I already announced this on Facebook and Twitter, so apologies for the repeat if you follow me there, but I made my first pro sale! “Pictures in Crayon” will appear in Daily Science Fiction some time in the next several months.
This is the 20th story I’ve written, or so. The first story I ever sold was my 10th. I wonder what I should expect of my 30th story.
In other news, I won a speech contest for Toastmasters on Saturday. I have a trophy and everything. Next weekend I have to compete again against people from a larger geographic area. If you ever saw me give a presentation in school, know that I’m laughing right along with you at the idea of me winning anything other than “most stutters per minute” or “best depiction of a tomato”. I find a lot of things about Toastmasters rather dorky, but I can’t deny that it’s been helpful.
In other other news, I finished my pajama pants in sewing class last week and have been wearing them around the house since then. Tonight we start our t-shirts. I couldn’t find fabric I liked for mine, so I have some plain black knit. My goal is to get the pattern and sizing worked out so it fits right (because different parts of me are different sizes) and then buy some cool fabric I found online and make some nicer tops. This weekend I also got most of the way through a second tote bag.
I have just read “Pictures in Crayon” from the Daily Science Fiction mailing list and now find myself tearing up a bit. It’s a powerful short story of sacrifice. From the very start you caught my attention with the tragic image of children in breathing masks. Thank you.
Thank you! I’m glad you liked it.