Accepted - The Final Installment of my Syndication Story

(This is the final installment of  the story of my road to syndication.  You can read the first part here, second part here, third part here, fourth part here, fifith part here.)

"The race isn't always to the swiftest, but to those who keep on running."

In August of 1993, my husband surprised me with a gift.  It was a solid birch wood secretary desk that we had been admiring for some time but felt was a financial extravagance we couldn't afford. Unbeknownst to me, he had been making payments on it for months.

When I asked him why he had done it, he told me that he thought I needed something nice to happen.  It had been a long year of struggle for us.  We had been trying to begin a family but things had not been working out for us.  And it was coming close to the end of my development period with King Features and I was anxious as to what their decision would be regarding picking up the strip.  Tim was concerned about me being turned down and having to deal with another major disappointment.

Not more than a few weeks later, I found out I was pregnant.  I can't tell you how happy I was.

Shortly after this, I got a call from Jerry Craft (Mama's Boyz) who was working for King Features at he time.

It was about 5 pm and Jerry called to ask me a question about colouring my work.   He wanted to know what type of colouring I preferred - pastel or bold - or something like that.  After talking about the colouring issue he said, "Oh yes, and congratulations."

I had no idea what he was talking about.  The comment was totally out of context with anything we had been discussing, and in my confusion, rather than just asking him what he meant, I simply said, "Thanks" and we both hung up.

All night long, the conversation between Tim and me repeated itself over and over . . .

"Does that mean they're going to syndicate you?"

"I don't know . . . what else could it mean?"

"It must mean they're picking up the strip."

"Do you think it means they're picking up the strip?"

"I don't know . . . what else could it mean?"

It was a long night.

The next morning Jay called.  He very calmly told me that "Just Between Friends" was the next strip that King was taking out to syndicate.  I told him that was great news.  Then we got down to what we needed to begin working on.

I had done it.

After all those years of rejection and striving and wondering if I was wasting my time, I had finally succeeded.

In February of 1994, Between Friends launched in 31 newspapers across North America.  Six weeks later my son was born.

And nearly 14 years, two kids and 130 papers later, I'm still going.

Life is pretty good.

Comments

[Patricia]

Sandra, I have LOVED reading this story. Actually got choked up at the end. It's so wonderful how everything eventually worked out for you – you truly did deserve a 'pretty good' life. Congratulations!

Oh, and I'm sure that Jay would have loved this story, too.

[Larry Levine]

Sandra, Thank you for sharing your 'Road to Syndication' story. Your success is well deserved, Between Friends is a great strip!

[Stacy Curtis]

A terrific ending to this series on how you got syndicated.
Bravo!

It's a great example of how hard work and a syndicate editor who cares about comics can make for a happily-ever-after ending.

Keep up the great work!

[Lee]

Thanks so much for sharing! (And for keeping at it!)

[Ruth]

I've enjoyed it ever since I found it on King's website and then in our local papers! Glad you made it. It's nice to read a cartoony type strip that's still about contemporary women, and yet recognize something of myself and other women in it.

[r Thompson]

Thanks, I love a story with a happy ending.

[Andertoons]

Wow! What a great read!

And ditto what Patricia said, Jay would love this.

[sandra]

Thanks for the comments . . .I'm glad you enjoyed reading!

[Patricia]

Hey Sandra – a little birdie told me that today is your birthday!! Have a good one!