One week

Only one week stands between me and something I've been looking forward to and dreading at the same time.

I belong to a writer's group called "Southland Scribes" in Orland Park and since my book is mostly finished, my group-mates encouraged me to sign up for this year's Love Is Murder Conference in Chicago. It's a meeting for mystery/thriller writers.

They have a pitch session, which is the primary reason I'm going. I go in and pitch my book to as many editors and publishers as I want. I have three minutes with each company or editor and I have to give them a brief synopsis of the book and how I plan to market it. It has to be memorized. Now that I only have a week left, I'm very frightened. I have great confidence in my ability as a writer, but after laboring over the same story with the same characters and plot for the last four and a half years, my confidence in the book is fading.

I want a change, I want to write something new. But I'll never be able to do it peacefully until I know the book is finished and waiting for publication. I have a brief outline of what I'll say to these publishers and editors, but I'm not definite about it yet and my stomach clenches every time I think about it.