On January 27, I finally heard from One More Chapter—United Kingdom publisher seeking authors without agents—on my submission of a revised Alienable Rights, first novel in my Other Worldly series and originally self-published in February 2020. It was a hopeful longshot to attempt to “relaunch” the series at this juncture, so therefore not surprising that the response was a no, albeit a nicely worded one: “Although we must decline your submission at this time, we hugely appreciated the chance to consider it. Best of luck with your writing.”
The response came exactly four months and two weeks after my September 13, 2025, submission, and unfortunately two weeks after the death of my father. But the hard part was not receiving feedback as to precisely (or even vaguely) why it was not accepted for publication. I decided however, that it merely meant this publishing venue was simply not to be for my OW series, and at least I tried. And now I know I can write a dreaded book synopsis if I absolutely have to.
The good part is this rejection somehow galvanized me into picking up where I left off months ago in drafting Alien Origins, eighth and final novel featuring fierce feminist protagonist Rowan Layne. Who, coincidentally, is currently in the UK, specifically Scotland, as I approach the book’s halfway point, revisiting locales and incidents from Being Alien (published in 2021) and Altogether Alien (2023).
Which is why this past week held an uplifting, uncanny bit of hope-surging serendipity. Because on February 27 I read an online Writer’s Digest article, “How I Became a 10-Year Overnight Success Story,” by none other than Evie Woods, author of The Lost Bookshop from 2023. The very novel that led me to its publisher, One More Chapter, when I read it last summer.
The novel that Irish author Woods said not only changed her life, but marked the 10-year anniversary of when her career began. Here’s what I also learned from that WD article. Evie Woods actually self-published her first novel in 2013, which will be republished with One More Chapter next year.
So perhaps it wasn’t such a far-fetched idea that this publisher might consider both a self-published novelist and her previously self-published novels. In this instance, One More Chapter will republish Woods’ first novel after The Lost Bookshop became a smashing international bestseller, but it does make one think of possibilities, and rejuvenates hope.
Hope about publishing in general, and hope from author Evie Woods herself, who also self-published her second book in 2016, after which she came across the term Cinderella Complex. “As an author whose work is influenced by myth and folklore,” said Woods, “I was intrigued!”
As an author whose latest novel in progress is particularly influenced by myth and folklore, I was definitely intrigued enough to read further. Woods explained how the term was coined by Colette Downing in her 1981 book of the same name, describing how women were socialized to be passive, dependent, and to wait for a knight in shining armor to come along to make their dreams comes true.
Here’s the Cinderella Complex kicker: Woods said she couldn’t help seeing the parallels when it came to publishing. “In the doldrum years of waiting to be signed by an agent, or spotted by a publisher, writers are doomed to wait around, hoping someone else will make their dreams come true and declare them an official writer,” she said, “Authors who do have a successful career are often framed as having a ‘fairy tale’ journey.”
Woods had me at fairy tale and perhaps knight in shining armor, but I went on to read what could be the best advice ever on being a writer: “I gave myself the validation to pursue this career, when nobody else would. And taking your destiny into your own hands can change your perception of success. In retrospect, I am so thankful I started out as a self-published author, because I never had to compromise on my ideas and now I have found a publisher who collaborates with me, so I now have the best of both worlds.”
Woods explained that One More Chapter, an imprint of HarperCollins, “aims to bring author and reader closer than ever.” Boy howdy did my instincts feel validated. Especially about not having to compromise my ideas.
Hence, the plan recently flitting about in my head also seems validated as plausible. It involves pitching not the first book, but instead my final novel in progress, the aforementioned Alien Origins, in an attempt to sell the whole shebang. If not with One More Chapter, than perhaps with a literary agent and traditional publishing house.
Because as Woods said, “Instead of waiting for something to happen, start making it happen. Keep writing and keep reading because eventually you will get there. If writing is what you want, go after it. Don’t wait to be asked.”
For six years since self-publishing Alienable Rights, I’ve not waited, I simply kept on writing books. I may not have been as adept at self-marketing as Woods was, but she did say she wrote a blog to help promote her work, as I began doing five years ago this month. In that time, I had only to figure out how best to make it happen, and to define what it was I wanted to happen.
I don’t need to be famous, especially in this crazy world and given the sociopolitical subject matter of my novels. But I would like to get my Other Worldly series out there to a broader audience. Hence, I’ll keep on writing Alien Origins, and this time attempt to launch from the ending to create a new beginning for Alienable Rights and beyond.
And I’ll also be reading Evie Woods’ next (previously self-published) novel, The Heirloom, once it’s available from One More Chapter. Because Woods is an inspiration, and a great novelist.