Just a 10-minute pitch –nervously anticipated–at the Willamette Writer’s Conference two summers ago turned out to be the catalyst for the publication of my book, 15 years in the making, on the neuroscience of the brain as it faces, or defies, death. The Brain at Twilight, The Neuroscience of Our Last Words and Moments was just a manuscript, but my first pitch with Natalie Kimber, a literary agent at The Rights Factory, sparked a journey that will end in just a few months when the book will be published by Columbia University Press.
Although I have been an ICU doctor for a long time, and compiled personal stories of my patients’ final moments, I was clueless about the publishing world. How remarkable to have the full and complete attention of a professional agent, with a world of expertise behind them, focusing just on you and your work. The message I’d like to give potential authors….pitch and query often and happily!! You’ll be giving someone a very personal opportunity to catch the excitement you have in your project and embark on the journey to publication that’s yours to capture!
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