Sherri Cornelius

I have so much energy right now it’s hard to make myself sit still. But what am I going to do with this new energy, vacuum? I think not! Instead, I post.

Over the weekend I attended a banquet at the OWFI writer’s conference. The Saturday night banquet ends the conference, and that is also the night they announce the winners in the annual contest. The last time I won anything was 1st Honorable Mention for a confession story, of all things, in 2000, and I wasn’t even there to receive my certificate. I don’t enter every year—I’d say I’ve entered maybe three times since. No winners.

The good thing about entering the contest is getting feedback from the professionals who volunteer to judge. I’d forgotten to put postage on the return envelopes, so that meant I’d have to pick up my entries in person. Which meant I might as well lay down $40 for the banquet.

Well, I’m glad I went, because I actually won something. My first novel, Ea’s Gift—the one that landed my former agent—took 3rd place in the fantasy novel category!

I’d entered it five years ago, before it was completely finished (they only need the synopsis and 1st 30 pages) and the judge slammed it, but apparently he slammed all of them, because on his blog he lamented the terribleness of the entries. Yes. Publicly. He’s a fairly well-known writer now, of novels and screenplays, though he wasn’t big then.

So anyway, a finished, polished Ea’s Gift got much more helpful comments. I think it helps when the judge enjoys your sub-genre, too, since Fantasy is such a large umbrella with too many different styles under it. Go visit Ty Drago. He’s got taste. Also, he’s a Quaker. I like Quakers.

I got good comments on Black Veil Angel as well, but the judge felt it shouldn’t have been entered in the YA category. That hurt the score. You know what’s funny? I had just put this judge at the top of my new agent query list for BVA, but I didn’t realize she was the judge for my category. I guess I don’t need to bother now.

My short story, Mon Petit Ami, didn’t get any comments but the score was in the 80-89 range, out of a hundred. She had a huge number of entries, so I don’t hold it against her.

I feel validated, which I really needed, but I still don’t know what to do with these stories. I’ve been looking at small presses and at self e-publishing and at agents. I’m feeling pretty creative, so maybe I’ll just write for a while.

There's some cool stuff going on in Sherri's world today. Thought I'd give a little linky love today so you can join in.

• Writtenwyrdd is having a contest on her blog to celebrate three years and a thousand posts. A thousand! Wha? You heard me. Here's her description of the prize: "I've got a bunch of hand-screened cards (black on cream) that I made years ago as part of my arts and crafts phase. The winner will get a couple dozen, each individually wrapped (a $50 value).  They can be framed as well.  I carved the originals in lino blocks and turned the prints into card designs.  Various Celtic designs, fantasy designs and pagan designs." She's taking entries through next Friday, so go leave a comment to enter.


• Ian coined a term to describe when, as a writer, you get in your own way: Eating your earlobes. You'll have to go to his blog to get the whole story.


• A friend of mine had a great job interview today. I'm not naming names because we're being cautiously optimistic, but I wanted him to know I'm behind him!


• The thing I'm most excited about is coming from my buddy Marta. For as long as I've known her I've loved her art and wished I could afford to commission some to hang on every wall of my house. Now I'm going to have a little piece I can hold in my hands. A little while ago she had a contest on her blog, and I won an original copy of one of her books, bound by Marta herself, with original art included! She let me choose the book and everything, and now she's posted pictures of the art-making process here. It's fascinating and beautiful and exciting. Won't you go on over and see my prize and be jealous? She's really giving me a gift, and I'm not just talking about the prize. It's been a pleasure to know her.

Have a great weekend, y'all! I plan to.