Pitching My Novel (Part 1 of 2)

Galatians 6:10 - "As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith."

This past Saturday I went to the LTUE symposium (Life, the Universe, and Everything Symposium of Science Fiction and Fantasy).

At Toni Weisskopf's keynote address.

How did I get here? Well, let me tell you!

This past Sunday (like, the 8th), there was a ward choir performance during sacrament meeting. As it was, the choir was to meet together about thirty minutes early to practice. I had no idea such a meeting was to take place, and it was by complete accident that I met the one person who was aware of such a thing.

In the hallway following a panel.

I determined to go to the choir practice rather than eat a proper breakfast, and so bolted across the way. After the practice, I was still hungry, and with my recent adventures in low blood sugar in mind, I decided I needed something to eat before the services began. So, I went up to the vending machines (my ward meets in a building normally reserved for University and bought some cheap, sugary protein thing.

As I munched on, I decided to check out the various posters lining the walls around the vending machines. I was initially drawn to the devotional listings, but the longer I stayed, my eyes strayed to a poster for LTUE.

Pitch your novel! One of the hooks proclaimed.

I paused. Wait, WHAT?

The room where I eventually participated in my first pitch-or-crit session.

Though it was too late for me to register for the event online, I dropped the necessary cash to earn me an audience with two representatives from two different publishing companies. All week, I worked with my parents to write query letters and finalize some edits for the novel I wrote for November.

The front lobby of the Marriott hotel, wherein the event was held.

I woke up at 5:30 Saturday morning, read my scriptures, practiced my Capoeira, dressed in my best suit (my only suit. HA) and prayed. My own anxiety produced the most interesting of cognitive and physical churnings as I arrived at the event and prepared for my ten times 2 minutes of scrutiny. I wandered around, visiting panels and watching the clock for my 9:00am appointment.

Finally, it was 8:45 am ... 

(To be continued ...)