My Status as 'Hoverer'

So, what's a hoverer? A hoverer is a person on the cusp. A person close, but no cigar. In a word: me. I thought I'd be published way before 30, but here I am 33 and still no creds. But, I think I'm closer than I've ever been. Here's why (yes! An excuse for a list!):

1. I wrote a novel in college as part of my thesis, but wasn't especially happy with it, so I wrote another one and reached out to agents. No success there. Instead of sticking around to rework/edit that novel, I just went on to another project. When I finished, I reached out to agents again. Once more, no success. This process repeated itself two more times with two additional novels before my crazily supportive husband suggested a change.
2. As I've stated, I am fantastically cheap, so my husband had to look up editing services, contact the editor (Lou Aronica from the Fiction Studio, who was great!), force me to talk to him, and then force me to spend the money to work with him. Prior to this, I'd just moved from project to project, as I figured agents weren't interested in the book I'd pitched, so I should start something new, which was great for sheer volume of material, but not so great when it came to moving forward with a single project. Working with Lou helped me in so many ways. I didn't end up selling the book he worked on with me (the 1st book in a projected 4 book series), but I used what I learned to go back and edit (more like rewrite) two of the remaining three books I'd written over the years. I then decided to type up a query letter for the 1st novel and shoot it out to agents.
3. I got an agent! Success! Euphoria! This was the goal, right? I thought my days of writing query letters and buying agent guides were long over. I pictured a fabulous career in letters, my books on the shelves of Barnes and Noble, New York Times Bestsellers' List, etc. Well, it didn't work out like that. I worked with Jenn (won't give her last name for privacy's sake, not that I have any readers yet, ha!) for the year I was under contract, going through a serious edit/rewrite three times (third time WAS NOT a charm, though I do like the story better after all the fixes)(Funnily enough, the working title of the novel was 'Star-crossed'--I yucked it up after crawling out of my pit o' despair), only to end up with a finished project she didn't feel comfortable taking to publishers. Too dark. Story of my life! And while I was bummed, I also realized how much the process forced me to grow as an author. Not to mention, I finished two novels in between edits of the story I had going with Jenn. Two good novels, imho.
4. So, yes, I broke down and bought a 2014 guide to literary agents and wrote another dreaded query letter and synopsis for one of the novels I wrote last year. Now I'm ready to submit to new agents. Again. Keeping fingers and toes crossed that it works out a little better this time. If not, I know the way back to the drawing board...