Poets & Writers

When I was nineteen or twenty I got serious about reading and writing and subscribed to Poets & Writers. At the time, it made perfect sense. In retrospect, however, I really had no business even looking at the pictures. Mostly, I thought that I wanted to be a writer, but I rarely spent any time in front of the computer, writing.

Once, though, I did send a short-short to Story Magazine’s contest, which I saw advertised in P&W. I thought I had a real shot at winning, and every day, I would race down to the mailbox, expecting to find the letter announcing that I had won, and the $1,000 check. Eventually, I got my little rejection slip. Minor heartbreak ensued. *

Almost ten years later, I’m subscribing to P&W again. And now, my name has officially appeared in its pages. You have to look pretty hard to find it, but trust me, it’s there.

*Three years later, the talented guy who won the contest, interviewed here, actually became my teacher. Brady, you really need to get a website going.