If you follow me at all, you know I’ve been at this for quite a while now. I’ve written about my first novel, Forests of the Night a couple of times now, but in both cases I talk more about the story than how it was published. Back in the early nineties I was still in my twenties and still in college. Instead of a brag shelf, I had a bulletin board covered with rejection slips. (Do people still do that?) I had written one execrable fantasy novel that was 120,000 words of learning experience, which, to my credit, I knew was unsalvageable. Forests was different though. It was the first writing I’d ever workshopped, and while I received a lot of criticism, I got enough feedback to produce something I thought was publishable. As one did in days of yore, I sent queries to many, many literary agents. And, upon finding representation, my new agent, Jane Butler (who retired some time ago now) sent Forests off to Sheila Gilbert at DAW.
In 1992, Sheila bought my first novel about an anthropomorphic tiger detective and started my career as a novelist. I’ve been working with her ever since. For nearly a quarter century and 23 subsequent novels she has worked with me and supported even some of my more insane story ideas. Her late husband contributed the map of the planet Bakunin in the front of the Hostile Takeover books. In addition to giving me editorial notes on my books, she’s asked for input on cover ideas, and some of the suggestions she’s accepted have resulted in some of my favorite cover art. Perhaps most important for my career, and my fans, she’s kept most of those 23 novels in print, including that first one with the anthropomorphic tiger detective. For paperback original genre fiction, that’s not just rare, it’s practically unheard of.
This past weekend, at Worldcon, Sheila got the kind of recognition she deserves. As much as she’s supported me, and all her other authors, it’s gratifying to see the SF community supporting her with a well deserved (and overdue) Hugo. Congrats, Sheila!
