I'm a Conference Pitch VIRGIN NO MORE!

I'm still punch-drunk from a day of incredible learning and opportunity at yesterday's "Super Saturday" workshop, presented by RWA's sister chapters, CFRW and VCRW.

First, before I pee my pants, I have to tell you...I pitched for the very first time to one of my A-list/dream agents, The Knight Agency's Lucienne Diver...AND SHE ASKED FOR my YA novel, CASSANDRA'S AWAKENING! :)

Dylan and C.T. Charles with Lucienne
Diver's card...the GOLDEN WONKA
TICKET to submit to her! :)

While I have three paranormal romances published with my amazing publisher, The Wild Rose Press, they don't handle the Young Adult genre. When I heard The Knight Agency's, Lucienne Diver was accepting pitches at the conference, I knew I had to pitch my YA. I barely remember the pitch and it felt like I was in there for 30-seconds, but my writer friend, CT Charles, assured me I was in there for at least 4 minutes. It's all a blur. And I wasn't even drinking.

Agent Lucienne Diver
speaking at "Super Saturday"

Ms. Diver might have known it was my first time, and she was very gentle with me. ;) Seriously, what a professional, kind and honest woman. I feel so honored to have the opportunity to send her my YA, and truly enjoyed her talk yesterday on the "Role of Agents in the Modern Publishing World." In a nutshell, despite the burgeoning trend for self-pub and hybrid authors, agents are as important as ever in ensuring that the author's best interests are represented. Her q&a was insightful and I have pages of notes from that and the one-page critique session she hosted. If you have the opportunity to see Lucienne Diver speak in the future, I highly recommend the experience.

The featured speaker was the effervescent and entertaining Roxanne St. Claire. I adored her energy and her honesty, and she gave some incredible tips for how to take your manuscript from "Sleeper to Keeper." Totally inspiring and what a truly nice woman!

Finally, took 3 hand-cramping pages of notes on Lorena Streeter's presentation on "Social Media." As the head of marketing in her day-job, Lorena really knows her stuff! Had several 'a-ha' moments on utilizing my time and my interests to reach readers (vs. just other writers!) and can't wait to try out my new skills!

Came home with a bunch of new SIGNED books to read from the fabulous authors at CFRW and VCRW. In particular, looking forward to Caro Carson's "Doctor, Soldier, Daddy," Roxanne St. Claire's first novel in the Barefoot Series, "Barefoot in the Sand," Connie Mann's "Angel Falls," and Lucienne Diver's Latter-Day Olympian Series, "Bad Blood" and "Crazy in the Blood."

Sigh...new books always make for a 

Happily My Ever After!

Dylan

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