My affliation with Chicken Soup for the Soul started in May of this year (2011). I had come across a link at Accentuate Writers Forum for a paying lead that was accepting creative non-fiction submissions. Chicken Soup for the Soul was looking for a variety of writers for a wide array of topics. The one that caught my eye was "Food and Love" because it brought back memories of the first time I cooked a chicken for my significant other and had to call my mom for some help.
I decided to write that memory down and send it in to the well known publication. I had read Chicken Soup books before and loved the stories in them. I wasn't sure my story was good enough to get into the book, but it meant a lot to me and was an important story that taught me a lesson about showcasing love through food. After I submitted my story in May I had a really good feeling. There was some holding of breath, crossing of toes, and wishful thinking, but added to that was a gut feeling that I might actually be accepted into one of the most popular publications in the world. I knew I wouldn't hear anything about the story until after the submission deadline was up. The deadline was June 15. I waited patiently while I kept rereading the statement on Chicken Soup's website that said, "It can take up to three or four years for Chicken Soup for the Soul books to develop. Please be patient, as this is an important, yet
time-consuming process. If your story is chosen for a future edition of Chicken Soup for the Soul or any other projects, you will be notified and your permission to print it will be requested."
THREE to FOUR years! I wasn't sure if I could be that patient. So, I decided to look through Chicken Soup's future releases. It turned out that the book I wanted my story to be in was going to be in stores on Nov. 22! That was a much easier wait time than 3 or 4 years!
The first correspondence I heard from Chicken Soup after I sent my manuscript in was in July. I received an email stating that my story, originally titled “Roaster or Fryer? The Great Chicken Debate," had made it to the final selection round. It went from being one submission against thousands of others to being one against hundreds. That gut feeling I had was only getting better. My hopes started rising and my pride swelled. I had made it to the final round of selections. That was an honor in itself.
I sent in the paper work I needed to and then sat back to wait. It wasn't until the end of August that I recieved another email from Chicken Soup with the headline, "Your story, 'The Inside Story,' has made it to the final selection round for Chicken Soup for the Soul: Food and Love." I believe there was some squealing, jumping up and down from my computer chair, some shortness of breath, more squealing, a little bit of laughter, a smile that was hurting my cheeks because it was so wide, and a mad dash to the phone to call my mom, my sister, my significant other, my brother, and a few of my other family members. This was for real. I was really going to be in a book that was read by people all around the world. I was in shock, ecstatic, thankful, invigorated, and a variety of other adjectives. Now all I had to do was wait to see it.
Chicken Soup pays contributors with a check and copies of the book. A bonus is that the contributors get the books a few weeks before publication. I had recieved another email telling me the books would be at my door within two weeks at the beginning of Oct. I was rather excited, but almost forgot about the books coming. So, while watching my moms cat I put up a status update on my Facebook account a few days after the email stating the books would be at my house soon. When I arrived back at my home there was a big box in front of my door with an address I didn't know, but a little note at the top said "Food and Love". At that point there was a mad dash inside the house for something sharp that would open the box, another bout of squealing and jumping for joy while managing not to stab myself in my haste to get the box open.
Once I opened the box my eyes lit up. Here they were-- my beautiful copies of Chicken Soup for the Soul: Food and Love!
Word gets out quick when you get published in a book like Chicken Soup. I've returned to the college world and my college contacted me for an interview. My oldest son has the teachers who I had in elementary school and they heard about the book, so they contacted me asking if I would come in and read to a few English classes. I did so last Thursday and it felt great to give back to the teachers who gave me so much.
Last night I received an email that I have my own personal publicist from Chicken Soup for the Soul. How crazy is that? This experience has been incredible and it is pretty awesome to be able to say I have a publicist. Hard work pays off in the end. I'll keep on writing and making my dreams come true!
I decided to write that memory down and send it in to the well known publication. I had read Chicken Soup books before and loved the stories in them. I wasn't sure my story was good enough to get into the book, but it meant a lot to me and was an important story that taught me a lesson about showcasing love through food. After I submitted my story in May I had a really good feeling. There was some holding of breath, crossing of toes, and wishful thinking, but added to that was a gut feeling that I might actually be accepted into one of the most popular publications in the world. I knew I wouldn't hear anything about the story until after the submission deadline was up. The deadline was June 15. I waited patiently while I kept rereading the statement on Chicken Soup's website that said, "It can take up to three or four years for Chicken Soup for the Soul books to develop. Please be patient, as this is an important, yet
time-consuming process. If your story is chosen for a future edition of Chicken Soup for the Soul or any other projects, you will be notified and your permission to print it will be requested."
THREE to FOUR years! I wasn't sure if I could be that patient. So, I decided to look through Chicken Soup's future releases. It turned out that the book I wanted my story to be in was going to be in stores on Nov. 22! That was a much easier wait time than 3 or 4 years!
The first correspondence I heard from Chicken Soup after I sent my manuscript in was in July. I received an email stating that my story, originally titled “Roaster or Fryer? The Great Chicken Debate," had made it to the final selection round. It went from being one submission against thousands of others to being one against hundreds. That gut feeling I had was only getting better. My hopes started rising and my pride swelled. I had made it to the final round of selections. That was an honor in itself.
I sent in the paper work I needed to and then sat back to wait. It wasn't until the end of August that I recieved another email from Chicken Soup with the headline, "Your story, 'The Inside Story,' has made it to the final selection round for Chicken Soup for the Soul: Food and Love." I believe there was some squealing, jumping up and down from my computer chair, some shortness of breath, more squealing, a little bit of laughter, a smile that was hurting my cheeks because it was so wide, and a mad dash to the phone to call my mom, my sister, my significant other, my brother, and a few of my other family members. This was for real. I was really going to be in a book that was read by people all around the world. I was in shock, ecstatic, thankful, invigorated, and a variety of other adjectives. Now all I had to do was wait to see it.
Chicken Soup pays contributors with a check and copies of the book. A bonus is that the contributors get the books a few weeks before publication. I had recieved another email telling me the books would be at my door within two weeks at the beginning of Oct. I was rather excited, but almost forgot about the books coming. So, while watching my moms cat I put up a status update on my Facebook account a few days after the email stating the books would be at my house soon. When I arrived back at my home there was a big box in front of my door with an address I didn't know, but a little note at the top said "Food and Love". At that point there was a mad dash inside the house for something sharp that would open the box, another bout of squealing and jumping for joy while managing not to stab myself in my haste to get the box open.
Once I opened the box my eyes lit up. Here they were-- my beautiful copies of Chicken Soup for the Soul: Food and Love!
Word gets out quick when you get published in a book like Chicken Soup. I've returned to the college world and my college contacted me for an interview. My oldest son has the teachers who I had in elementary school and they heard about the book, so they contacted me asking if I would come in and read to a few English classes. I did so last Thursday and it felt great to give back to the teachers who gave me so much.
Last night I received an email that I have my own personal publicist from Chicken Soup for the Soul. How crazy is that? This experience has been incredible and it is pretty awesome to be able to say I have a publicist. Hard work pays off in the end. I'll keep on writing and making my dreams come true!
Here is a photo I snapped of myself holding my first copies of Chicken Soup for the Soul: Food and Love.
It will be available in stores on Nov. 22, 2011 or you can pre-order it at Amazon, Barnes and Nobles or your other favorite book seller.
It will be available in stores on Nov. 22, 2011 or you can pre-order it at Amazon, Barnes and Nobles or your other favorite book seller.