It's nearly here. The annual Pennwriters Conference starts on Friday, May 14th in Lancaster, PA. This superbly organized conference offers not only wonderful hour long classes and panels, it also brings in numerous and varied editors and agents. Many of you know what that means. Pitch appointments.
It was a tough choice. Editor David Pomerico from Bantam Spectra is attending. Fantasy is what I write and what I want to sell. So I could have selected him in the hopes he would want my latest fantasy endeavor. But if he would reject it, I would be right back where I started with all those other fantasy houses closed to me and now way to reach them through their 'agented only' submissions fence.
So I decided to give a pitch to an agent who is interest in YA fantasy. Emmanuelle Alspaugh works for Judith Ehrlich Literary Agency. I putting my money on her. Hold your breath because if I land an agent, it will be bubbly all around. I'll be working on my pitch all week and rereading some of the YA novel to keep up my excitement level. I think it's really good. LOL, if only Emmanuelle will trust me on this.
After the weekend I'll be posting a review of my conference experience. I'm looking forward to lots of things not the least is listening to James Rollins speak at the Friday night dinner. I also get to attend my first published author's luncheon where we have a guest speaker. Then there will be the networking with my fellow Pennwriters, including many of my cohorts from The Susquehanna Writers. We have so planning to do together for promotions and booksignings.
Many of my fellow CPRW members are going to a retreat over this weekend and I wish them well with many words being written. I figure in about two years I'll be able to attend the retreat with them.
What things do you hope to get out of a writers' conference or retreat?
8 comments:
Sounds like so much fun! I'm not that far along on this writing journey. And conferences don't come anywhere near small town Northern Ontario very often :)
It'll be a few years before I'm able to attend one. For now I'm living vicariously through others. Hope you have a great time!
Thanks, Jemi. I was so nervous at my first conference but mostly I'm excited about this one. It's expensive on my current budget but worth it if I get an agent.
Good luck at the conference, Sue! I'll be working my brain and fingers to the bone/creamy nougaty center? at retreat. I'd cross my fingers for you, but that would make typing pretty difficult. Knock her dead!
Thanks, Ava. I'm so hoping.
Oh, yeah, THAT'S what you're doing! I don't know why I thought it was a sporting event... LOL
Ava, I hope your room is near mine. Then I won't have to go all the way down to our conference room when I need a snack. Don't worry, I'll leave enough for you to type with. :)
Emmanuelle is quite nice. I met her back in '08 when she attended the Writers' League of Texas' conference. That was past the time when I was the E.D. of the League, but I volunteered for the conference and ended up driving her from the airport to the conference. She was with a different agency then.
You can relax and enjoy the pitch. I think you'll like her.
Helen
Straight From Hel
lol Natalie!
Thanks, Natalie. Have fun at your retreat. I appreciate the words, Helen, maybe I can relax a little.
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