Submission Status Feb/March

520
Originally uploaded by Nicole.Kelly

2/19 Sniff (fiction)--Abyss & Apex

2/22 Nomad (poetry)--Strange Horizons

2/22 La Busqueda (poetry)--Strange Horizons

3/31 A Tale of Two Heads: The Wenton Family Retrospective(fiction)--Writers of the Future

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All are still pending

Sweet and Sassy

Sweet and Sassy
Originally uploaded by Nicole.Kelly

This photo is a proud moment for me. I got the coloring, lighting, and focus all in a row. Sweet!

On writing:

I sent Sniff off to Abyss & Apex. We'll see how it fairs there.

Open Studio

The ring and me
Originally uploaded by Nicole.Kelly

Our open studio party went well this weekend. Lots of people showed up to the event, and we got tons of photos (I, personally, got over 200). I am slowly posting them to my flickr site. The posted here is one the boy took, which shows off my favorite light in my studio, the ring light. It was called "The make everyone beautiful light" by a couple people at the party. I can't be more happy that we built it.

On Writing:

I am feeling a new wave of confidence since getting the HM for Writers of the Future. I have submitted Sniff to a magazine that I think it has a great chance at today. In the meantime, I am working on my new WIP.

Writers of the Future contest!

I just got the call! I got an honorable mention for the lst quarter of the contest for Sniff! I am super happy! Woohoo!

Sniff

January 14
Originally uploaded by Nicole.Kelly

I got this nice note from the Writers of the Future contest:

"Dear Contestant,

Your story arrived and has been entered in the 1st quarter 2008 competition. We will have results in the next 8 to 10 weeks. Winners will be notified personally and the results posted on our blog, which you can access through our web site which is www.writersofthefuture.com. Good luck!!
Best, Joni Labaqui - Director"

Honestly, that was a nice note to get. I didn't even submit via the Web, they pulled my address off of my submission form.

It was strange to me that I was so please about getting this, but I think it really points to the nature of the publishing business. As in, I feel respected as a writer, which is nice. Maybe I am just in a winter blues cycle, but I don't feel like most agents or editors are very kind (sorry). I have run into some really great agents and editors, but for the most part the industry personality is terse and cold.

After that bit of less than positive attitude, I give you some great editors that I think are supportive and kind in their responses (this is in no way a comprehensive list, so please add to it for me):

• JJA (whose timely responses and rejectomancy fun are always appreciated)
• Sean Melican (who wrote me a really nice critique)
• Eric Marin (timely, nice, and professional)

He likes it! Hey, Mikey!

On writing:

Two of my readers (one is my mom and the other is from my writing group) liked the new ending! I tell you now, I totally feel like it is a major accomplishment to get these two to like what I've written. Move over editors, my mom finally likes something I wrote (mom is also a writer and editor).

I have one more person that is reading the story(other member of the writing group), and then it will be off to its literary destination!