After three weeks of anxious waiting, I got the word today that my story is the third place winner in the Writers of the Future contest -- third out of a thousand or more. That's stupendous. I was bouncing off the ceiling when Joy came home. I immediately asked her if she wanted to go out to lunch with a prize winning author. We were both ecstatic. This is, without a doubt, the biggest thing that has happened in my writing career. I'm a paid author with one of my necessary publications toward joining the Science Fiction Writers of America and something for my cover letter that might catch the eye of an editor.
Lunch was great and then it was back home to reality. One of the bee hives needed inspection. It's having queen problems, so we had to do a shake-out to prepare it for requeening. The trash had to be put out, compost dug into the pile, and I had to get ready for one of my three critique groups which meets every Tuesday. I bring chocolate to tonight's group since I have good news. Life goes on.
I'll be polishing up some of my older stories in hopes that my change of status will result in a slightly longer look from editors. Good news is not an end in itself, it's the impetus to move forward.
Hi Steve, I just wanted to drop by and say hello. I'm a winner in the WotF Q2, which I guess means we'll be meeting in April! I'm really looking forward to meeting you and all of the other writers. I am also a librarian, and am jealous of the beautiful landscape you describe as your home. I have never yet seen a redwood in person, but it's definitely on my list.
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