ODU MFA grad Sarah McCoy recently had her first book, The Time It Snowed in Puerto Rico, published by Shaye Areheart Books. We emailed with her about how she got the confidence to submit to agents, the dejection she faced after writing workshops, and the sheer joy of seeing her book in print.

AltDaily.com:  I’m sure this must be a dream come true for you. But take us back to the beginning of your writing process. When did your concept go from an idea into something you felt like you were developing as a potential professional?

Sarah McCoy: For my first novel, one of my dear friends and writing mentors told me to write what I know, so I did. The Time It Snowed In Puerto Rico is a compilation of experiences I lived, stories I heard from family members, events in old newspapers, and sheer whimsical imagination. Lucky for me, Puerto Rico is a culture in which the mysterious and magical thrive, so I was able to use that to my advantage. My mother is Puerto Rican and a majority of my extended family members continue to live on the island. So growing up, I’d fly to Puerto Rico once or twice a year. My grandparents own and live on a farm in the mountainous town of Aibonito. There, I first tasted coquito and ate arroz con pollo; learned to play dominos and how to salsa and bomba.

As a child, my favorite instrument was the güiro and I still tear up when I hear it scraped alongside a mournful troubadour. Half of the time I don’t even understand the words being sung; but deep down I know the story because for that moment I’m part of the people. It doesn’t matter how long I’ve been away or how much I’ve forgotten. I believe it’s that way for every culture. As an author, I try to capture that communal yet entirely individualized soulful experience; thereby, doing my best to bring as much honor as possible to my characters and settings.

I wrote the first draft over a summer–three months. It was my thesis manuscript for my Masters of Fine Arts in creative writing at ODU. I spent the next two semesters revising it for my dissertation and defense. But never during the writing process did I view it as a purely “academic” manuscript. From the first word, I was determined that this novel would be something I’d put on the professional market. I wanted it to be the launch pad for my career as an author. That was my goal coming into the MFA program and coming out.

There are probably millions of unpublished manuscripts sitting in drawers out there. What gave you the confidence to start seeking representation?

Honestly, I never gave myself any other options. As I said earlier, I walked into the program with a goal: to be a published author. I shut out doubt and fear and focused on faith and hope. I believe that’s one of the biggest downfalls of many brilliant, young writers. Fear of rejection. I didn’t let that fear govern my actions or thoughts. I knew rejection would come in many different forms, but I wouldn’t allow it to stop me. The literary world is so subjective. You can’t please everybody. You never will.

After one particularly rough workshop, one of my dear friends in the program stopped me and said, “Sarah, don’t let it get to you. Writing the perfect story, the perfect paragraph, the perfect sentence, the perfect metaphor–it ain’t going to happen. You just have to focus on YOUR story.”

She was so right. I have stories to tell. Stories I think others might be interested in hearing. Stories unique to me and my perspective. They aren’t perfect but they’re mine. I focus on that, and it gives me confidence.

PR, Wilfredo Norat-Torres, Grandpa. Photo by Sarah McCoy

What advice do you have to writers looking to get published?

Persevere. You’ve got to have skin thicker than an elephant in the literary business. If your life’s calling is to write, you can’t and won’t be happy doing anything else. If you can find happiness in another occupation, do it. The writing life is extremely difficult. Anybody who says otherwise is telling a tall tale. But if your heart is committed, walk bravely and never look back. For me, every sleepless night, every tear, every tiresome day at my laptop was and is well worth it.

Tell us about your process of finding an agent. How many did you query? How did you know when you’d found one you could trust with your work?

It took me quite a few months to find a literary agent. I couldn’t tell you how many queries I sent out. More than I can remember or count! A lot. I received a fair number of rejections, but a few graciously asked for chapters. More rejections followed and more chapter requests. It’s a back and forth process that can be incredibly daunting for even the bravest. In the end, I had a handful of agents with interest in my complete manuscript. But only one had a suggested plot change. Yes, I could have said, “To heck with them. Take my book as it is or leave it.” But that’s not my style or nature. I cherish feedback. I listen to all of it with an open mind–sure, sometimes too open.

But again, I think that’s another downfall of many beginning writers–not utilizing critical feedback and trying to implement it. Through that one small plot change, I got a preview of my working relationship with my agent, and I loved it. She invited me into her agency soon after I submitted my revised manuscript, and I eagerly accepted.

Did you have any engagement in the process of approaching publishers with your manuscript?

Not really. My literary agent is located in New York City, so she had prime access to all the major publishing houses. She sent me a list of publishers with copies of my novel. Over the course of two months, I watched from Texas as she had lunch meetings and phone conferences with potential publishers. When Shaye Areheart Books/Random House offered me a contract, I couldn’t have signed my name fast enough. I’m still pinching myself! They are one of the finest editorial teams in the business, and I thank God every day that I’m a part of such an amazing publishing family.

Once the book was finally published and you had it in your hands, what were your thoughts? What did you do with that first copy?

I opened the box from my publisher, saw my book, and bawled like a baby. Then I stuck my nose dead center and sniffed the spine until I swear I was a little high. I started laughing hysterically, and I think even my dog Gatsby was a bit concerned.

Understand, the publishing process is much longer than most assume. It took over 12 months from the day they accepted my manuscript to the final product. So while you know it’s coming, you have to exercise great patience. I compare the gestational period to that of an elephant, and I’m not too off. So my initial thoughts were, “It’s here! It’s actually, finally here!” The first copy ended up being my ‘reading copy’–the one I use when doing readings/signings at bookstores. It has all kinds of notes in the margins and tagged pages. I cherish it probably more than my second copy, which sits pristinely on my living room shelf.