Thursday, June 12, 2008

Score One for the Goldfish!

Last night, for the first time in her life, Apprentice Writer received a call from Alaska.

Not recognizing the telephone area code, she almost didn't pick up for fear of yet another sneaky telemarketer. Happily, though, she did, and had the pleasure of speaking with a lovely woman named Carolyn Ellis.

Carolyn had called to say that Apprentice Writer won the Alaskan Break Up Writing Contest.

Apprentice Writer made her repeat it three times.

She was understandably (she thinks) confused due to background noise of teething toddler, toothbrushing schoolaged sons getting ready for bed, dull crowd roar from the televised Eurocup soccer match between Switzerland and Turkey (who, BTW, also won), and, most important, her understanding that writers are supposed to enter contests for 3-5 years before starting to final and win. Or something like that.

But no, Carolyn insisted that Apprentice Writers ten-page scene of how the heroine from CUPID AND A TOOLBELT discovers her fiance in flagrante delicto and proceeds to break up with him in a very unusual manner, in which said goldfish has a starring role, was chosen from all entries to be sent to agent Laurie McLean of the Larsen Pomoda Literary Agency for a reading.

Apprentice Writer is in shock. And awe.

Whatever may become of the agent reading, this moment is pretty darn sweet. Do all writers crave external validation? From people not obliged by closeness with the writer to provide it?

Gentle Reader, if you have a sweet validation story - please share.

15 comments:

econobob said...

I always knew you deserve such recognition. I am glad I was right again.

Carrie Lofty said...

Congratulations! That's really great news. Best of luck with the agent :)

M. said...

econobob - LOL! I'm glad you were right again, too! And I'm happy you delurked today to leave a post.

carrie - yay! thanks! yay!

Holly said...

YAY! Congrats!!! What a wonderful accomplishment!

M. said...

hey! look! it's holly from 'the book binge'! welcome, and thanks for the props! now i'm one tiny step closer to quaking about how you and your co-bingsters might review my book!

J.K. Coi said...

Yay, that's wonderful news, and I'm sure well deserved, although having not read said goldfish scene I must now bug you incessantly until I do get to read it :)

Holly said...

M.,
I've been a reader for awhile, I just lurk instead of commenting (I'm shy like that).

I look forward to reviewing your book. :P

Abby said...

Yippee!! Yippee!!

That is awesome. Though I'm not all that surprised. It's a contest for breakup scenes, and yours is a doozy. "She didn't just - did she - oh, yes, she did!"

I will pretend my revision suggestions had something to do with it and bask in reflected glory. (Sh, don't disillusion me.)

Yes, all writers crave validation. Because everyone in our real lives thinks we're nuts!

J.K. Coi said...

Don't worry, I know we've met before, I just didn't know that "m" here and "you" there, were one and the same, if I'm making any sense, LOL. See you Saturday! I love TRW days!

Wylie Kinson said...

m. - that's WONDEFUL news!!! Someone's getting a chocolate this Saturday :)

Best of luck with the agent and congrats on your big win :D

Julia Phillips Smith said...

Woo! Yeah! *applause*

M. said...

abby - yes of course, your input helped put the necessary polish on the goldfish! you can have my accolade chocolate tomorrow at the meeting in you like *g*

wylie - yay! thanks! yay!

julia - thanks so much! hurray!

kris - yes, i have trouble keeping people's diverse identities straight in my head also! see you tomorrow.

Annie Wicking said...

Well done you!
I wish you lots of luck with your writing,

Best wishes
Annie

M. said...

welcome, annie! my first poster from across the pond. very fitting as many of my favorite writers are also a pondhop away.

Tiffany Clare said...

M.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WOOHOO! This is totally awesome.

I'm soooo late to the party!

BUT WOW!