That one little question

“What’s your book about?”


Are there any more terrifying words in the human language?

Well, you may be one of those people who loves to talk about your work… and I generally do too… until someone asks me this question.

Well, you see. Um, there’s this girl and um… she um… it’s kinda complicated. Um. She runs a tavern and there’s this guy and well, a long time ago….

Yeah, that painful.

*disclaimer* that's not a description of a real book.

If I can skip around it, I’m good. You know, talk about the characters… and then what the characters face… but ask me to answer head on and I’m like a deer in the headlights.

Frozen.

Staring at oncoming headlights knowing my time to exit gracefully is almost over, but unable to articulate a single word…


I know it’s something that I need to get over. I know if I ever hope to pitch to an agent, the deer act won’t work. I know… but still. I’ve even memorized my tagline. Yup… ask me what my book is about and you’ll pretty much get my query letter.

Are there any other deer-in-the-headlight authors out there? If so, got any advice? How do you overcome that moment of panic? And for you authors that have no trouble with pitches… You have my undying admiration… and jealousy. ; ) How do you do it?