Pitching

Both agents I pitched today said I could send my manuscript! 

Wow! I was so nervous, but I told them it was my first pitch ever and they were both so kind.

Having just been in the query class to refine my logline and pitch paragraph and 

knowing important details (genre, word count) was clutch.

I read my paragraph then they asked great questions.

One agent focused more on how I got the idea for the story. 

 and what made me feel like I had expertise to tell this story. 

(Both questions I was prepared for from my query class.)

Also ages of the other two sons, etc.

The other agent wondered if the child's death "was on the page"

or just referred to. She advised that most editors are avoiding stories that include the death of a child right now and wondered if I could start after the death and refer to it in backstory.

I'll be playing with that idea and seeing how I can revise the first chapters to see if I can make it work.

She said if she likes the rest of the story, she'll definitely have suggestions as well.

The first said it was fine to wait until I got developmental edits from the freelance editor I hired back before I sent my pages. Anyway, all this is to say that I've created a compelling paragraph summarizing my book. Whether its written well enough to interest an agent is a whole different ballgame.

But, amazing first pitch experience! 

Shaeffers for backyard dinner and visiting with Kay and JD & Mary Ellen who are in town, as well as with Kristin's sister and family who came down from Logan. 

Another backyard night feels like we're making the most of these summer nights.

Turned on the BYU-Baylor game when we got home.

BYU is ranked 21 and Baylor 9, so we were just hoping for a clean game and to

keep our players healthy. A good showing would be nice too.

But we got so much more! BYU won in double OT at like 1:00 a.m! They were in control the whole night

and the teams were very well matched. Such a great surprise!

BYU's kicker, Jake Oldroyd, is absolutely out of this world, never misses, has the most amazing range, comes in clutch in the best moments and has saved so many games.

But shockingly, he missed a short field goal in the last 20 seconds 

and that's when the game went into overtime.

In the first overtime, Baylor's kicker missed a field goal and then BYU got in range

and Oldroyd had the chance to redeem himself. And missed again! It was absolutely unexpected!

During the second overtime, BYU scored, the defense kept Baylor from scoring and BYU won.

And while everyone rushed the field in celebration,

Jaren Hall, BYU's quarterback, hugged and hugged, a bawling Jake Oldroyd.

Such a class act!

Everyone has a bad game.

It was so good to see Jake loved not just when he's the hero, but also when he missed.