Wednesday 6 August 2008

Harlem River Blues

Is the title of the Fish Anthology 2008 - and I'm in it! Five copies arrived on my doormat this morning (well actually I had to open the door to the postman cos they were too bulky to fit thorough the letterbox, but you know what I mean) along with my Runner-up prize of 100 Euros. Hurrah!



The book is lovely - packed with short stories, poems and flashes. I haven't dared read my story yet, I'll save it til I've had a glass of wine or two. I've got a biog at the back too, which compared to everyone elses is a bit dull and straightforward, but I think my thrill at having made it to the anthology is pretty clear. The accompanying photo makes me look like I'm away with the fairies, but then maybe that day I was.

One quibble. It's not a big one, really, and I am honoured etc to be in the book and very grateful for my prize - but, they've spelled my surname wrong.

It was spelled right on the website and in all our correspondence, but has somehow lost an 'n' when it came to the printing of the book. Ah well, hubby says it will make the copies even more valuable when I'm a rich and famous author.

What to do with the five copies? Well there's one for me, obviously, and one each for mum and dad (after warning them about subject matter of story, although the title - The Job of Sex - might be a bit of a give-away). My local library is also getting a copy - the librarian is keen on short story collections and has already said she would like to add this one to the shelves. I think I will make the fifth one a generally borrowable copy - not that I think people will be queuing outside my front door desperate to read my story, but I know my writing group will be interested to see the stories that made the anthology and I might risk passing it round at book club, as long as they don't give me the forthright/incisive/no nonsense and usually spot on criticisms they give on the books we read (I'm published, it's enough, I'm not ready for reviews yet :o))

Also to be celebrated on the writing front, yet another day passes without the six stories I have sent out to womags being returned rejected - hurrah (again)

Shoe warning of the day - Don't let your children go paddling in rivers in crocs (or even fake crocs). They float far too well (the crocs that is not the children). One of Daughter's lovely streaky blue fakeys slipped off mid-paddle and disappeared downstream. It is currently caught in an eddy unreachable by arm or stick or oar from any bank. Unwadable to cos of steep drops on every side. Lost forever. Hoping it will become home/boat to small creature. Suspect it will become plastic pollution. We are going to grow cress in the remaining shoe in an attempt to redeem ourselves.

5 comments:

Karen said...

Ooh how exciting! Annoying that they spelt your name wrong, but still. Will have to get hold of a copy for out library :o)

Will heed the shoe warning by the way!

Jill Steeples said...

How lovely to hold those books in your hand! Well done! Even if they did spell your name wrong, tch!

Fingers crossed for your womag subs too.

Jen said...

Wow, that must be such a good feeling - and getting real money what you can spend on more shoes and cress to boot.

'Tis all very good, no?

Jumbly Girl said...

Karen - love the thought of it being in your library. There really are some damn fine stories in there

Maddie - Thank you - every day is a bonus re womag subs - I am so impatient though that a rejection would almost be a relief :o)

Spiral - 'cress to boot' - a woman after my own heart ;o)

Haven't decided what to spend the dosh on yet but as I have banned myself from buying new clothes and accessories this year I might just have to have a Waterstones splurge

Pat Posner said...

Oooh, I'll ask my library to get a copy.

I know how you feel about the womag subs, I'm coming up to 7 weeks on the ones that have been out the longest and, I know it's probably too early to hear yet but it's got to be soon.

Glad the shoe posts haven't stopped.