5. Pitch Slam: THE OTHER SIDE, Women’s Fiction

Title: THE OTHER SIDE
Genre: Commercial Women’s Fiction

Word Count: 78,000
Movie Genre: Summer’s favorite movie genre is drama because she likes to see she’s not the only person living with pain and tragic mistakes. 
Pitch: Mer lost her first son to foster care and is terrified of failing at motherhood again. Pregnant and broke, she fights to keep from repeating mistakes and finds an unlikely friend in her son’s caseworker. 
First 250 words: 
As Mer reached for a romance novel, her body released a mini tsunami on the third floor of the public library. It burst forth with a warm splash and the woman nearby let out a screech. Mer’s face grew hot. “I’m sorry,” she murmured.
“Your water broke.” The woman’s face wrinkled in disgust as she jumped away. She rubbed her own pregnant belly. “Oh my God, this is my worst nightmare. I mean, if it was me this happened to, not you.”
The wet stain on the carpet spread. “Tell me I didn’t just drench you.” Mer gritted her teeth and groaned. The pain was bearable, but carried the promise of increasing intensity. Like the first hint a man is no good–it’s there alright, but can be ignored, at least for the time being.
“It’s okay.” The woman shook her feet.
“I’m so sorry.” A contraction hit, feeling slightly worse than a menstrual cramp. She wasn’t fooled. The first time started mild before knocking out her eighteen year old body.
The woman fumbled in her purse and pulled out a phone, holding it to Mer. “Do you want to call someone? Like your husband?”
Mer snorted. “I don’t have one of those.”
“Well someone? Your boyfriend or labor coach?”
“I’m my labor coach.” Another contraction hit and she let out a little roar.
“You don’t have anyone to go with you to the hospital?”

Mer bit her lip and shook her head.
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