It's the last weekend of the month again and so it's time for a catch-up with Kirsten to find out the latest in her writing life. This month she has some exciting news that will hearten all writers who are hoping to attract a literary agent. Over to you, Kirsten! * * * * As many of you know, I love Twitter and I love entering Twitter writing contests. #Pitmad, #Pitchwars, #PitchCB …. you name it, I’m up for it. Much more exciting than slugging though Draft 367 of my WIP … So, of course I entered #PitchDHH. It looked fun . A bit different. Send the usual submission package to your chosen agent and, if selected, come up to London to pitch your novel in person. What wasn’t to like. Even better, Broo Doherty represents a couple of very enthusiastic friends and I was going to submit to her anyway... I had nothing to lose. Then we made a last minute booking to our favourite holiday cottage in Cornwall. I think I may have registered it was the same week as #PitchDHH but, hey, we all really needed a break and I’d never get chosen … Only I did. I did! It was so exciting! Pretty much the most thrilling thing that’s happened to me as an aspiring writer. Apparently there were over 500 entries to the five agents and they’d chosen twelve each and … mine was one of them. Wow! Then the confusion and panic set in. I’d be miles away at Lantic Bay on the allotted day. What to do? I should go. Of course I should go - opportunities like this don’t come along every day … But then again, I’d be leaving the family holiday for a ten minute pitch and I might make a total tit of myself and maybe I should explain and we could just chat on the phone … On the other hand, an agent wanted to meet me to discuss my work! I’d only be leaving Cornwall a day early and then I could go home and check on the 17 year old, home alone for the first time … But … And so on and so on. Round and round in circles. Pontification-Central. In the end, I went. Of course I went. And I’m so glad I did. An early morning stroll to our favourite beach and then my lovely husband and daughter dropped me off at Plymouth Station. Four hours later I was basking in the sunshine at Trafalgar Square before making my way to The Library - a swanky members’ club on St Martin’s Lane. Waiting in reception, I got to meet some of the other pitchees and put faces to Twitter names (lovely to meet you, Rachael Dunlop.) Then I was ushered in for my ten minutes with Broo. I was so over-hyped I can’t remember much. I think I went red in the face and babbled like an idiot for the entire ten minutes! I’m prone to do that! But Broo was lovely. She’d read and made notes on my submission so it was more a chat than a pitch. And it was absolutely brilliant! Can there be anything more valuable to an aspiring author than seeing your writing through the eyes of a top London agent? Having them taking your work seriously? I’m still buzzing about it and it has really spurred me on. Anyway, Broo liked my chapters (phew!) but wasn’t sure that the prologue is necessary and my synopsis is a bit all over the place (I hate synopses!) She was kind enough to request the full manuscript (squee!) and that was the icing on the cake but, even had she not, the session would still have been well worth attending. DHH are planning to run this event again and, if you are an unagented writer, I’d thoroughly recommend going for it. Even if you have to travel all the way from Cornwall. PS. Broo asked me to let her know that the 17 year old had survived being home alone. I’m pleased to report he’d been absolutely fine, the cats had been fed and the house was only marginally more untidy than normal! No raves. Win win all round! | 
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