Wednesday, December 1, 2010

I Won! I Won!

What do Richard Simmons and I have in common? He and I both have a personal essay in the newest Chicken Soup for the Soul book. He also wrote the foreword for,
Shaping the New You. His story is on page 1 and my story, The Cookie Chronicles is on page 79. I received my box of books yesterday. My story is humorous about hiding a stash of Christmas cookies.

Then I looked at the stack of mail and spied my SASE from Lucidity Poetry Journal. I hate to see an envelope addressed to me in my own handwriting. I opened it, saw the folded small yellow rejection slip, or so I thought. It was a list of winners. My name is on the Honorable Mention list. Woo Hoo! There were 236 entries from across the USA and four foreign countries: Ireland (home of the O'Connells), Canada, South Africa and the Netherlands. First, second, third place winners took a nice monetary prize. There were also twenty Honorable Mentions (a small stipend, copy of the book and certificate). I am ecstatic and so inspired that I checked out Hope Clark's post (on the right side of my blog) and discovered a limmerick contest for The Saturday Evening Post. I penned three limmericks pertaining to the photo of a child clinging to her mother on what appears to be the first day of kindergarten. Having taught for over three decades, I wrote from all three perspectives, the teacher's, mother's, child's. This is a no fee contest, and wouldn't you like to say that you have been published in The Saturday Evening Post? Why don't YOU write a limmerick too, but nothing naughty.

My odds are getting better. Out of thousands of Chicken Soup submissions, mine was one of the 101 stories chosen, and my poem was one of the twenty-three chosen out of 236 entries in Lucidity. Oh yeah! I'm happy dancing.

15 comments:

Julia Gordon-Bramer said...

You go, girl! That's awesome. Congratulations. I honestly do not think I know of anyone more frequently published and winning awards.

Celebratory hugs!

Julia

Linda O'Connell said...

You are the BEST!

Bookie said...

You are on a roll! Maybe this is just your warm up for 2011. Now if those Patchwork books would just arrive too!

Cathy C. Hall said...

Yay, you! Two-fers are the best! And thanks for that Saturday Evening Post tip. But no naughty? I'm not sure I can do that...;-)

Susan said...

Congratulations, Linda. That was WONDERFUL news! Sooo happy for you. Susan

Sioux Roslawski said...

What fantastic news! You should be so proud of your work.

Lynn said...

You're definitely the Publishing Queen. Yeah for you! Congrats!

Lisa Ricard Claro said...

Congratulations! What a great way to start out the month of December!

Tammy said...

Congratulations again. You are inspiring!

Chatty Crone said...

Congratulations - that was so great! I know somebody rich and famous now!

Sandie

BECKY said...

Congrats, Linda! You're on a roll!

Linda O'Connell said...

Thank you one and all for leaving a comment. You all mean a lot to me.

Pat Wahler said...

Congratulations, Linda! You are an inspiration!

Pat
www.critteralley.blogspot.com

Clella said...

And well you should e laughing. Congratulations!

Linda O'Connell said...

Hi Clella,
Welcome and thank you for dropping by. Send me your blog address and I will sign on.