Milestones

My Jovian Award: A Nifty Tilting Planet

Kary English

Jovian AwardI live in one of those places where the mail doesn’t come to the house. We all have PO boxes, so getting the mail requires a trip to the local post office. And that’s what I was doing a few days before Christmas when an unexpected package arrived. Believe me, no child on Christmas morning could have been more delighted than I was when I saw what was inside.

Yes, Virgina, it was my Jovian Award, and it’s breathtakingly beautiful. The photo doesn’t do it justice. The swirls are a deep, rich purple, and those sparkles near the bottom are coppery. The award is weighty, and it arrived in a velvet-lined presentation box.

The award came with a certificate that praised both the story and the way I conducted myself throughout Hugo season.

I’ll be frank, here – after everything that went on, this brought tears to my eyes. So thank you, Jovians, whoever you are.

Jovian Certificate

Rockets in my pocket

Kary English

Goodness gracious! Has it really been that long since I’ve posted? Apparently it has, so onward and upward.

DuckieRocket

Sasquan was my first WorldCon, but it won’t be my last. It was a great convention with a few not-so-great moments (such as food poisoning, followed by a raging case of bronchitis thanks to the smoke).

I met so many wonderful people at Sasquan that there’s no way I’ll be able to name and thank them all. I’d like to call out two in particular, though.

One is Shahid Mahmud, my wonderful publisher at Galaxy’s Edge, who made sure I didn’t go home rocketless no matter what happened at the awards ceremony. The lovely red rocket he gave me now has a place of honor on my brag shelf. 🙂

 

CrashLander The second is my fellow nominee, Ken Burnside, who graciously sent out 3D-printed Crashlander Awards. THREE-DEE PRINTED! How cool is that? It, too, has a place of honor on my brag shelf.

I offer my heartfelt thanks to both of them for their kindness and generosity.

Winning Writers of the Future – It’s kind of head asplodey

Winning Writers of the Future – It’s kind of head asplodey

Kary English

Sometime back in July, I got a phone call from Joni Labaqui letting me know that not only had I won Writers of the Future, I’d won first place for Q2 of V31. Yes, winning WOTF is a major squeegasm, but it’s more complicated than that, too. In addition to doing the Tom Cruise sock dance in the middle of my kitchen, I also got hit with a healthy dose of impostor anxiety, survivor guilt and a weird, disoriented “Well now what do I do?” feeling.

See, I sent in my first WOTF entry as a dreamy-eyed teen back when Reagan was president and the Berlin Wall was still standing. At that time, my twin goals as an aspiring writer were to A) win WOTF, and B) join SFWA.

In March of 2014, I joined SFWA as an Active Member, and by then I’d accepted the idea that I’d probably pro out of WOTF before I won. I guess I should have heard the Universe laughing. Then July rolled around and boom-boom, major life goal accomplished – now what? I felt a little lost. I guess I’m a person who needs goals.

Then someone said I’d make a great Dread Pirate Roberts. Er, no wait, someone showed me Christie Yant’s awesome, customizable career bingo sheet, and ZOMG!  I WILL DO ALL THE THINGS!!

Anyhow, so while I was rolling around with my head all asploded, I neglected to post that I’d won. Then it was time for the Q3 finalists / winners to be announced, and I didn’t want to steal their fire. Ditto for Q4, and now here I am, feeling like a goofball and finally blogging about it almost seven months after the fact.

So, um, hey – I won Writers of the Future!!!11!1!

Writers of the Future: Oops, I did it again!

Writers of the Future: Oops, I did it again!

Kary English

If you know me from any of my online hangouts, what I’m about to tell you is old news. I’m a Writers of the Future finalist for the second quarter (Q2) of Volume 31. Yayyy, me!

 

I’m excited, but it’s my third time riding this bus, so I’m well aware that it usually lets me off at right back at the same stop where I got on.  Something is different this time, though. As the news started to trickle out, I realized I wasn’t alone. My friend and editor Josh Essoe also got a finalist nod, so then there were two of us.

Party of two? No way!  My friend and fellow former finalist Holly Heisey also got a call. So did forum friend and fellow Codexian Samantha Murray, and my friend and workshop buddy Scott Parkin, who shared the finalist hot seat with me in Q4 of Volume 29.  Yeah, out of eight possible spots, five us know each other. Now that’s a party!

 

To be fair, there are three more finalists who I’ve yet to meet. Only three of us can win, but with so many friends on the list, I’ll be delighted no matter what happens.

What a difference a year makes

Kary English

It’s been quite the year. Since my last post about writing, I have:

  • been a finalist twice in Writers of the Future
  • made my first SFWA-qualifying sale
  • signed a multi-volume novel contract
  • completed the first book in the above
  • become a full-time writer who makes a living writing

It’s all been such a whirlwind that I’ve let my blogging slip. Here’s to more regular posts in the immediate future.

And speaking of Writers of the Future, my WOTF bestie Tina Gower won first place in her quarter, followed by the prestigious and envy-inducing Gold Award. Check out her story “Twelve Seconds” in Volume 29.