Could that be a whiff of spring I smell in the air? Hold me back! This winter has tried valiantly to drag me into the doldrums. But I've prevailed! Barely.
(Gads, I hate winter, though.)
So, I have news, but it's news completely without details.
The happy truth is this: I've sold a short story.
And that is all I can say.
For one thing, the details aren't in ink yet. For another--well, I'm anonymous. And the story will not be published by "Authoress".
I've struggled with that decision. I mean, you're MY PEOPLE, right? I think a lot of you would be happy to know where to find the story. But--at least right now--I can't do that.
Josh and I have planned from the beginning to unveil my identity when we sell a novel. (Not that that's not completely terrifying to me...but we'll save that topic for another day.) (Unveiling my identity, that is. Selling a novel is not terrifying.) And while this short story sale is a THRILL for me, I need to keep it separate from my blog.
I do, after all, have a real name. And that's the one I'm going to use when I'm a bonafide, this-is-for-real, published author.
(Actually, I'm using a slightly changed version of my real name, which I guess makes it an almost-pen name.)
Anyway -- YOU CAN STILL BE HAPPY ALONG WITH ME! Three things make me especially excited about this sale:
1. It's the first short I've ever written. (Well, not including elementary school.)
2. It's in a genre in which I've never written before.
3. I adore the editor.
And there you have it! I'm sorry I have to be so irritatingly vague. I've been sitting on this good news for a while, unsure of what to do with it, really. I haven't even announced it publicly to my Real Life People, because the details haven't been finalized. (Oh, this industry!)
But I'm delighted! And who knows--maybe by the time it goes to print, I will have a Reason to unveil my identity. And then you will have two Authoress works to buy/borrow/beg and read.
Thanks for sharing my happy!
Congratulations! That is such wonderful news :)
ReplyDeleteCongratulations, Authoress! Looking forward to hearing the details (whenever you can tell them)
ReplyDeleteYay! I write short stories too and have a collection of them I self-pubbed on Kindle/Nook. I think one person bought them. LOL. Anyway, that's so cool! Congrats!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations! I'm waiting for something to happen with my novels too. Short story sales are a great way to keep your spirits up in the meantime.
ReplyDeleteCongrats! I've been doing short story work lately, too, and made one "sale" ...plus some rejections. :) Go us! And we'll all go search your name once you go public, and then we'll find it. ;)
ReplyDeleteWoo hoo! Congrats! :)
ReplyDeleteCongratulations! You must be so thrilled!
ReplyDeleteYou definitely mean BUY. After everything you've done for us, I'm not going to beg/borrow! Congratulations!!
ReplyDeleteCongrats!
ReplyDeleteThat's fantastic news! Congratulations! Maybe this is the beginning of the career taking off. And yes, I'll buy the story and the novel (as soon as I know what to buy :-)
ReplyDeleteThis is a SPECTACULAR achievement, and in what may (still) be many folks’ favorite format. I know it’s mine. Go, short stories!
ReplyDeleteCongrats, that's awesome news!
ReplyDeletewooo-hooo! GREAT news!!!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations!! I am so happy for you.
ReplyDeletecongrats!
ReplyDeleteYeah! That is fantastic! :)
ReplyDeleteWonderful! I'm kind of scared to write short stories, but have been thinking lately of giving one a try. Good for you for branching out to new story forms and genres! You're an inspiration even without the real name to go with it! :)
ReplyDeleteCONGRATULATIONS!!
ReplyDeleteExciting even though it leaves us hanging, perpetually still waiting for the big reveal. :-) - Had to take out perpetually, 'cause that's NOT going to be true.
Dang formatting didn't take! That was supposed to say 'still' waiting. ugh.
ReplyDeleteThis is wonderful news. Although, I must confess in the past year of peeking in on your blog, I thought you were published. Kudos. And happy spring thoughts coming your way.
ReplyDeleteHow exciting! Congratulations! That's wonderful. :)
ReplyDeletecongrats
ReplyDeleteCongratulations! That's such great news--my Friday just got a little sunnier. :)
ReplyDeleteCongratulations! I was wondering the other day when you would reveal your other identity. I love that you are anonymous for now, and I look forward to finding out your name and your first novel title together when it has sold.
ReplyDeleteI love success stories! Thanks for sharing, even in anonymous way. It makes me hopeful. Congratulations!
ReplyDeleteCongrats, Authoress!
ReplyDeleteWoo-hoo for you!!!
ReplyDeleteCongrats! That's wonderful news. You should be excited.
ReplyDeleteHooray and congratulations and I'm eager to read it! I hope I don't have to wait long. Of course, maybe I'll read it and not even know it's yours...well, one day soon you'll sell a novel, and then I will know.
ReplyDeleteActually can I tell you this. Writing a short story is a lot more difficult than a full length novel.
ReplyDeleteIt has to make sense - have an arc - and a GMC in sharp focus all within a strictly tight format. I always thought writing for children was my saving grace for writing short stories and have had two published for adults now. So put that feather in your hat and hold your head very very high!
Zara Penney
Congrats, Authoress! And you do what you think is best with the whole REVEAL thing. We appreciate what you do no matter what.
ReplyDeleteWoohoo! Congratulations -- that's fabulous. May it be a small preview of what's (soon) to come.
ReplyDeleteWonderful! I can't wait to find out where to read it. Very happy for you.
ReplyDeleteWOOHOO to you! That's awesome! So happy for you. :)
ReplyDeleteWE WILL HUNT DOWN YOUR SHORT STORY! (Just give us a small hint, though....)
ReplyDeleteCongrats, Authoress. It's wonderful to hear that one of your babies found a home.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on your short story sale. You should be very proud of yourself and your writing.
ReplyDeleteI suggest you keep your Anonymity for some time. Perhaps even after you publish?
In most cases there is little to be gained from linking a digital persona with your physical (real life) persona. I myself play online games (hence my handle). My use of aliases comes from a true life incident that could be instructive.
Once I was in a meeting at a Fortune 50 company. The meeting involved a debate about a technology acquisition valued in the tens of millions. Tech talk was flying back and forth. Dizzying arrays of graphs and projections were deployed. It was an epic fight between the accounting trolls and the technical wizards. There were telling blows landed by both sides of the table. I remember well when a consultant from a Big Five outfit cornered our lead web wizard Joe and inquired about his World of Warcraft online play.
So after the break the next time Joe the Web Wizard made an argument Mr. Big Five countered by outing Joe as Morloch the Warlock.
Yes, it's true our trusted Web guy was really a Warlock not just any Warlock but an ORC Warlock named "Morloch" who loved to kill other players in the most demeaning way. Oh and Joe aka "Morloch" also made videos of his exploits. It seems Mr. Big Five knew that the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) was a player too and on a different faction... and hated horde players Warlock horde in particular.
Of course Mr. Big Five just had to rub it in by providing helpful statistics like. "Yeah he's got 10,000 kills". "Got the For the Horde Achievement too!", Dang iPhones can look up anything these days. And no the CFO did not approve our Acquisition... And no I don't know if having a Warlock on our side killed the deal... But I still say that little snot consultant should not have had the information.
Don't let go of the Authoress... too much info about us as it is.
By the way if you think the above does not REALLY happen read this article.
http://www.slate.com/blogs/browbeat/2012/10/05/colleen_lachowicz_s_world_of_warcraft_habit_gop_attacks_her_level_85_prowess_.html
Congratulations Authoress. I have felt the same rush of validation whenever a short was published. I splash happily for you. I think we should have a post where we can all pimp our published shorts online and give links to them. Lord knows, mine could benefit from some more readership as could the lit journals and small presses where they are. What say you? Let us have a posting during a lull and we can post links to ou published work? Pretty please? I will do tricks (dolphin tricks you diry minded-folk) for the privilege.
ReplyDelete