Cassandra Clark on The Honest Editor

Hello Phoebe, You’re a real discovery for me and I wish I’d read your advice and brilliant insider knowledge twenty years ago instead of learning the hard way. I’ve been writing for a very long time, first novel picked from the slush pile and published and first of about forty romances for dear Alan Boone. At the same time I was writing fringe theatre (first love but not much bread and butter there). Now, after a disastrous 12-book series of medieval crime featuring a feisty nun sleuth (think brother Cadfael) I’m stuck. Here’s the sob story: My dear agent died as the first book was going through with John Murray, disastrous cover, fell into hands of fraudulent agent, death of champion supporters along the way, death of supportive editor at St Martins Press, more bad covers, no promo or marketing support from a library hback publisher (I didn’t know we had to do it ourselves) and now my question if you’ve read this far: Is it worth trying to find a reliable agent for a republish of the series? A change of name, covers, whatever’s necessary. Would anyone be likely to take it on or am I wishing for the moon? I trust your answer on this if you will have time to consider it. My gratitude will be unbounded. I can feel the tears welling already. I’m really stuck and have no idea what to do next: give up, get on with a contemporary stand-alone on spec, go and grow potatoes, run amok? With your impressive clarity are you able to suggest a feasible course of action? Please! Cassandra