Woot!

Some time ago, I wrote this blog post about a new short story I wrote based on the open submission call from this anthology.

Even before the story's first draft had been fully written I was mapping out a submission path for it once Apex rejected it. Just dripping with confidence, wasn't I? The first draft finally came together at 3662 words. This was January.

I sent it off to my guru, Pharo, who suggested it needed the ending rewritten. I cut off the last third and tried again.

This post about writing it made me giggle. Over dramatic - much?

The new ending was finally finished in March so I sent it out to beta readers - again.

A couple more rounds of revisions and I sent it off to Apex (March 31st) and forgot about it.

April 1st, it was long listed. May 3rd is was short listed!

For the last 7 or 8 days I've been working fairly heavily with Gill Ainsworth who is editing the anthology. I've also since found out that most of Apex's anthologies are by invitation only and Gill was responsible for Gratia Placenti, one of the best anthologies I ever read. Dreaming is now a smidgeon under 6000 words.

Today I received confirmation my story is definitely going to be included!

I am over the moon, tickled pink, and totally chuffed.

Thank you to everyone who helped this one come together. It was like pulling teeth for much of it's creation, but the planets have aligned and it's turned out pretty good - well, actually it's turned out bloody brilliant but I'll let you all be the judge of that when the anthology comes out.

Now I can't wait till the ToC are announced.

Time for the Snoopy Dance!