Why Orchids for Roses Almost Didn't Get Published

After ten years of working diligently on my novel, Orchids for Roses, I worked up the nerve to find an agent and send it to her. I was excited. A neighor, who also happened to be a teacher, had read it over, praised my work, and urged me to try to get it published.

The day I bundled up my manuscript and dropped it in the mail was a Thursday.

The following Tuesday was September 11, 2001

My story contained traces of the Canadian aspect of terrorism.  The entertainment world--movies and books to name a couple--had shut their doors to anything with terrorism or terrorists. At that time, Arnold Schwarzenegger had a movie due out that was bumped back because of terrorism-sensitive elements. 

Crushed by disappointment, but not willing to let that stop me, I pressed on and in 2003 I did find a publishing home for Orchids for Roses. When the contract lapsed I decided to self-pub the book. 

It's a stand-alone book, but I took a couple of the characters from Orchids for Roses and have given them their own story. Hopefully, it won't take nearly as long for that one to be finished.