...the story continues...

... and, don't think that quitting wasn't an attractive option.  After all, quitting (no matter how cleverly it's justified) is a prelude to failure; and, failure (in all its socially acceptable and personally redeemable guises) is the perfect place to hide from the rigors and demands of success.  True, everyone claims they want success; but, when push comes to shove; and, they realize that once they have succeeded they have to keep succeeding, over and over again, until they do fail; they prefer the safe haven and comfortable anonymity of failure (or at least underachievement).  Sorry.  I didn't mean to climb on that soapbox. It's just that ever since I was a boy, I've been plagued by that particular demon; and, I've spent most of my life trying to exorcise it.
Enough of that.  Let's get back to the "story"...
I just noticed that I never mentioned that Sharon thought I had talent, and invited me to join her writer's group (made up of other former student). I really enjoyed being part of a group of people who were, like me, all trying to channel their creative energies into works of fiction. I owe them a great deal. They, and of course Sharon, were very supportive and inspiring at a time when I needed both. Thank you guys!
So, there I was, sitting at the edge of the abyss. What was I to do?  Well, as Nietzsche said (and I am paraphrasing here of course):  if you stare into the face of the abyss long enough, it will eventually stare back at you.  And, so it did.  I realized that quitting was not an option; and that the people who had ignored (I say "ignored" because, as my inquiry letters were never even opened [let alone read], they couldn't actually have been "rejected") my work, were not the entire universe. In fact, it became clearly apparent to me that both they and their opinions, weren't any more important than I allowed them to be.  True, the publishing community had the money and wherewithal to get my work out into the world; but, they weren't the only venue open to me.  
I could do it on my own; but, did I have what it took to make that happen?