How the light gets in*

In view of my previous, gloomy blog, I have to tell you there has been some light. 

It arrived in the form of short lists. I was short-listed in three competitions, namely:

  

the Memoir section of Fish Publishing's annual competition;

the International Short Story Competition of Chapter One Promotions; and

Fish Publishing’s Flash Fiction section.

I threatened, in some earlier blog, to post some of the memoir if it did well. However, with the advent of light, I have decided to enter the memoir in another comp, the Elizabeth Jolley Short Story Competition, so I can't do that just yet. And the flash fiction – which I’ve had to reduce to 250 words – is going to the Bridport Prize in England, both closing at the end of this month.  I’ve also entered a short story which I wrote earlier this year in the Bridport. Don’t hold your breath – results are only out in September – but crossing your fingers every now and again when you think of it might be good.

I’ve also been proactive. I applied for and got into Down the Rabbit Hole, which is a weekend of frenetic writing with other writers (rabbits?) organised by the Queensland Writers’ Centre. And I’ve asked for an application form for their Novelists’ Boot Camp, which is run by (Dr) Kim Wilkins, author of lots and lots of books, ie she knows what she’s doing and clearly never has to publish blog posts about bleeding at the typewriter. There’s a photo of Kim Wilkins on the QWC website and honestly if I were as attractive as that I would forget about writing and be a model. It would have to be less painful.  And more lucrative. Discuss.

I should mention, too, that Stilts Journal is currently open for submissions (closing 31 July). They want stories of journey, abandon and the unknown. I think I might be able to drum up something for that, anyway I am thinking, which is a good start.

 

And in the meantime, like a tired fat pigeon, on I plod.  

Photo courtesy Lesley George

And yes, I have written some words on my novel but I am not sure if this is cause for celebration. 

*This is also the title of a book by M.J. Hyland