I'm PUBLISHED! In The Sun!

HOLY FUCKING MOTHER OF GOD!

I'm so excited I can hardly type!

So, over this summer, I told myself I was going to send out a submission a week, and that plan lasted for, well, a week. The one thing I sent out was a submission to The Sun's Readers Write section. There are topics listed in each issue, and I just picked the one with the closest deadline, which was "Parties" and did some freewriting, typed it, printed it and put it in the mail.

Just after returning from my trip, I got some certified mail from The Sun, saying my piece might be included, but they couldn't be sure, as things do get cut or rearranged closer to publication, so I didn't want to say anything in case it never happened.

And today, it did! I checked my mail and the moment I saw a thick envelope in there, I knew exactly what it was. I got a few complimentary copies and will be getting a six-month subscription to the magazine!

The funny thing is, I'm kind of embarrassed about what I wrote. I mean, it was only six months ago, but I think, if given the topic today, I'd write something different. Funny how things can change so fast.

It's funny, years ago I went to The Sun's writing weekend, which was unbelievably awesome, and I still remember this conversation I had with this woman in the hot tubs. I was sort of fascinated by her - she had spent 25 years in jail for something she didn't do - and we were in the hot tubs around dusk, and the hot tubs were clothing optional so we were naked and I don't think there was anyone else there, and we hadn't really spoken before, and somehow we got in a conversation and she told me I should submit things to the Readers Write section. I told her I would and we ended up having a pretty lengthy discussion about it. Then as the retreat ended and people were leaving, she said to me, "I better see you in Readers Write by the next retreat."

Well, I never made it to the next two retreats, and it took me two years to even send something in, but when I did, I made it! My name is IN PRINT now!

I think today must be a literarily charmed day for me. A year ago today I got my second Rolling Stone piece named as a finalist.

I feel like dancing around my apartment!

HOLY FUCKING SHIT x100 - I just actually opened the magazine and the feature interview is by Derrick Jensen, who I just mentioned a few posts ago. HOLY FUCKING SHIT I am in the same magazine as one of my heroes. I think this is the happiest day of my life. I just walked into my bedroom and fell on my bed in pure stupefication. I think I will go die now, since I'm already in literary heaven.


Currently Listening:
"Lonelily" - Damien Rice - Another favorite of his demos. It's a pretty sad song, but also glorious to sing along to at the top of lungs.