I Lost My “Daughters” today.

 

A few months ago I wrote a blog (Letter about Daughters-see below) it was about how I started on "Daughters Something’s I Have To Tell You" and now I had finished it. At that time I was starting to send it out to agents, and publishers, well I did that sending to countless places in Australia and overseas. Here are some of the rejection notices:

·         Sorry, I'm not the right agent for this one.  Thanks, though, for sending us your query.  We wish you success in publishing your work.

·         Interesting but doesn’t fit with our list which is primarily travel narrative and literary fiction so have to say no. However thanks for thinking of us.

·         Thank you very much for giving us the opportunity to read your submission.  We appreciate you considering us for representation of your work.

·         Unfortunately, after careful review, we have decided that the ………………might not be the right agency for this project.  This industry is incredibly subjective, and there are many agencies out there with many different tastes.  It is for this reason that we strongly encourage you to keep submitting elsewhere, in the hopes of finding an agent who will be an enthusiastic champion for you and your work. We wish you all the very best of luck and success with your writing.

·         Many thanks for submitting your book proposal DAUGHTERS I HAVE SOMETHING'S TO TELL YOU to me. It's clearly written from the heart and is testament to the relationships you have with your daughters of which you are rightly proud. It's a wonderful piece to have written for them, but I'm afraid I don't see it having sufficient commercial potential. It's not that what you have said doesn't resonate, lots of it does, it's just that I'm afraid this area of the market is very crowded and there are lots of people with significant profiles who have written books on this subject that I think would make you marketing this a challenge. I wish you the very best of luck and all my best.

 

And so on and so on…As a writer and after the experience of “The Kiss”
I do not take this to heart it is all part of the process, “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger” kind of thing. So was surprised and excited when I got an offer from JoJo publishing in Melbourne; after some consultation and negotiation I have signed a deal with them. This is supposed to be an uplifting great time for a writer and it is. But at the same time “Daughters” and I have spent a lot of time together over the last year. It is like there is a loss, a void is opening up in front of me and I feel alone and a little bit lost.

“Daughters” and I have explored Love, Romance, Sex, God, Males, Religion, Relationships, the Future and many other things. We enjoyed each other’s company and now she's gone! Handed over to editors, proof editors, designers, public relations, graphic artists, managers and publishers.  I know they will do a great job and I will be part of the team and have the final say before publishing. But it is still a shock to have something so integral to oneself removed. Like having an arm taken off.
Strangers and experts, yes I know they are good at what they do and I have met with Adam (Manager) and Barry (CEO JoJo).

I suppose we have to trust and give something away to make it better, ideas and projects have to be shared and given their freedom to reach their full potential.

In my experience there is only three things that cure for loss and that is time, activity and sharing.

·         Time will take care of itself,

·         I have plenty to do, I have started on my next project “Sons”, and

·         I have shared this with you, thanks for reading my blog.

 

John Condliffe

3.11.13

My Blog from 8.8.13 A Letter About Daughters.

 

Writing away in his tiny office trying to find words for the horror of battle he looked out his window onto the front lawn. His four daughters were talking, laughing and playing with his grandchildren. Their beautiful laughter and light banter filtered through the glass and into his brain.

Daughters- Maureen, James and I at the Windsor.

He turned away from battle and instead started to write a letter to his Daughters telling them about things that he had learned in his life, things like: Love, Sex, God, Males, The Future, Religion, Relationships and Themselves. It took a year and he loved every moment of it. The words just flowed and like all passionate projects John was often moved to tears and wondered at the reality of life and how it had impacted on him and how it would and does impact on his Daughters.

Bridge-Murray River 'Kiss Territory"

 

John has no degrees in psychology or sociology although he has tertiary qualifications. What he does have is a lifetime of experience in parenting and caring. He has a lifetime of seeing his Daughters grow and develop, a lifetime of the ups and downs of family. His life has been far from conventional but through a large part of it there has been one constant; he has been the father of four wonderful Daughters.

The writing of this book has changed Johns’ life. He knows it will change his Daughters and anyone else’s who may have the chance to read it.