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What to do when you’re NOT a Golden Heart Finalist
Well, I entered the Golden Heart contest in the fall and alas, I’m not a finalist. I’d assumed as much as the manuscript had received some mixed reviews, but it’s sort of like the big break up conversation. You know it’s over and you just have to hear the words.
I’m not ready to give up on the book yet, though. It’s percolating in my files folder, waiting for me to be ready to revise it again.
But yesterday, while I was trying really hard not to stalk my phone like a lion on the Sahara, I decided that there are plenty of things I can do as a Golden Heart Non-Finalist:
1. Celebrate my non-finaling – Honestly, just entering the GH is a big accomplishment. I managed to finish a full length novel. Plenty of folks out there start and don’t finish. So, I’m giving myself an A for effort.
2. Congratulate the finalists – A big shout out to Tina Joyce Butts who finaled in the Suspense category for her manuscript, The Surrogate. And of course congratulations to all the Rita finalists who have been to the boat or who are coming. (Dana Marton, Jessica Andersen, Kimberly Killion, Eloisa James, right off the top of my head.)
3. Be disappointed – I’ve given myself 24 hours to be disappointed. It hasn’t really taken that long. I’m not the dwell in sorrow sort, really.
4. Reevaluate – This is a time to take a long hard look at what I’ve done right and what I could improve. In the right category, I keep writing and I write on a schedule, almost every day. I definitely think my writing is crisper. I’ve tried to make the transition to contemporary. (Maybe right or wrong, we’ll see. But a change anyway.) I need to spend some more time on my technical stuff. And GMC, oye. I’ll leave it at that.
5. Keep moving forward – For me, this means write write write. I’ve decided nothing can make the sting of not finaling go away like producing something newer and better. And that’s just what I’m planning to do. Besides, I won’t have to do this next year (wait by the phone on March 25) if I get published before then. So, that’s my goal. I’m going to avoid waiting by the phone by getting published, just out of spite.
If you’ve entered a contest and not finalled, how did you react? What helps you keep going? Anything else you can think to add to my list? How’d you feel yesterday listening to the Rita/GH call stories? What keeps you motivated in times of disappointment?
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72 comments:
I entered also, but after some review of me MS some months ago, I knew I wouldna' final. But, like you, I had a MS ta enter and I'm going ta go with that as a victory in and of itself!
I've been slapped down in contests. Justly so, though the wording used was out a' line and I called the judges on it. I be a hardheaded, but when it finally gets through, I do get it.
And that's what I take from the contests that hurt me pride. I got it. And I be a better writer fer it.
I'm wit' ye, Marn. Get published so I don't have ta even think 'bout this again... Not that I was obsessing...too busy workin' on prep work fer Orlando!
Heck, it looks like mopping up the tears morning!
I just posted at the vixens where Ely is suffering from a similar rejection!
I am amazed and shocked.
To vent my frustration at having to wait even longer to read your wonderful work I can only repeat my comment to Ely:
So sorry Marnee and Chance....you both deserve far better.
If you're interested in publishing as an ebook you might take a look at a new publisher now inviting submissions:
www.sarahs-writings.com
It offers authors a high percentage of sales profits and no initial charge to you.
You would need to advertise your wares but I reckon you could both do that pretty well on the web. I already know how good you are and would love to become your first customer!
Just remember, very few great artists are fully appreciated in their lifetime!
Marn,
Last year when I didn't final I was really saddened by the whole thing. This year... Let me say it's a complete crap shot if you do final, and yes I did mope about yesterday. But I knew my chances were 50/50 which meant it was probably one too many people who fell on the side of, this isn't a romance LOL! and marked me low.
But I'm looking forward to my scores, because I highly doubt I finaled in the bottom percentile this year. :) Besides I got me an agent without finaling in the GH. She believes in my book.
And I email my fave authors to give them congrats when I see they've made the Rita's :)
First off, I've sworn off entering contests ever again, so the GH was not as issue for me this year. (No Golden Heartache for me)I wasn't quite finished with the book I would have entered if I did enter anyway. And after last year's scores (from a perfect 9 to a 2), I just didn't want to put myself out there without feedback to back up the numbers .
I have finaled in contests and been crapped on in others for the same book. The only people I care about impressing right now are my agent and potential editors.
This publishing quest is much harder than most of us dreamed when we woke up in the middle of the night to type, but we've just got to keep typing. I'll give up only when they turn off the electricity or I'm dead, whichever comes first. :)
I don't have anything to say that wouldn't sound cliche so I'll just say I'm sorry for your disappointment! You have an awesome attitude and I think concentrating on the positive is good.
I'd say the most important item on your list is #1!!! Not many people can say they finished. I'd be very proud! Also remember that this isn't a statement on the quality of your ms - just because you didn't get picked doesn't mean your story isn't a good one.
Chance - I agree. Publishing is the way to go, get around this whole not finaling thing. I've only entered one other contest and most of the feedback was ok, and if it wasn't, it still legit even if it wasn't good.
But you're right; finishing and getting out there is the biggest thing.
Q - I haven't looked into e-publishers yet. I haven't really shopped my first MS around yet. I know just from some beta readers that there are some problems with it and I'm waiting until I'm ready to tackle those issues. Maybe after I finish the first draft on my current WIP. I like the idea of the story, but there are some things I'll fix before I seriously shop it. Thanks for the heads up though! I'll keep it in mind!
Tiff - I was just thinking that I wrote in here that I gave myself a day but I woke up this morning fine. I don't think my expectations were very high. LOL! And I think you're definitely right; better to have an agent who cares about your book than to final in the GH. I'd make that choice any day.
Mags - "I’ll give up only when they turn off the electricity or I’m dead, whichever comes first." Hear hear!! I'm with you. Though I agree about the whole no feedback thing being a bit frustrating. I think the GH is good for the whole exposure aspect of it, but if you don't final, the sting of the 50 buck entry fee, the copies, and then the shipping can be, well, a bit painful. Oh well. I'm not ready to swear off yet, as this is only my second contest, but I definitely am pretty picky about which contests I enter.
Awh, Irish, you're the sweetest. Thanks, hun. That's sweet words. And I judged this year so I think to some degree it is a bit of a crap shoot. You give a number after you read. That's it. I'm not implying that I should have finaled (I know there are things wrong with the MS) but it definitely wasn't the most scientific judging. LOL!
And I'm a bit of a Pollyanna. I think the rest of the pirates find it a bit tedious, but it's all good. They grin and bear me. :)
I adore you, Marn. Great blog--and I think you (and Hal) are brave souls for even entering. And I admire you even more for allowing yourself a moderate amount of time to wallow in disappointment before getting back on the horse. (I'm sorry, I'm from Missouri. I have to use cliches with horses in them.)
I think it's a crapshoot, myself. (Not to downplay the finalists--only that everyone and their cousin enters this thing. It's like American Idol. There are a handful of obvious "no thanks" entrants; and then a whole bunch of very well-written, funny, dramatic, awesome stories. How in the world do you choose? So you get down to the nitpicky, nitty-gritty details of elimination. Grammar, historical accuracy, plausibility, GMC, characters, plot...)
I'm a bit of a Pollyanna too. Everyone has to be a bit of one otherwise no one will like you.
I grin and bear a lot of things, but bearing you Marn is not something that's hard to do. Don't be so hard on yourself.
I think what's so tough about getting out there and getting into contests that writing is very personal to the author of the story and impersonal for the reader/critiquer. (Regardless of how you make the reader feel, they feel nothing towards you as a person.) It still hurts to not be picked. It's like being the last kid picked on the playground to play Red Rover or Kickball. Yeah, you got picked, but it was last and you know no one wanted you on their team.
And that sucks.
*blushing* Shucks, thanks Hells. Adoration returned.
I didn't realize that Chance had entered until this morning. She'd kept it very quiet. (PIRATE!)
But I really do think it's a big thing to even enter. I worked hard last year and I'm not at all upset with the progress I made. :)
And I'm not even sure if there's any grammar, historical accuracy, etc. I know when I judged, they just told you to focus on if you liked it (reader experience or something) I can't remember how they worded it, but it was basically, how much did you enjoy it. I focused on the entries like i would have a book I picked up at the store.
Sin - XOXO. I think you are a Pollyanna dear, even if the less observant might not notice it under the ninja stars and poison dart eyelashes.
I gotta say that that is the horrible part of writing, separating oneself from their work. I remember my first critique group in college. We had to turn in our work and then the rest of the group just dove on it and we weren't allowed to defend ourselves at all. The professor's idea was that when a reader is reading it at home, there is no author there to defend themselves and that it would benefit us to harden up and to hear what the reader response was. The first time, I cried afterwards. It hurt so bad to have people tell me that what I'd put out wasn't good.
Then I learned that what I write isn't me. When they criticized it, they weren't criticizing me, they were criticizing words I'd written on paper. After that, it got a little easier and I figured out that it wasn't even that they weren't even always criticizing my story, they were criticizing my execution of that story. And in a lot of instances, they just wanted me to do the story justice, that they wanted to read the best version of my story and that I wasn't living up to that version they could see.
Humbling, but so incredibly valuable.
What was I talking about again? I think I started rambling.... Oh, dodgeball and kickball and being picked last. That's how I started.
I hated gym class.
Obviously in my ramble, I couldn't type either. LOL!!
"I figured out that it wasn’t even that they weren’t even always criticizing my story," I meant:
I figured out that they weren't even always criticizing my story.
Too many words in my head!!!
I think we're feeling about identical this morning. It is such a crap shoot, isn't it? I was slightly hopeful, but that's okay. I'm intrigued to see the scores, but without feedback, I doubt they'll be all that helpful!
I know I'm working on something significantly better as well, which really helps take the sting out of it. I'm debating if I should revise NWTR again and keep sending it out, or just shove it under the bed and move forward. But either way, continuing to write, write, write is the only way to power through rejection (contest or otherwise)
Great blog, Marn! In a weird way, I'm glad to see from the comments that we're not the only ones feeling this today!
Morning Hal! :)
I'm intrigued to get the scores either but I think I'd be as interested if I got all 2s or all 8s. Sort of a science experiment, ya know?
And I thought that the commiseration would be nice this morning to. :) It is nice to know we aren't alone.
Well, maybe you don't judge specifically for historical accuracy or grammar--but if you're judging about how well you liked it, those are two of the things (as well as the other things I listed) that I judge stories on. Obvious poor grammar bothers me. I *will* typically continue reading authors who don't do the "if-then" clauses correctly because that's my little hangup, but if you can't it's and its right--and your editor didn't catch it, I just lose my mind.
And God help you if your kid is eating chocolate bars in your story set in 1400 and it's not a time travel. I mean, I admit it: I can't let shit go. Why do you think I'm not married?
Hellion - I think I notice all that stuff too. I didn't mean I didn't notice that one entry I got told the whole way through and it was the most irritating thing to me. (And incredibly BORING.) But there was no checklist or anything to guide, that's all. Just how'd you like it.
And its and it's is a pet peeve of mine too. I admit it.
Oh, and I think it's awesome the professor made you all listen to critiques--okay, that part was not awesome--the part that was awesome was that you were eventually able to surgically remove yourself from the story. That they were picking on your story, not necessarily you. That would be so hard to do; and that is a rather brutal way to accomplish that well-earned lesson.
And I like the Pollyanna realization at the end: that the critiquers only wanted the best possible version of the story. Yes, I imagine that is so--but as outsiders, they don't always understand the story you're trying to tell. Everyone thinks THEIR way is the right way to tell a story--and will offer opinions about it. I think if they say, "the motivation is ill-defined here" or "your hero is unlikable"--those are things you should consider and try to fix (assuming you want a likable hero). I think the other stuff is subjective...and they're trying to tell your story for you. They just don't get it...and that's the one you have to watch. It's a balance of trusting yourself as the storyteller and listening to feedback about genuine concerns.
After all, well-meaning critiquers would gladly tell J.K. Rowling the RIGHT way she should have told the story of Harry Potter. All the while informing her that she's ripping off JRR Tolkein left and right...and others would say they couldn't see Harry with anyone other than Hermione. And could give valid reasons why that's true.
Marnee, it stinks you didn't final! But you can be proud of the simple fact you entered and finished a book. Two huge accomplishments.
Yesterday, I wasn't disappointed at all. It was odd. I had already accepted the fact I wasn't going to final; it was more of okay, these first two books of mine are officially dead. It would have been nice to use on a query that I was a GH finalist but at the end of the day, it doesn't matter. Even CM on her blog said that her agent didn't even know she was a GH finalist until an editor requested to read a manuscript. (CM signed with her agent with a manuscript that came thisclose to finalling but missed out.)
To me, what matters is that you query an agent with your best work possible. And you keep doing so until you achieve what you want. Keep the end goal in sight.
I'm late. Sorry, crazy morning. This is what happens when you have to spend thousands of dollars of government money in less than a week. *sigh*
I am so sorry that none of you ladies (Pirates and Vixens alike!) made the list. As has been mentioned, just having a complete MS to enter is a HUGE accomplishment. I know as I don't have one. :)
And congratulations to all the finalists. It'll be fun getting to watch them call at the winners in July and see their excitement first hand.
I do hope to enter this contest someday, but it's more a "that would be cool" and not a "that is my goal!" kind of thing. Many authors are published who never finaled or won the GH. Many writers who have finaled and won still don't have agents or contracts. So the GH isn't a golden ticket that guarantees anything. It gives a little cred, but you can get that same cred in other ways.
I realize I can be very philosophical about this because I didn't have a dog in the hunt. LOL! But I appreciate the fact that I get to go through all of this with you ladies and I'll be a better writer for it.
Hellion - it was a hard lesson to learn. Though now I can pretty much take any criticism I get (thick hide, thank you Professor Perabo). I think the only thing that would hurt is if someone told me I was so bad I shouldn't write again. That might sting.
And you're right, that feedback is subjective. I think that when it comes to criticism, it's important to stand back from it. If I hear the same comments from multiple people, I start to put them together in a bigger picture. Ie. many readers say that my hero is too drunk in the first chapter and that it makes him unsympathetic. Well, maybe they're right, at least in the way it stands. Reader response is just one reader's idea, but if it's more than one reader, well, I have to wonder. But I think you're right: "It’s a balance of trusting yourself as the storyteller and listening to feedback about genuine concerns." That's exactly it.
Ely, I'm sad you didn't final either! I only "know" one finalist in the GH this year. It would have been nice to cheer for more of us.
And I think you're right, that it isn't the be all, end all. I think it's just frosting on the cake.
A dog in the hunt! *LOL*
I relate: I'm hugely philosophical about marriage and relationships--never been married, never date long...
Well, I had to admit that I'm sounding quite well adjusted about something I've never even attempted! LOL! We'll see how philosophical I sound if I ever get into the race and come up short.
Ter - I think you're right, that it isn't the only way to get credibility. I'm not downplaying it. It's a great way to get exposure. Lots of GH authors go on to great publishing careers. But plenty don't. Or final years in a row and still aren't published.
It's a great opportunity, but not the only one. :)
And I'm married and I'm not philosophical at all about it. It's too messy to be philosophical about it. LOL! Marriage is this choice I made because I loved a guy and now we work work work at it every day and pray that we make the right decisions. And like everything, lots of things affect whether it's smooth sailing or not. And some days are smoother than others.
Marn - I am happy that you're taking it well and feeling good about the new stuff. That's what really matters. You're writing something you love, having a good time doing it, and that's what matters.
BTW - I didn't think he was too drunk in that first chapter. For what it's worth. :)
Awh, thanks Ter! I think if I make him a little more erratic, so that his emotional turmoil is clearer in that first chapter.... We'll see. I'm not ready to go back to it yet, I think.
I realized I sounded blase about my marriage and I'm not. LOL! Just that I try not to overanalyze it. My DH is the best and I'm incredibly lucky, that's all. I leave it at that. :)
Even if there's days you want to kill him, right? LOL! (I can say that since we're pretty much married to the same person *g*)
I don't know that I could say I'm philosophical about marriage. I'm more anti-marriage. But that's only anti-marriage for ME. Not for everyone else. I'm more philosophical about being single. And by philosophical I mean I can rationalize anything that makes me feel better about it. :)
Maybe I should tweak my marriage philosophy comment--because generally my marriage philosophy is: DON'T DO IT. But if my friends are venting about their SO's, I can sometimes point out the SO's POV that the SO was not able to do--and the friend is usually "Oh, I didn't think of it that way." And they're usually not so mad and more sympathetic. Maybe I'm more philosophical about people than institutions.
I think perseverance is more important than being a finalist in any contest. I know that a lot of GH finalists go on to become published writers, but most published writers never won a GH. They just kept on writing, and they eventually found an agent and/or editor who believed in them. So I think you guys have already proved yourselves winners.
I've only entered one contest. I didn't final, but I came in sixth, got some very helpful feedback, and have the comments of four writers who don't know me telling me that they look forward to seeing TLWH in bookstores within the next couple of years. That was enough to keep me writing. :)
I know I'll probably feel sick when I get the scores. So, I won't open them for awhile. I'm tough that way!
Once you can remove yourself from the 'personal' aspect of feedback it's fascinating. I just got feedback on a synopsis and the reader read something into the motivations of the main character that I did not include! And it's wrong! I gotta figure out why she saw that!
That is what can make it interesting and not crushing. I enter the contests simply for the goal aspect of it. Forces me to continue working on a MS. And write synopsis. Blech.
Didn't mean ta be sneaky... Jane-o talked me inta entering the GH at the last minute. I didn't even know much 'bout it...
Janga - Ain't comments like that just the whipped cream on the hot chocolate?
"...comments of four writers who don’t know me telling me that they look forward to seeing TLWH in bookstores within the next couple of years. That was enough to keep me writing."
I looks forward ta hearin' somethin' like that meself someday...from more than just the friends who've read me MS...
"the reader read something into the motivations of the main character that I did not include! And it’s wrong! I gotta figure out why she saw that!"--
Because we all bring our prejudices and view of the world to the books we read. We're always going to read more or less into the characters according to our world perceptions. I don't think there is a lot you can do about that, Chance. Well, there's nothing you can do about people bringing their own perceptions to the book--but I suppose you can possibly figure out a place in the book where you can color his motivations more "obviously" so we can go, "Oh, he's doing it because of this..." instead. That sometimes work.
ugh - motivation. I always get the comment "I couldn't figure out the heroine's motivation." It's such a fine line of showing the character's motivation, showing it in a way that makes sense to everyone, and not hitting the reader over the head with it. I haven't figured out that line yet.
I solve that by my characters not really having motivation. LOL!
Chance - that reminds me of some feedback I got on my Erotic Romance short. The opening is a dream sequence and someone said the beginning made her think it was going to be para then it wasn't. Since I don't write para ever and had no idea I could, I was really confused from that. LOL! I've been struggling to figure out what about it makes it sound para!
Janga - I'll try not to be offended that me telling you that for what seems like years doesn't mean as much as it coming from strangers. ;)
*blinking innocently*- Hal, I have no idea what you're talking about. LOL! And you're right, our DHs were separated at birth. :)
Ter and Hells - I think that it's possible to be philosophical in general. Maybe I'm more philosophical as a general rule and not so much about my marriage. And that whole pointing out the other perspective, a very handy trick. Because there are days where I'm like, "YOU DON'T MAKE ANY SENSE!" I could use that on those days. :)
Janga - I think positive feedback is so helpful. It can really motivate a person, i think. And you're right, there's only one winner in each category each year. There are plenty of people who publish without finaling or a winning. I think it's just a fun contest, but I'm going to leave it at that.
Hal says: "It’s such a fine line of showing the character’s motivation, showing it in a way that makes sense to everyone, and not hitting the reader over the head with it. I haven’t figured out that line yet."
Boy, do I relate.
“YOU DON’T MAKE ANY SENSE!”--
And this is why we have to write fiction because if we wrote real life, it'd be far more mundane and everyone's motivations and reactions would be completely insane.
Which makes it like we're doing the toughest job in the world, doesn't it? We're writing something that clearly couldn't happen in the real world because IT HAS TO MAKE SENSE and the GMC has to BE CLEAR. But yet, we have to make it relatable and believable that it "could happen." I mean, talk about a tightrope!
Truth is stranger than fiction, but it is because Fiction is obliged to stick to possibilities; Truth isn't.
Mark Twain
Oooh, I just found my secondary character's motto--and it's Mark Twain: Do the thing you fear most and the death of fear is certain.
Oh, and apparently the secret of life is: we're all crazy.
When we remember we are all mad, the mysteries disappear and life stands explained.
Mark Twain
Hel - Yeah, personal perspective has a lot ta do with what readers actually read... I'm lucky that this person is someone I can flat out ask why she saw that motivation. Make sure I'm not writing something I sure don't mean ta write!
Been there, done that!
Terrio - We always figure r' friends tell us nice things 'cause they love us. Tho ya be right...it sticks in the craw ta be doubted 'cause we be friends... I swear ta be extra careful next time a loved one tells me somethin' nice. Ta just believe it...
Thought ya was writin' a paranormal...hee, hee. Define paranormal... *grin
The only Twain I remember is a short story 'bout how bluejays curse the best... Always think a' it when the jays be jabberin' at me 'bout the birdfeeder bein' low.
But I like "Do the thing you fear most and the death of fear is certain."
Think I'll go enter another contest! LOL!
Good job picking yourself up and dusting yourself off, Marn. I'm still miffed over my last contest experience—2/3 judges either didn't make comments in text (which is esp odd since one of them seemed to think she had made inline comments when she filled out her score sheet) and the one that did made it bleed green over STUPID, TRIVIAL stuff (and then gave me the highest score of the three).
And now there's another contest I'm thinking of entering from the same RWA chapter (for the first 5 pages this time). I'm really torn—a lot of people say it's the judges' comments that make it all worthwhile, but if that's all these people have to offer, then forget it. On the other hand, it's $10.
One note on your college crit group: ouch. But sometimes, they really ARE criticizing (not critiquing) you. I had a CP once who not only couldn't say anything constructive but couldn't make it about the work. It was always "you are," "you seem to think" (seriously), "you're not" and "ur doin it wrong" (ie "not how I want it to be/how I think your characters are") instead of "you could do this," or "this doesn't work for x and x reasons, can you try x instead?"
you know, in fiction, our main characters are supposed to have clear motivations to explain their actions. But really, how many of us in real life can ever explain why we're doing what we're doing? It's very rare that our motivations, emotions, and actions all line up in a neat little, explanatory row.
I'm trying to remember that's it's possible, in fiction, to have contradictory motivations or emotions, or to be motivated to act one way but still feel a different way. Because really, why not make the whole thing more convoluted?
In How to Write a Damn Good Novel (part II? can't remember), James N. Frey refers to the species that we write about as Homo fictus. Unlike Homo sapiens, everything Homo fictus does have to have good reasons. His dialogue has to sound real but, y'know, actually make sense (how much of a conversation between you and your SO/BFF would a bystander typically understand?)
Jordan - OUCH on both accounts! You are a brave soul to enter one with the same chapter. I'd be sorely afraid they'd offer the same kind of judging. But to be fair, with all the contests from all the chapters throughout the year, good judges are in high demand and that means sometimes the not-so-great judges get the call.
Hal - When I say I don't give my characters motivation, I really mean I don't think about it. I mean, I just think, based on what I know about their personality and their past, how would character X react here. Or if given these two choices, which way would character X go? If I can pick one and give clear reasons and examples as to why they made the choice they did, then I'm good.
Beyond that, I really can't think about it because motivation clogs me up something fierce. I'm motivation-intolerant. LOL!
hells - I should have finished reading your comments before I kept talking :)
Jordan - I love that! LOL! Very true. And very freaking annoying!
Ter - but that's all motivation really is. Why are you acting the way you act? And the better you know your characters, the more obvious that is, and you don't have to think about it anymore. *g*
Homo fictus! *LOL* Hysterical!
Ter--yeah, I haven't decided yet. I went ahead and heavily edited the first five of my last MS, because, hey, I'll have to do it anyway, right?
Hells--LOL. That psychoanalysis stuff. Pshaw!
I do have to say, the more I have to sit down and figure out why a character reacted a certain way, it does make me sit down and figure out possible reasons why I or an SO was acting a certain way. (I am usually wrong on the SO's account, because he's just crazy, but mine, I can usually determine--and occasionally I'll head off some things at the pass.)
Not often though.
Hal - But I can't think of the motivation as a noun. Stay with me here. LOL! If I have to put a name to the motivation, I can't. But if someone asks, "Why did she walk away?" I can answer the question. I'm weird this way. LOL!
Hellie loves pointing out my motivations in real life and she's usually right which is damn annoying. But I know myself better for it, I guess.
Hey, those two years of therapy should benefit everyone, I say.
Jordee - I think that contests are win some lose some. The responses, when helpful, are good. When they aren't, well, they aren't worth the paper they're written on. :)
Homo fictus. LOL! If you need me to read the first pages of whatever, that's cool. I've DOTP almost ready for you. Are you sending it or CA?
Marn--Definitely. Once bitten, twice shy, you know yourself. (Did I mention there are three Irish characters in the sequel? I'm startin' to think this way, yeah?)
Almost ready?! *salivating* That's better than any contest ;) .
I've been working on DotP for the contest, though I've thought about doing CA. ( :\ ). It's a $10 per piece entry fee, so I may do all three of the MSs I've got. Or not. I've done some (what feels like to me) big changes, so I'll be sure to pass those along--thanks!
Terri said: "Janga - I’ll try not to be offended that me telling you that for what seems like years doesn’t mean as much as it coming from strangers."
Terri, your comments do mean a lot. You and Hellion have frequently kept me going with your praise. But it's like your parents telling you you're beautiful when you're in your teens. Their words warm your heart, but it takes the bad-boy, blue-eyed charmer whispering it in your ear to make you feel it's true.
And remember I followed all your suggestions but two before I entered that contest. I should have followed all but one since one of the judges had the same question you had about location of the kitchen. :) But I was right about the dress. LOL!
LOL! Janga - I do love teasing you. I totally understand. Having a total stranger tell you it's good is worth a lot! I'm just so proud that I could help you. You taking my advice is like me being told by a blue-eyed charmer that I'm beautiful. :)
Jordan - THREE?! If you're trying to make me feel like a slacker, it's working. LOL!
Ter--Yeah, but how many have I submitted? Or even finished revising?
Big fatty none.
You're still way ahead of me! LOL! And I can't claim I've been busier than you in the last year either. You've had your hands full too!
Okay, fine, you win—I'm blushing!
Here. *passes Jordan a Glittery Hooha* You deserve a drink for all that. LOL!
Awww. How about some babysitting instead ;) ?
If I can watch the baby at the ball field, we're all set. LOL! I love babies so I'd do it in a heartbeat, but that's going to make coaching a little hard. Hmmmm......
Strap her on in a carrier, and she's good to go. My three-year-old is the big problem there ;)
If she can stop the ball, I can use her. LOL!
There's a guy at the dogpark...has his kid strapped to his back, just hanging out and watching the doggies play... Gotta admire a guy who can mulittask.
Pass the hooha, please. Not a great day...
*adds extra hoo and slides glass*
Sorry to hear it, Chance. I never did have one of those strap-on carry things. I just carried her everywhere and now I can't figure out how I ever got anything done. I didn't even use one of those removable car seats. Huh.
Thanks fer the drink. Jus' the not knowin' what is goin' on wit' the DH's job... Sigh. No news is good news, sorta...
Loverly day...think I'll head home and take another walk... Or work on me costumes fer Orlando...
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