'Not For Children' a novel.

[Isolde21]

I have written a novel about the divorce process, its effect on children ending with an optimistic vision of life and love post divorce.

A very Famous Agent immediately (!) telephoned to me direct to say he rarely reads the slush pile but happened to pick my manuscript up and found it impossible to put down. However...he did not believe that he could sell a novel dealing with such dark subject matter etc... would I be interested in writing a love story instead?

My teenage son recently died in horrific circumstances and I do not feel able to embark upon a happy ever after love story (although a happy ever after love story is intimated in my Divorce novel anyway).
What is the consensus about Divorce being an unsaleable subject given that so very many people and children experience it first hand and there is almost nothing on the market that I could find that was written in first hand (diary) form dealing with the daily grind of lawyers, angry men and confused children. As well as the hideously shy making process of embarking on a new relationship.
Discuss (please).

How many agents have you sent it to? If this one has immediately pounced on it, I'm sure others will be interested too. I'd try and find someone else who is aligned with what you want to write.

I have an interest in books around emotional intelligence, bereavement, abuse etc aimed at children, because I teach university students about the impact of such issues. I would say that books like this are very much needed. Take a look at similar on amazon and do a bit of research into other publishing houses. Also refer to evidence around children’s mental health, increasing funding for this and the kinds of issues children see counsellors for. Take a look at the organisation Place2Be as an example. They have research reports.
Best of luck

he did not believe that he could sell a novel dealing with such dark subject matter

He can't sell it, but it doesn't mean that no agent can - he's just not the right one for this novel, but it sounds like it's worth fostering the relationship with him as you never know where it could lead.

Sorry to hear about your son

Could you feel up to writing a bereavement novel first or is everything still too raw?

With the first novel and then the bereavement novel going to the same agents.

Then when you are ready do the happy one, send directly to the original agent.

The above messages are all extremely helpful, encouraging and practical. Also 'sorry to hear about your son' made me cry with its heartbreaking simplicity.
Thank you.

I will re search Amazon, pursue other agents and plough on with the novel I had rather weirdly begun just a few months before my son died (a cocktail of casually prescribed-so it must be safe then-medcation he did not need according to the eminent psychiatrists and doctors I had taken him to; anti depressants in ever increasing without reviewing him, doses, uppers and downers to cope with their side effects, combined with some alcohol celebrating coming home from his gap year all leading to his sudden death- I watched his little plane flying into Heathrow from Africa containing 'human remains'...no one to greet then...), about a mother dealing with the aftermath of her daughter's almost fatal accident on her Summer holiday with a friend's family and her daughter's physical recovery. On her return home the girl becomes increasingly introverted and isolated and it is unclear what has caused this. My idea was to explore the effects of her sexual abuse by her friend's father and how the accident had not been an accident but perhaps a desperate move on her part to remove herself from a situation she could not cope with. A girl who does not want to die but sees no way out of her situation, apparently 'recovering' from a trauma only to reveal a horrific case of abuse, which those around her are slow to recognise. So in answer to the question 'is it (bereavement) too raw to write?' the answer I suppose must be, it is raw therefore it must be writ because from the agony will come the truth all parents dread having to face, how to find a way to live in the wake of your child's death. They go on being dead every morning and every evening as the sun goes down but in truth they will be dead ever second in between. What to do then? Every time I blink I see his beautiful, he was so very, very beautiful, alabaster face a little greenish around the gills by then- a result of the preserving fluids they said.
Perhaps the only way to go on is to write it but would it help anyone though or would it be too depressing a read because if it resonated with your own story it might make you awfully sad and if it does not, would you even want to read something quite as excruciating?

Thank you all. Nothing any of you have offered is negligible and I wish I had joined mums net earlier (first time around). I am lucky enough to have just had twin gals 20 yrs after my son and daughter came along so...You cannot replace a child but you can love an infininte number of them

@Isolde21 hi, I think a book about reality behind divorce is not only interesting for people who went through it but also for those who work on making their marriage work and curious on what’s on the other side.

The other story about a girl sounds interesting as well. I need personal books and suffering and choices.

I’m very sorry to hear about your loss, I cannot even begin to imagine what it’s like.

Thank you for this Viletta. I think I have found a publishing house which sidesteps clueless agents who seem for the most part be rather out of touch with what women can manage. Happy ever after Hollywood is as tasty as chocolate but not very nourishing and even rather sick making if taken in large quantities.

Thank you for your condolence. All helps. All.

Please don’t sign a publishing deal without having an agent. It is a monumentally bad idea. Also, the majority of agents are women, so I don’t know where you got your view about them not knowing what women are capable of from. Submit to exclusively women. There are LOADS. But don’t go it alone.

@Isolde21 I’m keen to read both of your books! You will have to let me know when they are published!

On a different topic, my twin gals (5 months) have been offered a 3 year modelling contract. Any views on child modelling?

I was a successful international model in my teens and early twenties and have written a novel based on my experiences 'Men and Models.'

(Famous Agent, "a book I would have leaped on twenty years ago but now reads as too dated.")

Agents are funny beasts as the human condition and the modelling world (sadly) do not actually change much-and isn't Harry Potter set in the fifties or thereabouts?

I am interested in hearing views on the modelling world from people inside and outside the fashion industry esp in the wake of so many high profile pedophile cases hitting the press. I think the public is interested in Men and Models- even stories set in the eighties (The Supermodel era)-but I may be mistaken.

I never imagined encouraging a daughter of mine to model but find the idea of the twins doing it as babies (and therefore in a controlled environment with mummy and daddy omnipresent etc...) rather nice for them, particularly as one of the girls was born with a cleft palate (when the upper palate is not properly joined up).
You cannot see anything is wrong as it is inside her mouth and hers fortunately comes with no other symptoms and can be rectified in a couple of months with a small 'procedure.'
To be born with a 'disability' and nevertheless asked to be a model is something she may look back at and feel pleased/proud about. It might also be heartening for other parents and children in the same position.

I am confident that we can protect our girls while they are still so young, not least because I know the fashion industry inside out.

My older girl (17yrs) is constantly approached by top agents and she and I feel much more hesitant about taking that plunge. We both know the risks at her age, and they are very great indeed.

Just thought I would throw all this out there as I found the feedback to my first mail very interesting (and encouraging) but anticipate a wave of outrage about babies being exploited and so on.

LOL
Twins - check
Successful model - check
Tragedy - check

Agent/publisher fantastist--check.

The industry doesn't work like that at all.

Aw thanks for the OP

I couldn't find your book op
Men and models ??

Ah leroy thats because the stupid Famous Agent spurned the opportunity to publish it - darn it!

What the hell is going on?!