Wednesday, November 5, 2014

IWSG: Pitch Wars and 15 Minutes of Sleep

Come join me in the IWSG group created by Alex Cavanaugh. We post the first Wednesday of each month! http://alexjcavanaugh.blogspot.com/p/the-insecure-writers-support-group.html

This month flew by in hurricane fashion. Does anyone else feel like they just drank ten cups of coffee while running the NYC marathon? Watch this 27 second video and see for yourself my current state of mind.


With more dental appointments this past month than I've had in a lifetime, including a root canal and two rounds of antibiotics, I still can't feel my face. During my youngest teenage son's first wrestling practice of the season last night, he collided with a chin and now has three staples in the back of his head. I may need another shot of espresso.

Did I mention stressing to the max over jury duty that I didn't even get selected for? The court convened on a balmy 80 degree day while the inside of the building was a sweltering 110 degrees. The one hundred-year-old court house, complete with no air conditioning, was a picture of the past. I got stuck in the cheap seats, wooden benches so old I'm sure Mark Twain sat in one a time or two. Maybe he died on one. I'm surprised the place had running water. The plaintiff, defendant and a dozen lawyers sat in lazy boy chairs, sipping ice cold bottled water. During a short break, I wandered out into the hallway to get a lukewarm drink of water from the barely working water fountain. Seriously, I don't make this stuff up. Nine hours later, I was dismissed with spinal injuries and heat exhaustion.

On a better note, Brenda Drake's Pitch Wars contest is winding down and the agent round is this week. Writers tend to be more stressed than other people that's why we drink lots of coffee. We should probably sleep for more than fifteen minutes though, right? 



Just exchange the word "writer" for "Cohen" and you're all set.


Rooting for all my fellow Pitch Wars friends! Have you ever been completely stressed out of your mind and excited about something at the same time? 

33 comments:

  1. Maybe he died on one - hilarious!
    Sorry about your numb face and your son's stitched head. Hope this month is better.

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    1. My life is hilarious. :) If we don't have blood, guts or broken bones at our house, something's wrong.

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  2. We have an old court house, too. I love it! But I do think it has air conditioning of some sort. Good luck in the pitch wars. I just wrote up a list of publishing companies that I'm going to send my MG to. With the help of my local writing group, I've worked and worked on it this year and it's time I've sent it out.

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    1. Good for you, Janet. I know what you mean. Sometimes I feel like I've spent an eternity on my ms. Get it out there!

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  3. Wow, you should write a story about that courthouse and a juror! Good luck in the Pitch Wars!!!

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    1. Well, let's just put it this way, the courthouse is one of the main attractions in my current finished novel. As for future story fodder, yes, my one day visit inside the courthouse will come in handy.

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  4. Oh man. 'Welcome to a life of insecurity and paralyzing self-doubt.' Yuuuup... that's about right some days! Glad to hear you didn't end up getting stuck on one of those benches for a trial!

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    1. You're telling me! I would be in a back brace. Isn't that the best quote ever?

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  5. Stressed out of my mind and excited at the same time? Yup. Every single book event. Every single time I hit send on a manuscript. Every single time I start a new WIP.

    I am a walking mess of anxiety.

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    1. I don't think it gets easier with time. I think it gets much worse!

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  6. Oh man! I hope you heal up quickly. What are you doing to distract yourself during Pitch Wars? I had to stay off the site the year my pitch was up. In fact, my coach was the one who shot me tweets about how I was doing. She's awesome like that.

    Unleashing the Dreamworld

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    1. My entry goes live tomorrow and I'm trying not to faint. I actually have one last dental appointment for several hours tomorrow morning, so that should keep me occupied until I get home and panic. :)

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    2. I hope you haven't panicked yet, and I hope you did phenomenally!

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  7. Hi Jennifer, you sure are over stressed and excited. Keeping my fingers crossed for your Pitch Wars entry. Sending you some hugs!

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  8. Jennifer, sending healing thoughts your way right now. Been there and know how it feels.

    Thanks for the clip. I needed a good laugh.

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  9. I hope this month goes better for you! Good luck with the writing.

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  10. I am all sorts of stressed and excited right now. I have to remind myself to sit back and take a deep breath. Wishing you well. A dentist visit is always traumatizing for me. :)

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  11. I would have died being stuck inside that building. 80 degrees already sounds like it's too hot.

    For a minute, I thought your son's collision with a chin was the reason why YOU were in the dentist's office. Hopefully, you're all done with that for a while.

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  12. You've had an interesting month. I hate the dentist, so you have my sympathy and I hope feeling is coming back in your face.

    Here's to November being a bit calmer for you.

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  13. Congrats on getting out of jury duty. That is a major accomplishment. I hope the dental work is now done.

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  14. Holy cow - what an eventful week. Dental surgery is the worst. I spent about 2 years off-and-on with them. But I'm good now - so I hope all your pain is over and your teeth are good-to-go now! I hope your son's staples come out soon, too. Good luck!

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  15. Sounds like you're probably really sick of the dentist! Hope you don't have any more visits for a long time!

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  16. Ouch! That sure is a lot of dental work. Good luck with Pitch Wars! :)

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  17. October was intense for you. I hope November is much better.

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  18. Hope you'll be all right soon. Here's to a better November! Take care.

    New follower here... :-)

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  19. Hello Jennifer! I hope things calm down and become less stressful :-)

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  20. Whoa...that's a tough month. Sorry about the root canals, but I guess it's good you were dismissed from jury duty? That stuff can be grueling!

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  21. Whooboy! Sounds like a crazy time you've got going there. I hope you can feel your face soon.

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  22. holy moly! what a time you've been having! hopefully things have calmed down. i hate the dentist!
    and i didn't know places like that still existed! great setting for a crime/lawyer story!

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