Actually, the title of this blog is wrong. This is about the first time I won a writing award that wasn’t for newspapers.
I won a lot of awards for newspapers.
This award was the Maine Literary Award for creative nonfiction and it was a big enough deal that I had to think about what to wear.
Here’s my excerpt about it. I wasn’t – cough – terribly mature so not much has changed.
I won an award!
Let me first say, that I am stunned by the inability of Maine writers to guzzle down free booze. There was all this wine at the award banquet and NOBODY drank it. Everyone kept sipping Poland Spring water, which is nice because it’s all healthy and everything, but really….
I am not much of a boozer or a winer but I did have a glass. A lady checked it off on a piece of paper. She was keeping a tally. I felt naughty.
The award ceremony for the Maine Literary Awards was nice and I stressed about what to wear for absolutely no reason. There were a few LET US WEAR ALL BLACK AND BE ARTY people there. There were a few LET US WEAR CONTRASTING PRIMARY COLORS AND BE ARTY people there. There were no ball gowns nor nudists nor pinstriped suits, so we Maine writers seemed to lack any real eccentric dressers or at least we did at this awards ceremony.
As an aside, all those grown-up writers are not so good at hiding the whole jealousy bit, and they don’t hug (or obviously openly drink) as much as children’s writers, which is just a darn shame.
Are children’s writers lushes? Possibly.
Are they fantastic huggers? Most definitely.
I wore a long skirt that wasn’t too flowy or too librarian looking. No offense to librarians. And a black lacy top. I would’ve liked to have down the leather pants thing, but I don’t own any. I would have liked to dress like Ed Briant because he is the ultimate cool boy, but I’m an uncool girl and I had no extra-wide brown and orange striped tie.
There was no pantyhose on my legs either. I just couldn’t do it. Blech. I would have felt like my mother.
They read excerpts from the pieces, which was embarrassing, but overall it was pretty good. I guess I have to process it a little more.
And it turns out lots of people entered my category (nonfiction), which was a huge surprise but cool. I met the judge who was incredibly nice and upset that I’m not a big nonfiction person, which was also a huge surprise but cool.
I had to tell him I wrote children’s fiction. I think he wanted to take the award away but I clutched it my lacy top and hissed, “Mine. My precious. Mine.”
THE NEXT DAY
And this is what happened the day after that award. . . .
Something funky is going on. That’s for sure. Why? Because I just won a fellowship that goes to “promising Maine writers.”
What am I promising? I don’t know. I promise that my promise is not naughty, is not reality-show worthy, nor Congressionally scandalous in nature.
But this fellowship is cool, because I get $700.
My income is slowly inching up to poverty level from its abysmal low of nothing. Yee-hawwww.
The dog and I are very excited and have danced around the kitchen, much to the displeasure of the cat.
How About You?
Do you remember the first time an outside source gave you kudos for your work? Did it feel good? Did you feel validated? Stunned? Were you like, “Um. Duh. I am awesome?”
I hope you win all the awards and randomly get $700. I am rooting for you.
My Book Is Out
You can order it here. (ebook or paperback)
And if you click through to this link, you can read the first chapter!
And click here to learn about the book’s inspiration and what I learned about myself when I was writing it.
RECENT EPISODES OF OUR AWESOME DOGS ARE SMARTER THAN PEOPLE AND BONUS INTERVIEWS
A bonus interview with Dr. J.L. Delozier, Pennsylvania doctor and writer.
A bonus interview with poet and coach Fiona Mackintosh Cameron.
Link to Sam’s interview. Sam is my friend and is awesome.
That’s right! Carrie’s (me) doing bonus interviews every Thursday. And they are so much fun.
THE WRITING COURSE OF AWESOME
It’s our very own writing course!
Basically, it’s set up a bit like a distance MFA program, only it costs a lot less and also has a big element of writer support built in and personalized feedback from me! This program costs $125 a month and runs for four-month sessions!
To find out more, check out this link. It’s only $125 a month, so it’s a super good deal. Come write with us!
