this time and had my mom edit it for me.

After that book was completed, my agent got in touch with me. He connected me with another publisher that was interested. We soon began getting the editing process for my mystery novel completed.

As I prepared for my career as a writer of great thrillers, I got an email that crushed those dreams. Out of the blue, my agent had dumped me. He explained that he had started his own business and instead of taking me with him, he had decided that I was not an “asset” client because I was so young.

To make matters worse, the publisher who had agreed to publish my book would not work with me without an agent. Since no documents had been signed, there was nothing I could do about it. I was so angry that I gave up on everything that had to do with writing, including “Messenger Wars.” I put it on the shelf and forgot about it. Occasionally, a poem would creep out, but nothing extraordinary.

A few years later, I joined the Creative Arts program at Bethel School of Supernatural Ministry in Redding, California and decided to revisit “Messenger Wars” for my final school project. It was a tough project for me emotionally. I remembered the pain of rejection from all those years ago, but I began to realize I loved writing as I edited the manuscript for school. It was here that it got its official title, Cacophony. 

It turned out better than I expected and I received an 'A' from my mentor Theresa Dedmon, whom I would intern for the next year. She read the whole thing and told me that she believed it would be published one day.

I started writing again, and this time with a bold new calling as a writer.

Three years later, I took a chance and pitched Cacophony to New Life Publishing in Houston, Texas. The head editor, Sandra Cerda, loved it. She immediately set about publishing it and I finally got to hold it in my hands.

It took almost twelve years for Cacophony to be published. It was completely worth the wait.

As for that mystery, it still sits on a shelf waiting for its chance. It needs more work, but I know it will be published again one day.

I hope my journey inspires you. It takes a lot of patience and hard work, but if there is one lesson to learn from this story, it is do not give up. I did for a time and if I had not, my work may have been published sooner.

Keep working, keep putting your stuff out there, and of course, keep getting better at your craft.

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It was completely worth the wait.~ Jacob Airey (Click to Tweet)

Keep working, putting stuff out there, and getting better at your craft.~ Jacob Airey (Click to Tweet)

About the Book:

Cacophony follows a small town church in Daylight, Texas that is on the edge of a spiritual awakening, a revival. However, the demon princess Ashtaroth and her sinister Grigori are assigned to stop the church and its pastoral staff by any means necessary. For them, that means murdering the church’s senior pastor. The church, lost in grief, begins to divide. However angelic messenger Gabriel, with the help of guardian angel Christopher, rallies the Seven Archangels to stop the demonic forces. As new pastor Jack Meyer tries to unite the church, the angels try to bring a message of faith to counter the demon message of fear. Is it too late for this church?

Jacob Airey started out as an author by writing poems and short stories, but has since become a freelance author and ghostwriter. He was featured once in Lumberton Life magazine and has written articles for Group Magazine Online and The Daily Wire. He is the chief editor of this independent blog and host of the web show StudioJake. This year, his debut novel Cacophony: A Tale Of Faith And Fear was released on Amazon.

Jacob was born and raised in Texas. He studied Communications and Journalism at Lamar University and Creative Arts at Bethel School of Supernatural Ministry in Redding, CA where he also met his wife Rachel. Though a native Texan, he currently resides in sunny SoCal with his super cute wife. 

Follow his blog HERE.