Rob Brunet’s 2014 debut, STINKING RICH, asks What could possibly go wrong when bikers hire a high school dropout to tend a barn full of high-grade marijuana? His short crime fiction appears and is forthcoming in Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, Thuglit, Shotgun Honey, Out of the Gutter, Noir Nation, and numerous anthologies. Before writing noir, Brunet produced award-winning Web presence for film and TV, including LOST, Frank Miller’s Sin City, and the cult series Alias. He loves the bush, beaches, and bonfires and lives in Toronto with his wife, daughter, and son.
How I Got Published
What’s that old saw about luck, opportunity, and preparedness? I followed the traditional path, querying agents in batches, suffering rejection, until one day, Les Edgerton asked where I was at. “In query hell,” I told him.
He asked to see what I was sending out in case his agent might like it. After months of painstakingly tracking every in- and outbound email and getting nowhere, six hours after Les asked me the question, I had an email setting up a phone call. It wasn’t until a week later that I realized the guy who would become my agent had been on my very first target list, but I’d never reached out to him because his agency was “closed to queries”.
Nearly a year (and a couple more rewrites) after that, I attended Bouchercon in Albany. My manuscript had gone out to a dozen publishers and in my last phone call with my agent, I’d learned about half had declined for a variety of reasons. “Crime with comedy is hard to sell.” “Bring us his next manuscript.” Or just plain, “No, thanks.” I knew a couple of publishers were still reading it, but my energy had already shifted to the next novel.
In a panel room at Bouchercon, my conference mate Tanis Mallow nudged me with her elbow to point out I was seated next to Eric Campbell of Down & Out Books, one of the publishers I knew we had gone to. Thing is, I couldn’t remember what they’d said about my manuscript. So when the panel ended, I introduced myself, told him my novel was Stinking Rich and said, “I just don’t know whether you’re one of the publishers who already said, ‘No’”.
“Stinking what?” he asked?
Neither my name nor the name of my novel was familiar to him, but when I mentioned my agent’s name, he said, “Oh yeah, I did get something from him. A few months back. Haven’t got to it yet.”
So I gave him my best verbal pitch, and when I mentioned the comparables, he shook my hand and said, “I’ll buy it now!”
Being Canadian, I suggested he read it first, but my book had found a home, with a publisher unafraid of comic noir. It figures they’d be based in Florida, home of the authors I get compared to most!
“Deviously funny.” — Don Graves, Canadian Mystery Reviews
Carol Balawyder 
Always interesting to hear about an author’s path in traditional publishing. We hear a lot now about independent publishing, but it’s nice to know the traditional option can maybe still happen if an author so chooses. And if he/she has the patience…
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Patience is right…as well as opportunity. 🙂
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Carrie, I ascribe to the idea of a mix of traditional and self-publishing. In fact, since Down & Out is indie, there is a lot of room and flexibility to work hand-in-hand with them on promotion and marketing.
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It’s interesting that you do both traditional and self-publishing. I am trying to learn the craft of writing fiction, listening to advice that says the best way to learn is to write. So I used Smashwords and KDP for my first two efforts (I’ve had some reader feedback, tho I’d like more) and am now working on a third novel. I think I may then be ready to go back to the first book for a major rewrite. For me personally, I don’t think revising and revising that first book for years would have taught me as much as tackling new stories.
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Interesting. Sometimes we need to let go of a project in order to advance. I have been struggling with the second novel in my crime series and so recently decided to write something else. This time from my women’s fiction series. a novel in my crime series.
It sometimes feels like a lot of work until I ask myself why I do it.
Thanks for stopping by my blog and commenting. Truly appreciated, Kate. 🙂
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Love these interviews Carol. It’s inspiring to learn the paths of others to recognition. 🙂
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Great feature regarding Rob Brunet’s path in traditional writing…
It is always nice to learn a little bit more on this topic, dear Carol.
Thank you very much for sharing and best wishes to you!, Aquileana 😀
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In acting, it is easy to think a lack of response can be rejection- when sometimes, the stars and timing have just not aligned. Another inspiring story about not giving up, persevering, and not taking what might not even be rejection personally.
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Hello Carol – great to see your interview with Rob, such a great guy. My review of his book is here: http://wp.me/p3XU1u-bm
MurderInCommon.com is now following you via WordPress. Looking forward to more …
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Thanks for sharing this author’s journey to getting published Carol, interesting reading. You’ve piqued my interest to check out his work too. 😉
Have a great day, hugs, G
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I’ve seen Rob’s enthusiasm throughout social networking, and he works hard! He certainly deserves the success he achieved with Stinking Rich.
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And what a great book too!
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It sure was. Very exciting.
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