New Novel Teaser: Wilderness Therapy

I have some news for my loyal readers. (All thirty-seven or so of you!) I've been working on another novel for the past two years, and I'm excited to share some updates and a bit of a "teaser" about...Wilderness Therapy.

First off, no, I don't have a sterling publishing deal yet. I had one offer from a fairly new, small, Houston-based independent press, but I wasn't confident enough in their production quality or reputation to go with them. I've had some genuine interest and great feedback from pretty established agents, but no offers of representation yet. Right now, I'm waiting to hear from a couple of boutique publishers that I'm really intrigued with. However, given the joy, satisfaction, and (relative) success I've enjoyed with self-publishing Boarding Pass through One Lane Bridge, my own independent imprint, I am contemplating that route for Wilderness Therapy. There's something to be said for the full control, editorial freedom, and accountability that comes from "building it yourself." And while I'd like to quit my day job, I've never expected writing to be a golden egg.

Anyway, in the meantime, I'm not going to reveal too much right now, but I decided a fun approach would be to share some excerpts from my query letter to agents and publishers. So here ya go. Remember, these are only a few brief excerpts:

Ms.--- ---

---- Literary Agency

----

New York, NY -----

Dear Ms. -----:

Pushed to the edge by grief, a teen heads to the Montana wilderness to confront his inner demons. But then he meets a real one...

Wilderness Therapy combines the primal ferocity of William Golding’s Lord of the Flies with the tender vulnerability of Judith Guest’s Ordinary People. It’s a realistic, character-driven novel of 97,000 words about a diverse group of boys hurtling toward adulthood, seeking solace after trauma. The story mirrors adolescence itself: a chronicle of risk, noise, and consequence interspersed with moments of raw, quiet beauty...

...Despite a culture that often oversimplifies them, boys are complex creatures. Wilderness Therapy is a sensitive, honest exploration of their interior lives at an age when intrinsic goodness meets corruption and temptation...

Well, that's it for now. Stay tuned for more updates. And wish me luck as I continue to search for an agent or small press publisher.

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