Middle Tennessee Christian Writers

Oh, I was adventurous today. I left the house at 6:15 AM (before daylight!) and drove 2 1/2 hours to Nashville, TN to attend a meeting of the Middle Tennessee Christian Writers. I was pretty proud of myself for doing this because I haven't been to Nashville in several years, and I certainly have never gone there by myself. Despite the snow, I made it to Nashville easily, but my Mapquest directions weren't exactly correct.  So, I had to make a last minute decision (shoving panic aside because I was alone and it wasn't going to help) to exit right or stay straight (both paths contained portions of my Mapquest directions). I veared right moments before it was too late and thanked God when I saw my next exit. Whew! I did not want to get all the way to Nashville just to have to call my hubby crying that I was lost! While he had plenty of faith in me to knock their socks off at the meeting (His exact words were, "You are way too pretty for anyone to believe you are as smart as you are." No, seriously, he really did say that.), he wasn't so sure I could find my way around the big city with no help. I did make one wrong turn after this but quickly corrected it and arrived safely and on time.


Belmont United Methodist Church

The MTCW is a group for Christian writers of fiction. Yes, I wrote a memoir, which is nonfiction, but memoirs read like novels because of character arc (how a character evolves over the course of the book), cliffhangers, and story structure. They are also driven more by writing style than platform. Plus, I hope to write a novel this year, so I thought this might be the group for me.

One of the things I struggle with is telling people in conversation what my book is about. When someone asks, "What is your book about?" I want to say, "Hold on a sec while I write it down, then I'll read to you what it's about." I can write it all day long (My sister says that's because I'm the queen of BS when it comes to writing; She means that as a compliment.), but to say it out loud is not so easy. On the way down, I practiced my "elevator pitch." Not that I thought I was going to be pitching (trying to sell my idea) to anyone, but because I knew I would be asked what it was about, and I would need to be able to say it in a couple of sentences. I called my salesman husband to have him listen to what I came up with, but he thought my first version was too rehearsed, too mechanical. He wanted me to make them feel it and want to know more. I hung up on him, practiced something else, and called him back with this:

"My memoir is our story of overcoming infertility . . . and then early infant loss . . . and then a miscarriage. It is letters to my baby telling him of his miraculous life and how I planned to give him to Jesus. Then, he becomes my conscience, and my promises to him help me through my most difficult times of living without him."

(Pause from my husband) "That's perfect."

"But now I'm about to cry!" He thinks that's good, that I want them to feel that, too. It worked; I got the typical smiles from around the room when I introduced myself and then the classic shoulder slump, sorry eyes, and awwwww when I say the words "early infant loss." No one is ever ready for those words. If I ever do get to pitch to an agent one of these days: #1, I think the pitch will have to be much shorter; and #2, I can't cry!

Today's MTCW meeting included a panel discussion of group members who had been to writers' conferences. They discussed their experiences pitching to agents and editors, meeting other like-minded writers, and learning valuable things about writing. The discussion was mostly about their experiences at the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference and the American Christian Fiction Writers Conference. Those are a little too expensive for me, though. Plus, I'll be working. I have my eye on the American Christian Writers' Conference in Fort Wayne, IN because it's during Spring Break and I can stay at my sister's house on the way (Oh yeah, Sis. I haven't told you that yet.)

Of course, it's me, so this trip can't end this smoothly. After being so proud of myself for finding my way to the church in Nashville and then finding my way out of Nashville so successfully, the low fuel light comes on at about the same time that I see the HENDERSON 27 miles sign (Henderson is home). No big deal, right? Wrong! I guess I didn't realize there are no gas stations on that road! I kept driving, and the needle kept getting lower. And I kept driving, and the needle kept getting lower. After about 12 or 15 miles, I realized I would not be coming across any gas stations. I was wearing heals and it was freezing and my husband was out of town! I started praying and calling on the name of Jesus! I had to slow way down so I didn't waste any gas. Just when I thought the gauge couldn't get any lower, I finally made it to the Zion Rd. exit and a gas station. Seriously, it was a close call!