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!
Congratulations on making the first cut. Treat yourself, really. You deserve it.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations 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!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations! Wow, you must be thrilled! From your synopsis on the sidebar, the story looks very intriguing. Sending the very best wishes for this competition!
ReplyDeleteCongrats! That's great...
ReplyDeleteI also found the Amazon contest very stressful...
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? :)
ReplyDeleteCongrats. Success is incremental, enjoy each stage of it!
ReplyDeleteTerrific, Briget! Good going... best of luck in the 'finals' :)
ReplyDeleteTricia, Julie, Joanne, Mary Jo,Deb, Rick & Norm: Thank you all! Your best wishes were a nice thing to wake up to!
ReplyDeleteThis 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!
Your words can't lose.. I have read and I have seen. Your apprehension is natural, but no need to doubt..
ReplyDeleteThanks for your ongoing support, Glen :)
ReplyDeleteSome 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.)
ReplyDeleteThanks, 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...
ReplyDeleteGlad those judges have some common sense!
ReplyDeleteScott, lets hope those same judges have enough common sense to like my prose!
ReplyDeleteOoh! Congratulations, good lady. Well done!
ReplyDeleteMaybe some dramamine would help your stomach? :)
Simon, I think a hot Toddie would work better! thanks :)
ReplyDeleteBridget, 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!
ReplyDeleteThanks Liza, I'm enjoying my hot Toddie as I type... :)
ReplyDeleteYay! Congrats!! :))
ReplyDeleteI 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.
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).
ReplyDeleteI hope all three of us at least get a Publisher's Weekly review (a good one, that is!)
Best wishes to you, Tiffany!
Congrats to you!!
ReplyDeleteThanks Paul...and I'm glad your computer is feeling better!
ReplyDelete