I am a writer.
No, seriously!
Here is my Writer’s CV, which I hope to continue to keep growing:
2010/2011 – NaNoWriMo WINNER
I don’t know why I’d place this on a CV other than to say that I actually did a thing. But I’ll never forget when I asked a friend, a published author and huge success in life in his own right, what his thoughts where on NaNoWriMo.
He said, “To me, it’s basically like sex in a port-a-john; it’s exciting at first before it gets too rushed and pressured and you’re left unfulfilled while everything ends up smelling like shit.”
I hate that I now agree with him.
2022 – Stringybark Stories – Highly Commended for Crazy Witch Woman
David Vernon does an amazing job putting together short stories in themed anthologies, and when I was entering one particular short story anywhere and everywhere (and getting turned down EVERYWHERE) I saw their competition and figured I needed to devote my Saturday Morning to creating something new. I was inspired by a dream I’d had a few nights before, and I cut loose with a story told from the perspective of an abused teen, 14 or 15 or so, who’s not terribly bright, but is doing his best. It’s got a twist at the end that I’m told was really good even though it was predictable. Hey, I’ll take what I can get!
Now the Like Clockwork book is on sale and we’ve been too broke with Xmas and birthdays so I still haven’t purchased a copy of my own First Officially Published Author Evidence so I can say “Fuck you, Imposter Syndrome!” But I will, soon.
2022 – Australian Writer’s Centre Furious Fiction December 2022 Contest – Longlisted for Annabel’s Teapot
This one was yet another Bolt from the Blue for inspiration. The contest requirements were actually the Hardest Part:
- Each story had to begin with a 12-word sentence.
- Each story had to include the sale of a second-hand item
- Each story had to include at least five (5) different words that end in the letters –ICE.
Oh, and they could only be 500 words. When I was a sophomore in Mrs Atkinson’s English Class, I never would have assumed that my greatest struggle in writing short stories would be cutting back on my words, and finding what to delete yet still maintain the story. It ain’t easy.
I found inspiration with it though. Sort of like the timed exercises that my art teacher at CU-Denver used to make us do. Tyler was one of my most-favourite teachers ever, for anything, and I wish I could remember his last name so that I could Googlestalk him and follow his undoubtedly highly-successful career.
Anyway, you can read Annabel’s Teapot here.