Julie Flygare’s Memoir Pitch at Pitchapalooza Featured by Georgetown Patch
Politics and Prose was buzzing with excitement and nerves on the night of Pitchapalooza.
When I arrived right at 7pm, all the seats were taken, with people spilling into the various sections of the store to get a glimpse. In total, there were about 80 people in attendance.
Twenty names would be drawn at random for the one minute opportunity of a lifetime to pitch one’s book to an expert panel of four judges – “the Book Doctors,” a literary agent and a publisher. With so many people there, I doubted my name would be called.
My name was drawn immediately! I was “on deck” to be the second person to pitch my book. I can’t remember a word of the lady’s pitch before mine, as my heart beat like thunder in my chest.
I usually feel like a broken record talking about my memoir – I’ve pitched my story in so many settings, I didn’t think I’d be scared. Yet, I don’t remember the last time I was this nervous.
It was a unique out-of-body experience to stand at THAT microphone facing THOSE “judges” knowing a sea of writers sat behind me – desperate for the same one minute opportunity.
It wasn’t the perfect pitch, but it was good. Writer Amanda Socci recently described my pitch for the Georgetown Patch:
“One of the first presenters was Julie Flygare, a health writer and sleep advocate who presented a glimpse into her book, “Wide Awake and Dreaming – A Memoir of Narcolepsy.” The subject matters of narcolepsy and cataplexy grabbed the audience and made them captive – doing exactly what proper book pitches are supposed to do.
After pitching, Julie mentioned that she blogged about her condition and experiences in REM Runner, providing more information about running and living with narcolepsy.
The judges were visibly intrigued with this little-known topic and mentioned that it is a given in today’s heavily influenced social media society to have a blog and start building an online audience.”
Thankfully, I could relax after my pitch. I enjoyed listening to the others. I laughed. I got chills. I hope many of these books make it to print, because I’d like to read them.
If heart-pounding nerves and raising narcolepsy awareness make for a good night – than this was one for the record books! Thank you, Amanda and Georgetown Patch for featuring my story.
So glad you got a chance to pitch your book. I do believe that God and your Dad are in heaven "pitching" for you too. Love, Unell
You rock Julie, that's awesome! Thanks for being our brave voice 🙂 Michelle Stewart
I’m pitching for you too, as are all those who know and love you! Go Julie!