I’m going to the NJ RWA conference in October and it will be my first conference.  I’m incredibly excited, especially because I’ll get to meet so many of you that I’ve only known so far through cyberspace.  If you’re going to be there, let me know!  We’ll have to get together.

I started picking the pirates’ brains for ways I should be preparing.  (I’m planning to pitch).  They suggested that I have business cards to give to editors or agents, anyone I meet.

Business cards, huh?  I figured this would be as simple as visiting VistaPrint and letting my fingers do the walking.  They’d be here in plenty of time and I’d be ready to go.

Simple has nothing to do with it.

The pirates informed me that my cards could have a tagline and a blurb on them.  I promptly thought, “What a fabulous idea!  When I give them to editors/agents they’ll be able to remember my book/me better!”

Sounds easy enough, right? 

Um, no.  At least not for me.

I’ve spent the past days stressing the word choice, harassing my blogmates/CPs, and generally working myself into a mouth-foaming frenzy.   Or maybe it’s working my blogmates/CPs into a mouth-foaming frenzy.  Both, possibly.

First, I started with my tagline.  Something short, catchy, attention-grabbing.  Ok, I tell myself, think reminiscent of frustrating songs I hear in the morning and can’t get out of my head.  Sin even supplied “Sexy Back” by Justin Timberlake as inspiration.  (Yep, I sang that annoying song all day.  I’d imagine it’ll be with you today now as well.  I know, I know.  You’re welcome.)  

After much emailing and due to an inane inability to allow something to sit and congeal in my brain, I think I’ve settled on either “Making History Magical” or “History Made Magical.” 

Blurb writing was just as bad.  It needs to be a tease; give enough info to tell the reader about your story but still make them want to read it.  A few lines, tops.  But again, catchy, pleasing to the ear.  The best I’ve got so far is:

“A witch struggles to protect her guardian; her guardian struggles to protect his heart.  But will love’s spell be all the protection they need?”

Still messing with it, but it’s a start.

I’ve decided to wait a few weeks to start working on my pitch.  I think my blogmates/CPs need a break.

Have you written your tagline or blurb?  Any advice for the rest of us?  Are there any author’s taglines you think are great?    If you haven’t tried writing yours yet, give it a shot here today.  We’ll do what we can to help.