I was published in Reader's Digest! Well, it was a response to a social media request to share about a favorite story while growing up, but there it was in the July 2014 issue - 2 sentences about being born during an Iowa farm blizzard and my byline! I'd forgotten about it until a colleague at work asked if I was a published author indicating she'd read it. I was ecstatic! Not only was I published, I had a fan! I was on cloud 9 for at least the next 24 hours, and when my mom called after seeing it in her subscribed copy.
Then, I ran across a local poetry contest and decided to give it a go. I labored on creating a just right poem, and then went to the website to submit and found the guidelines. Of course the contest closed at midnight and it was an hour away. Like Cinderella at the ball, I jammed out a revised much condensed version meeting the character limitations, pressed submit, and went back to life cleaning up messes. (Did I mention I have children?) As seems to be the norm, life went on and I forgot about it. Then low and behold an email arrives letting me know I got third place! Yippee!
The Cathedral District Sidewalk Poetry Contest (first annual) was a fun endeavor. There was a presentation about how the contest came to be, where the top 3 winners read their poems, and where the attendees walked to the sidewalks to view the imprinted poems. What a change of pace to the norm of my life. It was a lovely time and I was thankful to have my family with me to enjoy the day.
Hopscotch Delight
(The Sidewalk Version)
Beneath the trees - you and
me,
Chalk on hands and dirt on
knees.
Light breeze cools hot sticky
sun,
Toss a stone, it lands on
number 1.
Take a big leap, laugh with
glee!
Hopscotch fun,
Skipping happily.
I ended the year making my residence official by joining the Society for Children's Book Writers and Illustrators. Soaring on to 2015 to grow more writing adventure!
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