Thursday, February 25, 2010

My Stomach Doesn't Feel So Good

Okay, I haven’t found an agent yet, but my pitch did make the first cut for the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award. Probably they canned Story for a Shipwright last year because I pitched it as Women’s Fiction—go figure. This year, I called it General Fiction—“a character driven exploration of our needs versus wants in a world where ordinary converges with extraordinary.”

So, now I have to stave off nausea till the next cut.

Meanwhile, I'm going to paint up a storm...

...and congratulations to Julie Dao and Tiffany Neal, who also entered and made it throught the first round!

22 comments:

  1. Congratulations on making the first cut. Treat yourself, really. You deserve it.

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  2. Congratulations J.B.!!! I'm sorry your stomach doesn't feel well :( I would have said to eat some ice cream in celebration, but maybe you should wait on that lol... feel better!

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  3. Congratulations! Wow, you must be thrilled! From your synopsis on the sidebar, the story looks very intriguing. Sending the very best wishes for this competition!

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  4. Congrats! That's great...

    I also found the Amazon contest very stressful...

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  5. Congrats Bridget!! I wasn't sure if you had submitted or not. I'm so excited for you! I hope you don't have to wait too long. Hang in there! And I agree that SfaS is better categorized in general fiction. Yay! Did I mention I was excited? :)

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  6. Congrats. Success is incremental, enjoy each stage of it!

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  7. Terrific, Briget! Good going... best of luck in the 'finals' :)

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  8. Tricia, Julie, Joanne, Mary Jo,Deb, Rick & Norm: Thank you all! Your best wishes were a nice thing to wake up to!

    This at least something positive, and good timing, too—I think I’ll back away from the ‘abandon/delete' key and query another batch of agents before the next cut—which is based on writing, not simply the pitch.

    This sort of thing makes me realize how non-competitive I am. When I’m inclined to enter a contest I try to operate on the premise of what have I got to lose? I forget about my stomach lining…

    That said, thanks for the perspective boost, Rick-- Success is incremental, and I should enjoy each stage of it!

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  9. Your words can't lose.. I have read and I have seen. Your apprehension is natural, but no need to doubt..

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  10. Thanks for your ongoing support, Glen :)

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  11. Some great news! Good luck on the next cut. Try not to get too nervous. Just enjoy the ride. (I can say that since I'm not doing it myself, LOL.)

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  12. Thanks, Davin. I think it's going to be like a rollercoaster--which, by the way, I swore when I was 16 that I never ride again, and haven't...till now...

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  13. Glad those judges have some common sense!

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  14. Scott, lets hope those same judges have enough common sense to like my prose!

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  15. Ooh! Congratulations, good lady. Well done!

    Maybe some dramamine would help your stomach? :)

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  16. Simon, I think a hot Toddie would work better! thanks :)

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  17. Bridget, I am so happy to hear this news! I have such faith in you! And right...take a tums and enjoy this moment. You worked for it! Oh, a toddie sounds like a better bet!

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  18. Thanks Liza, I'm enjoying my hot Toddie as I type... :)

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  19. Yay! Congrats!! :))
    I didn't enter last year and I sort of randomly stumbled across it this year and was elated to see they were accepting YA authors.

    It was great timing b/c I had finished my MS just a few weeks before and was in the process of editing and revising - which I did ten thousand times before I submitted it on ABNA.

    I know what you mean by that lovely feeling in your stomach. I could barely handle waiting until the first round was announced, and then I forgot. I want to forget about it again. But, not likely.

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  20. I think it's great that this year there is such an emphasis on YA, and it's a wonderful opportunity. I doubt that March 23 will slip either of our minds, (or Julie's).
    I hope all three of us at least get a Publisher's Weekly review (a good one, that is!)

    Best wishes to you, Tiffany!

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  21. Thanks Paul...and I'm glad your computer is feeling better!

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