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? 

IWSG September 2014: "Wait for It."

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












As we all know, the writing process is forever a waiting game. Shawn Spencer said it best, "Wait for iiiiiit." Yes, if you want to perfect your craft, publish your work, promote your writing and enter contests, it all takes TIME.

I entered Brenda Drake's #PitchWars contest in August. We found out the winners last night. That was the longest three weeks of my life. Waiting and hoping and praying I'd make it into this contest, was a true challenge of faith and stamina. And for the record, I did make it into the contest as an alternate. I am indeed honored! There were 75 mentors and thousands of contestants, but they could only pick one mentee and one alternate.

Everyday on Twitter, since the contest opened, the mentors reminded us to wait patiently. They mentioned the endless waiting game in the writing industry. If we are to succeed in this business, we must WAIT FOR IT.



What you have waited for in the past or are you waiting for something right now? Did you ever give up on something that you wish you had been more patient with?

IWSG: "Get Back to Work, or You're Fired!"

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

Benson's familiar words to Mordecai and Rigby from Regular Show ring in my ears, "Get back to work, or you're fired!" My words to myself, "Get back to writing; vacation's over." I'm back to my old writing self, somewhat. The kids start school in a few weeks. Feel free to join me in singing these words, "It's the most wonderful time of the year..."

Don't get me wrong. I do love my kids, just not in my face the entire summer, eating all of the food in the house like rabid racoons. I admit, the more I hang with my homies (my teenage sons) the more I write the funny, the unexpected, the real-life stuff that makes MG my fave genre.

As you know I'm on the path to securing an agent for my upper middle grade mystery. It's funny how you can feel worthless after a few rejections. Even when they say, "It's not you, it's me." I know this field is so subjective, but it still stings. I  try to remember all great authors have been rejected. Then things can quickly change. It feels like I won the lottery when I got one partial and two full requests! In the meantime, I'm going to enter Brenda Drake's #PitchWars. You should check it out if you are interested in getting an agent. It's for finished adult, YA and MG manuscripts. The 75 mentors choose one person to mentor their ms over a two month period.

So, I tried finishing my YA thriller set in Chicago (I will finish it!), but then the idea for my next mystery, the second in this series, hit me in the gut like a football tackle. I'm loving where this story is headed. If you see me stalking my sons, it's for research purposes. I seriously can't make this stuff up. 

I hope you have enjoyed your summer. Do you have a fear of rejection? Are you back to work--writing? What are you waiting for? Oh, yeah, the kids...to leave the house. Gotcha!