David Raterman has written for magazines (Writer’s Digest, National Geographic Adventure, etc.) and newspapers (mainly South Florida Sun Sentinel) for 10 years and been a travel book writer for National Geographic and Knopf. For four years he participated in a writers workshop led by New York Times notable book novelist John Dufresne and has been a member of the Mystery Writers of America. For the past year, Raterman has freelance edited two dozen books for a large publisher.

But The River Panj struck out with traditional book publishers so he self-published it. Below are his favorite rejections.

· “You’ve definitely done some good work, but I’m afraid I’m still going to have to pass. The thriller market is so dense. As good as this is, I don’t think we would be able to make it stand out from the crowd—even amongst our own, which includes Vince Flynn and Brad Thor. I wish you lots of luck, be it with this and/or future novels!" Sarah Branham, Atria Books

· “Thanks for sending David Raterman’s THE RIVER PANJ. The vividness of Raterman’s descriptions are stunning and I can certainly see what it is that has you so enthusiastic about his work. However, I am concerned that the book’s subject—while timely—has fiction readers a bit weary and unless it is covered by an established name in the marketplace, will have a hard time breaking out commercially. I realize that this is a cynical view but unfortunately, that is the reality of the current market. I wish I could be more optimistic but I’m just not enthusiastic enough to overcome the inherent obstacles and a writer with Raterman’s talent deserves an editor who is wholeheartedly on board.” Kerri Kolen, Simon & Schuster

· “Many thanks for sending me Dave Raterman’s novel THE RIVER PANJ. I found the premise of the novel very compelling, and I appreciate the freshness of the protagonist, as well as the relief-industry context of the setting. I don't think that this is quite right for Viking's list, however, but I do wish him the absolute best of luck.” Joshua Kendall, Viking Penguin

· “Thanks for sending THE RIVER PANJ, but I'm going to pass. It's an exciting, adrenaline-fueled read, and interest in and awareness of the area of the world at the heart of this story have never been higher. But, ultimately, as intriguing as Central Asia is, I think it makes for a tough setting. There is a certain commercial quality to Raterman's writing that works well for this type of story, but it seems a book like this would need to be a lead title for it to work well, and I'm not sure I have that type of vision for this.” Gabe Robinson, WilliamMorrow

· “I’m always up for a page-turner, and not only can David deliver the fun, but his writing possesses a certain level of political sophistication that’s rare in these types of novels. As promising as it is, though, I am going to pass. For me it’s really a question of positioning—while it has its strengths, I’m just not convinced it will break out beyond its core audience. Alas, something we need for our select number of fiction titles here. Someone will see a way, and they, David, and you will prove me woefully wrong as it rides up the bestseller lists.” Richard Florest, Weinstein Books