So I got a phone call a couple weeks ago from the publisher of BBI Media letting me know that my story, “A Nose for Magic,” is a finalist in the Pagan Fiction Award contest and is slated for publication in their anthology. Unfortunately, I missed the call and it went to my voice mail, but she left a return number. So the next day, I called back . . . and got her voice mail. In addition to leaving a message, I sent her an email.
Several days passed as I gnawed my fingertips (as my nails have, long, long ago, been worn to nubbins). Realizing I needed my fingertips to type with, I emailed the editor.
Crickets chirping.
Agh! Had I been smited by the gods of communication? Had it been a mistake? Did my story actually suck, and they dialed my number in error? Aghhh! *twitch*
But then last night, I got the official press release:
PanGaia Magazine and Llewellyn Publications are pleased to announce the finalists from the Pagan Fiction Award contest. These thirteen stories, listed alphabetically by title, earned the top scores:
• “The Bitter Herbs of Camelot” by A.C. Fisher Aldag
• “Black Doe” by Vylar Kaftan (Yay! Another score for fellow Launchpadee and all around rawking grrl, Vy!)
• “Dead and (Mostly) Gone” by Deborah Blake
• “Draw Down” by Alex Bledsoe
• “From Our Minds to Yours” by C.S. MacCath
• “A Nose for Magic” by Eugie Foster
• “The Rune Hag’s Daughter” by Linda Steele (endelarin)
• “Seabird” by Paula R. Stiles
• “Selk River” by Melodie Bolt
• “Silkie’s Diary” by A.C. Fisher Aldag
• “Under a Double Rainbow” by Sophie Mouette (safirasilv‘s alter ego)
• “A Valkyrie Among Jews” by April
• “We Have Come Home” by A.L. WaldronFirst, second, and third prize winners chosen from this list of finalists will be announced at Pantheacon, taking place in San Jose, California February 15-18, 2008.
The stories will appear in a book titled Pagan Fiction Anthology: 13 Best New Pagan Voices to be published by Llewellyn in October 2008.
I’m verily pleased that this story found a good home. It was inspired by and features Hobkin. So, herein, a couple pictures of my non-crack-whore, fuzzy muse:
A close-up of Hobkin’s inspirational nose.
(More) Writing Stuff
Received:
• Note from the Cricket folks letting me know that my story, “When Shakko Did Not Lie,” is slated for publication in their January 2008 issue. Woot!
New Words/Editing:
• An editing pass to get my focus back and 250 words on “White Rabbit” (4750/5500). Although the word count was pretty unimpressive, I made good headway on the story progression. I guess I should listen to my crack-whore muse when she drags her feet. I needed a scene in there to establish foreshadowing, and I didn’t realize it. Now that it’s there, I think the rest will progress at a good clip. I hope. I’d really like to get this baby to zero draft by week’s end.
Congrats!
This is our first shared ToC, I think (I’m half of Sophie Mouette.)
Hmmm, I don’t think WE got the official press release, though.
Congrats, indeed! Yay for us! And yay for getting to share a ToC!
“Hmmm, I don’t think WE got the official press release, though.“
Really? Um, I don’t seem to have your email address on hand, but if you drop me a note (to eugie[at]eugiefoster[dot]com), I’ll forward the complete press release to you.
Congrats, indeed! Yay for us! And yay for getting to share a ToC!
“Hmmm, I don’t think WE got the official press release, though.“
Really? Um, I don’t seem to have your email address on hand, but if you drop me a note (to eugie[at]eugiefoster[dot]com), I’ll forward the complete press release to you.
Congrats!
This is our first shared ToC, I think (I’m half of Sophie Mouette.)
Hmmm, I don’t think WE got the official press release, though.
I got an e-mail and I called her. Anne was great and told me they’d received hundreds of excellent stories, which made it hard to choose. Of course the news made my week. I look forward to reading your story, especially so as it’s inspired by Hobkin!
I typically prefer email communication, but that phone tag back-and-forth had me flustered and anxious. I was so relieved when I finally got that email. Hurray for us!
I typically prefer email communication, but that phone tag back-and-forth had me flustered and anxious. I was so relieved when I finally got that email. Hurray for us!
I got an e-mail and I called her. Anne was great and told me they’d received hundreds of excellent stories, which made it hard to choose. Of course the news made my week. I look forward to reading your story, especially so as it’s inspired by Hobkin!
congrats! and thanks for the cutie picts~
Thanks, sweetie!
Thanks, sweetie!
congrats! and thanks for the cutie picts~
What is Hobkin? I love him! What is he?!
(Hello. You don’t know me. Sorry.)
What is Hobkin???!!!
Hee! Hobkin’s my pet domesticated skunk. He’s a chocolate chip, not a black and white, as black and white skunks are illegal to own as pets in my state. If you’d like to see more pictures of him, the “hobkin pix” tagged posts will take you to them on my LJ. You can also read up about him and how we happened to get him at his website, Musta-lay-day Grove (which has a FAQ on pet skunks, too), as well as my “skunk tales” tagged posts.
He’s utterly gorgeous. Please tell him I love him kthx
He’s utterly gorgeous. Please tell him I love him kthx
Hee! Hobkin’s my pet domesticated skunk. He’s a chocolate chip, not a black and white, as black and white skunks are illegal to own as pets in my state. If you’d like to see more pictures of him, the “hobkin pix” tagged posts will take you to them on my LJ. You can also read up about him and how we happened to get him at his website, Musta-lay-day Grove (which has a FAQ on pet skunks, too), as well as my “skunk tales” tagged posts.
What is Hobkin? I love him! What is he?!
(Hello. You don’t know me. Sorry.)
What is Hobkin???!!!
Now this is a must read! Beautiful Hobkin… skunkie goodness!
Hee! Hobkin thanks you. Well, he probably doesn’t; he’s an ungracious lil stinker. But I thank you on his behalf.
Hee! Hobkin thanks you. Well, he probably doesn’t; he’s an ungracious lil stinker. But I thank you on his behalf.
Now this is a must read! Beautiful Hobkin… skunkie goodness!
Wow, congratulations! I hope you win, of course. 🙂 How exciting.
And I’ll have to show the pictures of your skunk to my boyfriend, as he’s always talked about wanting one.
Thank you!
Your boyfriend’s always wanted a pet skunk? How very discerning of him! Seriously, skunks are great pets–affectionate and intelligent–but also high maintenance; they can be demanding and quite mischievous. Hobkin’s my baby and I love him to bits, but he’s also a brat who shamelessly manipulates us by the overwhelming power of his cuteness.
Thank you!
Your boyfriend’s always wanted a pet skunk? How very discerning of him! Seriously, skunks are great pets–affectionate and intelligent–but also high maintenance; they can be demanding and quite mischievous. Hobkin’s my baby and I love him to bits, but he’s also a brat who shamelessly manipulates us by the overwhelming power of his cuteness.
Wow, congratulations! I hope you win, of course. 🙂 How exciting.
And I’ll have to show the pictures of your skunk to my boyfriend, as he’s always talked about wanting one.
Personally, I’m waiting for the Pagan Fiction Awards calendar. And I think we all know who should be Ms. Gamelion.
Aww, the Month of Marriage, you sweet talker, you. Except I don’t have a Greek goddess costume . . . *pout*
Aww, the Month of Marriage, you sweet talker, you. Except I don’t have a Greek goddess costume . . . *pout*
Personally, I’m waiting for the Pagan Fiction Awards calendar. And I think we all know who should be Ms. Gamelion.
Our skunks mostly inspired us with insomnia. 😉
Also: Congratulations!
I was reading the Musta-lay-day grove link, does Hobkin get to eat bugs? We used to catch bugs and feed them to ours, they really seemed to enjoy it.
Yah, Hobkin’s done his share of waking me up during the wee hours (and thanks for the congrats!). I figure stoking the ole muse is the least he can do to make up for it.
“does Hobkin get to eat bugs? We used to catch bugs and feed them to ours, they really seemed to enjoy it.“
He does, although pretty much only the ones he catches in the house. We don’t buy feeder crickets/mealworms for him or anything. Also, when we board him at his godmother’s (when we go out of town), I know she treats him to various buggy tidbits.
Actually, we used to have a truce in the house with the spider people. They lived peacefully with us and took out the leggy worms that freak me out, and we let them and their webs alone. But then came Hobkin, and he immediately violated the truce and ate all the spider people at ground level. To retaliate, they bit me a bunch of times over the course of several nights until I smushed the enemy combatant (I didn’t mean to; I was half asleep. Normally, I take them outside as I don’t like killing anything). The front has been fairly quiet since, but I expect hostilities to break out again before too long. Sigh.
Arachnae’s brood and I have an understanding: stay out of my bed and no building “If we can catch him, we’ll like KINGS!” webs across the front walk and I don’t retaliate.
Usually I take them outside too, but if they insist on hostilities, as someone who outmasses them a few thousand times, I use it to my advantage.
Arachnae’s brood and I have an understanding: stay out of my bed and no building “If we can catch him, we’ll like KINGS!” webs across the front walk and I don’t retaliate.
Usually I take them outside too, but if they insist on hostilities, as someone who outmasses them a few thousand times, I use it to my advantage.
Yah, Hobkin’s done his share of waking me up during the wee hours (and thanks for the congrats!). I figure stoking the ole muse is the least he can do to make up for it.
“does Hobkin get to eat bugs? We used to catch bugs and feed them to ours, they really seemed to enjoy it.“
He does, although pretty much only the ones he catches in the house. We don’t buy feeder crickets/mealworms for him or anything. Also, when we board him at his godmother’s (when we go out of town), I know she treats him to various buggy tidbits.
Actually, we used to have a truce in the house with the spider people. They lived peacefully with us and took out the leggy worms that freak me out, and we let them and their webs alone. But then came Hobkin, and he immediately violated the truce and ate all the spider people at ground level. To retaliate, they bit me a bunch of times over the course of several nights until I smushed the enemy combatant (I didn’t mean to; I was half asleep. Normally, I take them outside as I don’t like killing anything). The front has been fairly quiet since, but I expect hostilities to break out again before too long. Sigh.
Our skunks mostly inspired us with insomnia. 😉
Also: Congratulations!
I was reading the Musta-lay-day grove link, does Hobkin get to eat bugs? We used to catch bugs and feed them to ours, they really seemed to enjoy it.
That’s excellent, Eugie!!! 😀
Thanks, Maggie!
Thanks, Maggie!
That’s excellent, Eugie!!! 😀
So, I heard through the Internet grapevine that you’d received your press release and thought I’d pop by and say hello, grab the release and cheer a fellow finalist. So, cheers!
Haven’t gotten mine yet, but I imagine it’s otw. Are you going to Pantheacon then?
All the best,
Ceallaigh (C.S. MacCath)
http://www.csmaccath.com
Cheers and congrats all around!
“Haven’t gotten mine yet, but I imagine it’s otw.“
The info in my post is a slightly edited version of the full press release. If you haven’t gotten it yet and would like me to forward along the whole thing, drop me a note (to: eugie[at]eugiefoster[dot]com), and I’ll be more than happy to email it to you.
Thank you, dear! I’ll be sending that e-mail along shortly; I posted an edited version of your edited version on my blog, but I’d love the original so I can edit it myself. *grin* This is going to be a great anthology. I can’t wait to read all of the stories in it, and it’s especially cool to see some cross-over between Pagan and speculative fiction and its writers.
Have a great day!
Ceallaigh
http://www.csmaccath.com
Thank you, dear! I’ll be sending that e-mail along shortly; I posted an edited version of your edited version on my blog, but I’d love the original so I can edit it myself. *grin* This is going to be a great anthology. I can’t wait to read all of the stories in it, and it’s especially cool to see some cross-over between Pagan and speculative fiction and its writers.
Have a great day!
Ceallaigh
http://www.csmaccath.com
Cheers and congrats all around!
“Haven’t gotten mine yet, but I imagine it’s otw.“
The info in my post is a slightly edited version of the full press release. If you haven’t gotten it yet and would like me to forward along the whole thing, drop me a note (to: eugie[at]eugiefoster[dot]com), and I’ll be more than happy to email it to you.
So, I heard through the Internet grapevine that you’d received your press release and thought I’d pop by and say hello, grab the release and cheer a fellow finalist. So, cheers!
Haven’t gotten mine yet, but I imagine it’s otw. Are you going to Pantheacon then?
All the best,
Ceallaigh (C.S. MacCath)
http://www.csmaccath.com
That’s awesome, congratulations! And, Hobkin has a ridiculously cute nose 😛
Thank you! And yes, the cuteness of Hobkin’s nose has saved him from being turned into a stole on multiple occasions
.
Thank you! And yes, the cuteness of Hobkin’s nose has saved him from being turned into a stole on multiple occasions
.
That’s awesome, congratulations! And, Hobkin has a ridiculously cute nose 😛
Congratulations on A Nose for Magic but at the same time, BAH! I had just reserved it in the slushpool for an upcoming issue of ASIM (I don’t think Robbie’s done the emails yet though). Will you submit me something else wonderful soon? 🙂
“BAH! I had just reserved it in the slushpool for an upcoming issue of ASIM “
Seriously?? ‘Cause I actually got no fewer than two “going to have to very reluctantly let this one go” rejections from y’all for “Nose.” The first one was months and months ago, and the second one was a few weeks ago. I figured the second was a glitch in the system and didn’t give it another thought (although ASIM really, really not wanting it was also an option). But it sounds like it was still floating around in the slush collective? Uh?
Ah, really? 🙁 Bummer. We’ve had a few problems with the slush-o-matic lately. I actually tried to talk my co-editor for issue 36 into this story some months ago when it first appeared, but she thought we had too much fantasy chosen already (she was right). Then I decided to take on another issue and this was first on my list (since it was still in the slush). I’m really pleased it’s done so well (see, I was right about it!) but I’m sad for me.
If I ask real nice, will you submit me something else? 🙂
Well, fooie on gremlins in the slush-o-matic. Even though (obviously) “Nose” isn’t available anymore, I’m tickled that I almost had a sale with y’all.
“If I ask real nice, will you submit me something else?“
How can I possibly refuse such an editorial request? Um, okay. New submission launched and on its way down under
.
Well, fooie on gremlins in the slush-o-matic. Even though (obviously) “Nose” isn’t available anymore, I’m tickled that I almost had a sale with y’all.
“If I ask real nice, will you submit me something else?“
How can I possibly refuse such an editorial request? Um, okay. New submission launched and on its way down under
.
Ah, really? 🙁 Bummer. We’ve had a few problems with the slush-o-matic lately. I actually tried to talk my co-editor for issue 36 into this story some months ago when it first appeared, but she thought we had too much fantasy chosen already (she was right). Then I decided to take on another issue and this was first on my list (since it was still in the slush). I’m really pleased it’s done so well (see, I was right about it!) but I’m sad for me.
If I ask real nice, will you submit me something else? 🙂
“BAH! I had just reserved it in the slushpool for an upcoming issue of ASIM “
Seriously?? ‘Cause I actually got no fewer than two “going to have to very reluctantly let this one go” rejections from y’all for “Nose.” The first one was months and months ago, and the second one was a few weeks ago. I figured the second was a glitch in the system and didn’t give it another thought (although ASIM really, really not wanting it was also an option). But it sounds like it was still floating around in the slush collective? Uh?
Congratulations on A Nose for Magic but at the same time, BAH! I had just reserved it in the slushpool for an upcoming issue of ASIM (I don’t think Robbie’s done the emails yet though). Will you submit me something else wonderful soon? 🙂
A double-whammy! Big congrats, GF, may there be many, many more . . .
A double-whammy! Big congrats, GF, may there be many, many more . . .