No one ever said life was easy. Maybe that's a good thing. If we always got exactly what we wanted would be appreciate what we have?

Yesterday I learned that the book I was so excited to have published, "Grandfather Thunder & The Night Horses," will not be published by SundanceKid Press in oh, so sunny Sunnyvale, California. No, after months of being strung along like a love-sick Elizabeth Bennett after her unattainable Mr. Darcy, I finally reached my bodiless publisher.

"Personal issues," she explained-but-not-really, was the reason for her professional absence and weeks of radio silence.

Alright, I'm an understanding person. We're still on target for a spring publication or release, right? No answer. Would the book be in hard or soft cover. No response, just tiny crickets chirping in the background. Did you receive my digital files of the completed illustrations? Question ignored to post one of her own: would it be alright if you sent your original (aka, if-you-send-an-original-there's-no-proof-you-did-the-work) artwork to an (untraceable) P.O. Box that I can't provide until the following day because of the "personal" issues that are preventing me from answering any of your questions.

I may not be the brightest crayon in the box but that's enough red flags for me to apply the brakes. When I mentioned that I would not be sending my 'originals' at my attorney's advice (and the advice of countless articles, posts, and keynote speakers that all say NEVER send your original artwork) but would be more than happy to send the high resolution files through whatever means necessary, I was promptly informed SKP could no longer publish my book and to seek help else where. Hmmm...

So the trek uphill ensues with a new path forward. I may be down but I am not out. Anything worth doing right should come with some struggle and maybe even a few tears. One day when I'm finally delivering my own carefully-honed words of wisdom to a captive audience at a writer's conference or SCBWI workshop (if I should be so lucky), I will remember this day and be grateful.