My Elevator Speech

I’m having trouble writing my query letter. I know what my book means to me and what I hope to accomplish by tossing it into the Void, but trying to convince a literary agent that my philosophical ravings actually matter? That’s a different story.

I’ve written a book to inspire people in a world where inspiration is viewed as ignominious. Creativity is contemptuous and materialism has trumped meaningfulness.

In a culture like that, how can I hope that this little piece of me can make a difference? I’ve been a teacher for eight years, and if the children I see each day are any indication of the reading audience of America, I haven’t a snowball’s chance in Hell…

Maybe I’m shooting myself in the foot, but it’s harder to follow through on this than I thought it would be. And terrifying. Absolutely terrifying.