FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
SAINT PAUL, MN - December, 31, 2018 -- Late last month, a Minnesota man received unexpected correspondence from Regal House Publishing out of Raleigh, North Carolina. The writer, 31 year old Fredrick M. Soukup (commonly known as “Mike”), has labored at the craft of literary fiction for eight years, enduring hundreds of rejections. Soukup was at his home in Saint Paul, when he received a peculiar email from the publisher: it was such a bad rejection, it was actually an offer to publish his literary novel, BLISS.
Soukup’s wife, Ashley, was working from home that morning. She had just wrapped up a conference call, only to find her husband standing stunned in the office doorway. He held out his smartphone for her to read the “rejection.” She squealed in excitement, exclaiming, “Mike! This isn’t a rejection! This is an offer to be published!” The two embraced in disbelief. The excitement mounted as they read, re-read, and re-re-read the offer letter.
Soukup and Soukup spent the next month letting reality sink in. Ashley lost no time adding the news to their annual holiday card. Mike objected she may jinx the offer. Ashley offered to send this press release to all the naysayer publishers with their real rejections. Mike talked her out of that idea. Ashley was ultimately distracted by the prospect of being Mike’s wAgent and starting this blog. Mike agreed to let her be his wAgent until he can find a real Agent. Ashley scoffed at the implication a wAgent isn’t real. Mike ignored her and did what he does absolutely best: continued to write.
About The wAgent Blog:
Clearly, I’m going to have fun with this. I’m Ashley, wife of Fredrick M. Soukup. I’ve watched in awe of my husband--whom I call Mike--as he’s navigated a literary fiction career. You wouldn’t believe the crazy steps it takes to become a published author (let alone a literary fiction author), which is why I want to share them with you. As Mike’s #1 Fan Girl, Supporter, and Boss Lady I’m stepping into a new title: Wife Agent (or wAgent). Rather than live this crazy life, you can now enjoy the emotional roller coaster of being married to an artist by following the wAgent blog. Others living this life, the support group meets at 5 PM on Tuesdays (JK).
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My husband, Fredrick M. Soukup, reluctantly posing for a headshot in Saint Paul’s Union Depot.