Glad I Didn't Give Up

The writing process, writing advice, and updates on your work in progress
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marilyn peake
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Glad I Didn't Give Up

Post by marilyn peake » March 16th, 2010, 3:29 pm

We’ve all been through it: wondering if we should quit writing. I’ve been through the many ups and downs of writing, despairing that things might never improve. Well, validation came my way today. An anthology in which I have a short story published placed as Finalist in the Anthologies category of the 2009 ForeWord Magazine Book of the Year Awards. This time, our book placed as Finalist in the same category as many big names in literature. Other Finalist anthologies include work by Stephen King, Joyce Carol Oates, Ray Bradbury, Junot Diaz, and classics by John Steinbeck, Mark Twain, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Edgar Allan Poe. Many other well-known authors are included in the other anthologies, plus one of the anthologies is edited by Peter Straub. I feel humbled and honored. And, strangely, this feels like a wake-up call for me. I need to buckle down and finish my novel. And I’ve been invited to write a short story for another anthology, which I hope to do. The writing life is hard. But sometimes a glimmer of light shines through the many dark hours in which we struggle to create.

Here are the Finalists, for anyone who’s interested:
http://www.bookoftheyearawards.com/fina ... nthologies

My short story, REPO GIRL AND THE FORTUNE FAERIE, is published in the anthology, TWISTED TAILS IV.
Last edited by marilyn peake on March 16th, 2010, 6:34 pm, edited 3 times in total.
Marilyn Peake

Novels: THE FISHERMAN’S SON TRILOGY and GODS IN THE MACHINE. Numerous short stories. Contributor to BOOK: THE SEQUEL. Editor of several additional books. Awards include Silver Award, 2007 ForeWord Magazine Book of the Year Awards.

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maybegenius
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Re: Glad I Didn't Give Up

Post by maybegenius » March 16th, 2010, 4:26 pm

Congratulations, that's amazing!
aka S.E. Sinkhorn, or Steph

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Crystal
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Re: Glad I Didn't Give Up

Post by Crystal » March 16th, 2010, 5:42 pm

Congrats!!! I am so happy for you. This is so encouraging to me as an infant writer.

I got a small bit of validation myself today and it really made me want to buckle down and keep working on my novel. Good luck on yours.
Working my very first attempt at a mystery novel. 1st draft

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Tycoon
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Re: Glad I Didn't Give Up

Post by Tycoon » March 16th, 2010, 7:06 pm

Awesome!!! Grats!

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Ryan
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Re: Glad I Didn't Give Up

Post by Ryan » March 16th, 2010, 7:11 pm

That's awesome. Will raise a glass for you this evening.
My love of fly fishing and surfing connects me to rivers and the ocean. Time with water reminds me to pursue those silly little streams of thought that run rampant in my head.
http://www.withoutrain.com/

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marilyn peake
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Re: Glad I Didn't Give Up

Post by marilyn peake » March 16th, 2010, 9:31 pm

Thanks so much, everyone!
Marilyn Peake

Novels: THE FISHERMAN’S SON TRILOGY and GODS IN THE MACHINE. Numerous short stories. Contributor to BOOK: THE SEQUEL. Editor of several additional books. Awards include Silver Award, 2007 ForeWord Magazine Book of the Year Awards.

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Holly
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Re: Glad I Didn't Give Up

Post by Holly » March 17th, 2010, 6:46 pm

Congratulations, Marilyn! You have such wonderful, positive writing, full of the magic of nature. I'm not surprised at this at all.

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marilyn peake
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Re: Glad I Didn't Give Up

Post by marilyn peake » March 18th, 2010, 4:44 am

Thank you so much, Holly, for your very kind words. I really appreciate it!
Marilyn Peake

Novels: THE FISHERMAN’S SON TRILOGY and GODS IN THE MACHINE. Numerous short stories. Contributor to BOOK: THE SEQUEL. Editor of several additional books. Awards include Silver Award, 2007 ForeWord Magazine Book of the Year Awards.

Bron
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Re: Glad I Didn't Give Up

Post by Bron » March 18th, 2010, 6:13 am

Thanks Marilyn, and congratulations! Your encouragement is exactly what we on this board need to hear - a reminder that not every author (in fact most) don't have an easy road to publication :-)

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Matthew MacNish
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Re: Glad I Didn't Give Up

Post by Matthew MacNish » March 18th, 2010, 11:49 am

Congratulations Marilyn!

The one way to make absolutely certain that you never get published is to give up on writing. Glad to hear that you didn't and it ended up working out for you.

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JaEvans
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Re: Glad I Didn't Give Up

Post by JaEvans » March 19th, 2010, 1:05 am

Congrats.
"Life is a tragedy for those who feel, a comedy for those who think" Horace Walpole

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Mira
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Re: Glad I Didn't Give Up

Post by Mira » March 19th, 2010, 4:51 pm

Right on, Marilyn! You go. Glad to hear about your success, and I'm glad you didn't give up either.

Great news - congrats!

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Ishta
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Re: Glad I Didn't Give Up

Post by Ishta » March 19th, 2010, 8:52 pm

Congratulations! That's quite an achievement. Kudos!

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marilyn peake
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Re: Glad I Didn't Give Up

Post by marilyn peake » March 23rd, 2010, 2:51 pm

Thanks so much, everyone!
Marilyn Peake

Novels: THE FISHERMAN’S SON TRILOGY and GODS IN THE MACHINE. Numerous short stories. Contributor to BOOK: THE SEQUEL. Editor of several additional books. Awards include Silver Award, 2007 ForeWord Magazine Book of the Year Awards.

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