My story in Descant? Oh YES!

Come and pinch me! (Descant)

If the acceptance came on April 1st, I would've thought somebody pranked me. But it came on March 30 (Yes, it took me 5 days to start believing that it finally happened), and who would know I submitted there anyway? After all, even I almost forgot about it--they seriously can't expect a mom of three to remember something that happened 18 months ago (I'm estimating here, but I know I was still in Iqaluit then.)

My submission tracking system is obviously lousy, and every time I think I will start being organised and write everything on a little piece of paper, I lose that piece of paper. I have lots of information on my old laptop, but I can't access any of it. I need a fresh start, but I have a feeling many of my stories are still pending in my favourite Canadian lit mags.

Stern self-talk:

1. Hey, you! Get serious about your submissions tracking system! Or use duotrope, like everybody else. Starting NOW!

2. Try to reconstruct, from memory and saved cover letters, your submissions from the last 18 months! (Hey, who are you kidding? That's impossible.)

3. Start thinking of yourself as a real writer, starting NOW! (Really? Am I allowed? Okay.)

4. Tell someone who has no idea about short story writing and submissions about it, so that you can hear them say, oh, so you get ONLY $100? (Oh, I already did this, cross this out.)