Meet the Staff: Rhyannon Yates

We have some great staffers over here at ETP, and for the next few months, we'll be introducing them to you.

Rhyannon Yates is our Promotions and Marketing Coordinator, which is a fancy phrase for "Social Media, Blogging, and getting books out to reviewers". And before you ask, yes, that means she is the one writing this, and she is writing about herself in the third person. Creative types are odd people, and you just have to accept it. 

Rhyannon also does a very small amount on the editing and acquisitions side, mainly with our picture and children's books.

When she isn't being a social media guru or sloshing through the pile of submissions sitting in her inbox, Rhyannon is a work at home mom. She has two little girls, with another due to be born literally any second. It is not uncommon for her to be scheduling posts on Twitter, emailing review sites, and telling at least one person in her house to please go put on some pants, because the repairman should be here any minute. It's definitely a busy life, but she is enjoying her new foray into the publishing world, and has no plans to slow down any time soon (I mean, fine, she'll probably take a week or two when the baby gets here, but Twitter posts don't schedule themselves)

Rhyannon is a writer in her own right, having been published on City Moms Blogs Network and in the anthology The Milk of Female Kindness. 

Why that Rejection Letter Should be the Focal Point of your Home

Today we have a guest post from Readers Legacy! They are using the month of April to celebrate J.K. Rowling, one of the literary worlds greatest success stories, and also the quintessential rags-to-riches tale that every author aspires to. Today they are sharing with us the importance of rejection, and also a special sales event in support of literacy programs around the world!

“I pinned my 1st rejection letter to my kitchen wall because it gave me something in common with all my fave writers!” – J.K. Rowling via Twitter (March 25, 2016).

What do literary geniuses, J.K. Rowling, Dr. Seuss, F. Scott Fitzgerald, George Orwell, and Agatha Christie all have in common? Surprisingly enough, each of them have written books that were rejected by multiple publishers. As hard to believe as that may be, it’s entirely true!

Contrary to popular belief, rejection more than anything is a learning opportunity. Of course, no one welcomes rejection. In fact, they avoid it at all costs. But everyone gets rejected at one point in their life, or another, and instead of dwelling on the pain of being told “no”, they can use that rejection as a motivator – the greatest motivator in their life!

On March 25, 2016, J.K. Rowling took to twitter to share two rejection letters she received on her crime novel, “The Cuckoo’s Calling”, written under the alias of Robert Galbraith. While Rowling’s “Harry Potter” series has sold more than 400 million copies to date, Rowling admits to having self-doubt. “I wasn’t going to give up until every single publisher turned me down, but I often feared that would happen” she explains. Despite these fears, “The Cuckoo’s Calling” was eventually published by Sphere Books, an imprint of Little, Brown & Company, and the rest is history.

Rowling didn’t allow the fear of going unpublished stop her from trying time and time again, which is an example many dreamers can learn from. Yes, rejection bruises a person’s ego and, more often than not, forces them to go back to the drawing board, but sometimes that’s the best thing a person can do. Going back to the drawing board means making improvements both personally, and in one’s work, and making those improvements brings the motivation to pursue that passion even further.

Remember, rejection isn’t a death sentence, but merely a stepping stone which brings you closer to finally hearing that “yes” you’ve been waiting for. Though it might sound crazy to hang a negative note about your life’s work up on a wall, it can serve as a reminder to persevere…and when you achieve your success, it will be a reminder of all that you’ve overcome.

As an added perk of Reader’s Legacy’s Rowling celebration, we will be holding a special 20% off sale for each of her novels from April 25th to April 30th – ReadersLegacy.com/JKRowling. 

The sale not only celebrates J.K. Rowling, but was also brings attention for a special grant program we have created in order to give away 1 million physical books in support of literacy programs! Spreading a love of books, and ending illiteracy around the world is 100% possible, and with the help of reader’s on the site, we believe will be one step closer to achieving that goal! Get in on this sale HERE.