It's been a great July so far. I've been to my favorite community pool two times for lap and family swim (best of both worlds), have gone U-pick strawberrying with my daughter, and I finally figured out how to stopper the blow-up Orca whale kiddy pool. It makes for a great cooling off spot in the heat of the day, icy lemonade in hand.
I am trying not to think about the fact that my manuscript is a finalist in two national contests. Both are a 1 out of 10 deal, a 10% chance.
Answer me this: if you had a 10% chance of dying, would you bungee jump? Or climb Mount Rainier? If someone said you were in 90% great shape, wouldn't you take that as a huge compliment?
In other words, these aren't very heartening odds, and I do not expect to win.
What I hate is that being a finalist, if you don't win, ends up meaning "you weren't chosen because clearly you were not the best." There is no way around this; it just IS.
Okay, I contain multitudes. Actually, it could mean "the judge did not groove on your aesthetic" or "the judge hates kids" or "the judge doesn't give a wit about the universe or babies" or "the judge votes no on refrain and music."
Hmmmm.
I will be hearing any day now from contest #1, and within a month from contest #2. In other words, my next post will either be good news or bad news.
Meantime, I am, like i said, not going to spend more than 30 seconds a day thinking about it.
TIME'S UP!
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8 comments:
Wishing you well, and sending really good vibes. I saw the documentary BABIES tonight, and it will make you laugh with joy!
Good luck on the contests! And here's another way to think about it--at least you're a finalist. While not winning feels like you're not the best, probably hundreds of other folks are thinking, "I'm not even good enough to be a finalist."
Thanks, ladies. I will try to focus on the honor of being a finalist x 2.
Crossing fingers and toes for you Martha!
Even when you lose, you win. Good luck, M, I'm pulling for you. Sorry about the cliche, yet I mean it.
tpeterson
Thanks for your crossed digits and upbeat posts, Sandy and Todd. The waiting is the hardest part, to quote Tom Petty!
I have each one of my digits crossed for you!
" if you don't win, ends up meaning "you weren't chosen because clearly you were not the best." There is no way around this; it just IS."
I disagree with the above. I'd say instead that if your mss made it that far it's a winner and will find a home sooner or later, hopefully sooner.
Thanks, Diane. It gets so discouraging after a while, but I will try to think more like it's only a matter of time.
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