The Trailer for Relentless "the unpublished works of Bertrice Small"
Foreword to Relentless, by Tom Small
What you have before you is something that is actually many things. You have a collection of early poems, two short stories, and a small novel all by my mother that have never been seen outside the family and her agent. That said, you have more than that. You have joining these works, rejection notes or letters, on three out of the four works. The novel recently found was rejected for publication as it was discovered in October of 2023. More on that later…
So what you really have is another story in this collection. One that is not on the printed page per-say, but a story and theme that runs throughout ALL the works here within. It’s a lesson as old as time. If you want something bad enough and you believe in yourself and keep fighting, pushing, and working hard you CAN achieve whatever it is you wish to be, create, or do. Corny yes, but true…in most cases if you REALLY want it…
So here is the story of Bertrice Small. A woman who was rejected more times than this book can show. Let me tell you a story. Back in 1975 my mother was taking her first real novel “The Kadin” around to various publishers in hopes of getting it printed and becoming a working author. In one particular New York City office the man in charge of deciding such things had just finished reading her first book. He sat across from her saying it wasn’t very good, they couldn’t sell it if they tried, etc. My mother, use to rejection at this point, got up to leave while thanking the man for the opportunity. As she was headed towards the door he said, “Mrs. Small, you have a young child at home don’t you?” My mother replied that she did. “Well”, he added “why don’t you go back home and just be a good mother and wife and forget about this writing thing.”
Big mistake.
Without skipping a beat my mother turned around and retorted. “Mr. (I forget his name), one day I WILL be a best selling author, and you will be selling used cars at a dealership in New Jersey!”
And as fate would have it, she DID become a multi-time best selling author. Read world wide, printed in more languages than I can count, sold more copies of her work that I can count, was on national TV multiple times, had commercials for her books on TV, and on and on and on. Also as fate would also have it, years later she checked on “whatever happened” to the editor who rejected her and gave her his parting “advice”.
He was selling cars in New Jersey.
True story. She was right! She predicted it! It blows my mind.
If you’re expecting another “Skye O”Malley”, “Enchantress Mine”, or “Unconquered” you will be disappointed. It is not here. What is here are never before seen photos, stories, rejection letters, a peak behind the curtain not only of her research process, but at the business as she was coming up and more that shows the progression as a writer who would become “Love’s Leading Lady” whose work entertained, inspired and effected so many around the globe, and continues to today, with many new projects in the works. From rejected constantly, to an Icon in the historical romance genre… this is the creative evolution and perseverance of my mother, the writer….Bertrice Small.
As she would tell you…. All good reading….
Cordially yours,
Thomas Small
November 9th, 2023
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