Fame and Fortune | Cathy C. Hall Writes

Here’s a Tuesday double tooting! (Um, that didn’t sound very ladylike, did it? Let’s keep moving…)

I just received my children’s book Opinion from Elizabeth Guy over at Reading Writers. Remember that opinion I won way back when for writing that splendiferous sentence? (The Verb, the ezine affiliated with Reading Writers, sponsored a contest called The Sentence Soiree.)

So, first, I have to shout, “Whee! She liked it! She really, really liked it!” The parts that I thought were funny, she thought were funny, too! I love my main character; she loved that little guy, too! The story that I’ve labored over for months and months and months, she liked and enjoyed.

It wasn’t all a love fest, of course. There were aspects of the story that needed work. And Elizabeth gave some great suggestions. Bottom line, that was absolutely the best prize I’ve ever won. Yay for me!

And yay for Reading Writers! I’d never considered an editing service before, but I can definitely see the value therein. And if I ever finish my second story, I know just where I’ll send it for an opinion.

But for now, I need to work on my children’s book. And you need to check out Reading Writers. You can sign up for the newsletter and get The Verb ezine sent to your inbox, free. Oh, and check out the latest contest. You could be tooting, too. (Um, I really need to come up with something else for Tuesday).

Happy 2009!

Hang on a sec-who’s that smiling on the first Friday of the New Year?

Yep, that’s me! On the very FIRST page of the Bylines Calendar for Writers. When I opened this nifty desk calendar, I thumbed through the pages, starting at the back. Halfway through, I got this funny feeling in the pit of my stomach. And not funny ha-ha.

Did the editor forget me? I read the ENTIRE calendar. I was almost sick to my stomach before I turned that last page. (Oh, not because of the writing…the writers’ stories are swell! But I was a teensy-weensy bit worried that my writing story hadn’t made the book. Yes, I know, I had the complimentary copy and a nice letter, but I have this funny little gene that pops up every now and then. Also not a funny ha-ha gene. The gene that shouts, “Something’s gonna go terribly wrong here!)

But then, wheee! There I was on page 1! Okay, enough about me…I’ve already told you how wonderful the calendar is and it’s not too late to order. Check it out here, and check out the writer’s guidelines for 2010. Wouldn’t that be funny if you were on page 1 next New Year’s? (And this time, I mean funny ha-ha. I’m smiling now thinking of your funny face. Guess which funny I mean now?)