So anyway, whose idea was it to let children drive cars?
I’m just asking.
(Oops, sorry – are my white knuckles showing?)
Because really I think it would be preferable if they had to wait until I was in a nursing home…where I will probably be shortly due to the anxiety said driving causes me daily!
First, you have to sit helpless (the very definition of a sitting duck!) in the passenger seat and teach them how to drive, a process during which it is important to stay alert and keep your eyes peeled for danger even though you’d give $1000 to hide under a blanket on the back seat… or better yet, coach them via satellite from the safety of your living room couch 🙂
But that is far better than what comes next, when they are licensed to drive, and you have to wave from the porch as the taillights disappear out the driveway and hope and pray that your baby returns safe and sound (having also not caused undue damage to persons and property in the great state of New York or nearby Connecticut.)
And then bam, bam, bam – they’re all learning one right after another, so we don’t even get a breather between kids.
I tell you. My crop of gray hairs is multiplying at an alarming rate. This whole kids driving thing is not good for my peace of mind.
You know what IS good for peace of mind? CHOCOLATE 🙂 (Do you like how smoothly I segued into that? :))
Just WAIT until you see the chocolate delight I have for you today! It has been baked specially for you by Teresa – her fabulous French Chocolate Cake With Chocolate Glaze! (and if you follow that link and scroll down to the July 29 post you can get the recipe 🙂 – sorry, for some reason I couldn’t get the post-specific link… maybe because of the deterioration of mental function caused by all the driving anxiety :))
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| photograph copyright Teresa Robeson 2013 used with permission |
Doesn’t that look YUMMY?! And it’s especially appropriate because Teresa is friends with today’s pitcher, so it’s kind of like she baked this cake especially for the occasion 🙂
Today’s pitch comes to us from Darshana. Darshana’s special talents by day are solving engineering problems, creating activities for her kids, and concocting ways to spend time with her husband. By night she reads and writes picture books, so one day she can realize her dream of becoming a published author. Check out her book reviews at Flowering Minds, and keep up to date on the latest in the kidlit world by “Liking” her on FaceBook or “Following” her on Twitter.
Here is her pitch:
Working Title: Karina The Dancer
Age/Genre: Picture Book (ages 4-8)
The Pitch: Wanting to be a dancing star like her older sister, free-spirited Karina signs up for Indian classical dance, a structured art form, only to realize her true talents lie in a different dance style.
So what do you think? Would You Read It? YES, MAYBE or NO?
Darshana is looking forward to your thoughts on her pitch! I am looking forward to when all my children are excellent, experienced, accomplished drivers and I don’t have to worry anymore… (yeah, I heard it. I know it comes with parenthood that I will always worry about them :)) So that’s not realistic. Okay then. I am looking forward to Friday when we are going to have a very fun Short & Sweet! Sharpen your pencils and get ready for something special! And that’s the truth! 🙂
Have a wonderful Wednesday, everyone! Happy reading and writing!
(And if you should happen to hear a shriek from the direction of the east coast, don’t worry – it’s probably just me in the passenger seat while #5 takes her place behind the wheel :))
Hi! I love the idea behind the story and the subject matter, so yes I would read it! I do think the pitch falls a little short of the promised free-spirited Karina. After all, if she's free-spirited, why pick a structured dance? Or do her parents sign her up for that and she is initially excited but then realizes she doesn't fit? And is it the same dance her sister does, I assume (but don't know)? I like that you kept the pitch short, but I do think we need to know a little more, or maybe it needs to be just introduced a little differently. Good luck!
Susanna, I empathize with you, it won't be long for my oldest will get his L-plate. I am going to need heaps of that chocolate cake to soothe my nerves!
Darshana,
I love your blog, and I liked you Facebook page, can't believe I didn't check those out earlier!
You have had plenty of great feedback on your pitch already and I don't have anything insightful to add. Of course I would read it! I would try to inject of Karina's spirited character into the pitch to totally wow an agent or editor.
Susanna, we are at two ends of the parenting spectrum, aren't we? Me with my seven-month-old and you with yours learning how to drive. That thought makes me nervous already. Who knows what the roads will be like in 16 years! LOL
Darshana, I like the sound of your story. I agree with Wendy below about to continue to fine tune your pitch to really get people's attention. 🙂
Hi Darshana. My daughters love stories about dancing so I'm sure they'd enjoy your story. Perhaps you could start your pitch with: Free-spirited Karina wants to be a dancing star like her big sister. However, after …. Karina realises her true talent lies in a different dance style. Maybe you could add in a sentence about an adventure/problem she encounters?
Yes, definitely lots of chocolate 🙂 Good luck with that! And thanks so much for your comments for Darshana 🙂
Thanks so much for your comments for Darshana, Wendy. Very insightful. I've actually read this story so I know too much to evaluate the pitch objectively and you brought up some important points that someone who hasn't read the story would need to know.
Thanks for your comments for Darshana, Cally. And as for the parenting things, yes we are! (although I have a 2 year old granddaughter and a new grandbaby due next week so I get some little people time too :)) But who knows? In 16 years, maybe cars will be hovercraft and maybe they'll be so technologically advanced that you can't have accidents 🙂
Thanks for your very helpful suggestions for Darshana, Rachel! Are you familiar with Kerry's blog Picture Books and Pirouettes? http://kerryaradhya.blogspot.com She has lots of dance books there 🙂
You never saw me on the Bumper Cars! 🙂
Um… let's not talk about bumper cars 🙂 You've never seen me on them either 🙂 And the State of New York does allow me to drive in spite of my bumper car record 🙂
Thank so much for your helpful comments for Darshana, Meg. And yeah… at least one of mine… well, make that two… who are driving can STILL not be trusted to wield fingerpaint. Guess which two? 🙂
Thanks Rachel. I like your suggestion. I second Susanna's comment about Kerry's site. A lot of good suggestions there.
thanks Cally.
thanks Yvonne!
Thanks Wendy for the great comments. Will have to ponder as I revise the pitch. 🙂
Yes there are a number of funny scenes, will see how to work it into the pitch. Thanks.
Thanks Angela.
I moved to the US when I was 1.
Thanks for the blog address Susanna. I will check it out.
You're welcome, Rachel! I hope you like it 🙂