Getting Published: An Updated Timeline | Post 15
'Art is never finished, only abandoned.' - Leonardo da Vinci
Hey there, hottie. Let’s chat.
Time’s up. Late last night I hit the send button. The revised manuscript of Bloodbird is now in the hands of the exceedingly competent, Riley Herbert-Henry. I have done what I needed to do. Or have I? Every time I open the manuscript, no matter where I land, I’m able to improve on whatever there is on the page. I have to actively remind myself, that these words, lines, and paragraphs have all been touched by me multiple times over. Leonardo da Vinci famously said, ‘Art is never finished, only abandoned.’ I believe this is true. The developed manuscript will come back for round two in June, after which I’ll have four weeks to wave my wand and conjure the final touches. This project has consumed me like a jealous lover. And even after parting ways, I still wish I could spend just a few more days with it. But don’t you worry, friend. I’m okay.
But chommie, what’s your book about again?
So, I attended an online workshop hosted by Cathy Park Kelly last year about selling your book without selling out. Advice offered by other authors during this workshop made total sense and I just loved Paige Nick’s perspective on the business. Still, I struggle to formulate complete sentences when someone asks me what my book is about. I normally just direct them to the Mirari Press website. So, here you go:
Bloodbird tells the story of Naomi Sutton, whose ordinary life in the coastal town of Gordon’s Bay is shattered by a sudden breakup and a mysterious illness. In a moment of overwhelming grief, Naomi writes a haiku—unaware that she is a witch and that her words have the power to curse. As her body begins to fail, an ominous Pied Crow returns to haunt her, biting and burning its way into her reality. When Naomi meets Ava Louw, a tattooed wild child with a fatal heart condition, an unlikely friendship forms. Together, they begin to heal, until Naomi discovers that Ava is hiding a dangerous secret. The Bloodbird is watching, and fate does not take kindly to betrayal.
Infused with razor-sharp symbolism, dark humour, and aching beauty, Bloodbird is a poetic exploration of trauma, desire, and transformation.
An updated timeline
2012
Lana del Rey’s Born To Die and a (real) breakup, sparked the idea for a story about the effects of denial and delayed trauma on body and mind but with magic
2015
The title BLOODBIRD came to me in a voila! moment, the winner out of four
2022
Created a website and completed the final draft
2024
24 July – Submitted a query to Mirari Press
28 July – Received a confirmation of receipt
2025
27 January – Mirari Press requested the full MS
21 February – Received a notification that Bloodbird is under consideration
28 March – Received an acquisition proposal
1 April – Received the publishing contract
2 April – Contract signed by the author
3 April – Contract signed by the publisher
4 April – Author onboarding
17 April – Official announcement on socials and press release on the Mirari Press website
28 May – Author and editor introduction
22 November – Received first round of developmental edits
2026
14 April – submitted revised manuscript to the editor
Til next time.
Bye for now.
