I think I might still be in shock.
I have been on such a rollercoaster about it all - "no way will I make it through...only 1 in 5...80% get cut in this first round" to "well, why NOT me? i could maybe make it through, maybe..."
I had so much help and feedback with my pitch - my first pitch. And never having written one before, I really had no idea whether mine was even on the right track, or not. So scrolling through and finding my name on this list was - incredible and surreal. I'd been trying to make sense of it - predict it - for so long, that I had to stare at my screen for awhile just for the information to sink in.
In many ways, it hasn't yet!
I'd even just spoken with someone not two hours' prior to seeing that the list was posted, and I'd told her all the reasons why I was okay with the outcome, regardless of what it was. The friends I've made, the incredible wealth of talent and humour and information that I've found in these people, my fellow entrants - I honestly feel like the experience I've had thus far has been MORE than worth it. And it's at least as cool as seeing my name on that list today. Still exciting, but I think I really had piece either way. I think. ;)
So, for now, my heartfelt congratulations go to those who made it through to Round Two...and my equally heartfelt condolences to those who did not. Regardless, ALL of us need to keep writing, and keep putting it out there!
As far as I'm concerned, we're all pretty winner-y, just for being brave enough to click that submit button!
Until soon,
S.A.M.
Posts
I hate to say I told you so...but.....
ReplyDeleteA very big warm congrats to you! I made it to the ABNA quarterfinals last year so I remember the surreal feeling you used to describe seeing your name on that list. I wish you all the best in the rounds to come.
ReplyDeleteIt does feel surreal, doesn't it? But now, onto the excerpt round. That one unnerves me a bit. My cat, Gyspy, just snickered at me. It is a sad thing to be snickered at by your cat! I wish us both survival in the next round! Roland
ReplyDelete@Hatter: No you don't. ;)
ReplyDelete@Bardmaid: Thank you so much! I don't feel like my excerpt is strong enough to get me through, but then again, it really depends on who ends up reading it, so we'll see! Totally surreal, though...I kept going back to double-triple-check that it was actually there! :)
@Roland: LMAO It is indeed a sad thing to be snickered at by your cat! I have two of them, but right now they are too busy chasing one another around to bother with anything I might be up to. ;) All the best on surviving to the quarter finals! I'll be watching for you! :)
Congratulations for moving to second round from a fellow Toronto writer who also made it to the second round. Giora
ReplyDeleteOkay, so I followed you over from the ABNA boards because I LOVED your 'why is the rum gone' and 'driving me to drink' in the fussy thread, but when I looked at your profile and saw a love of llamas, I thought you and I HAVE TO be friends. So HUGE congrats on getting through (I also did--this year... first time, though I entered last) and am part of this manic blog circle. At ABNA, I am often at the manse, trying to start a pudding fight or convince everyone to get naked... here, I'm sure my comment links. Whatever the case, I like your style.
ReplyDelete@Giora YAY! Congratulations to you, too!!!
ReplyDelete@Hart I am SO GLAD you "got" the humour in the rum comment - I was worried no one would, in the heat of the depressing discussion that was going on! Good grief. Plus, with both of those, I was actually dirnking rum...so...yeah... :) I'm at work at the moment, but I lost my mind a bit at the cute otters on your most recent post! BLESS!
It's funny, when I wrote the "author bio" for Carving The Light, and chose a picture of myself with a smiling alpaca I took on my cell phone for my bio photo, I never really thought anyone would read it. So I had fun with it. And I am SO glad I did...the whole thing still makes me giggle! :)
Congrats on making it to round two! I'll be watching out for both of you! :)