So after three or four weeks, after seeing others get responses from WOTF for the first quarter, I decided to inquire about my entry. You see, I thought it was long enough, me dreaming of the phone call to tell me I was a winner. Two years ago or so all of us here waited in anticipation for Eric Witchey--he hadn't received his rejection with everyone else and it was almost a month's wait before he got the phone call.

I was hush-hush about my entry. I didn't want to jinx it. And I knew when I sent that e-mail to the contest, the dream could be over once a response arrived. Or it could be a dream come true.

Alas, they responded with my entry was not received for the quarter, so I better send it again. Bummer.

As you see by the mood-meeter, I'm still happy, no big whoop. I've heard some writers say once they get many stories out circulating the markets, they don't worry about individual stories out there. They're too busy writing new ones. Right now I have more stories on my desk than out in the mail. I was in a place when I had moments to dream. It was nice while it lasted, but time to move on.

With a lost entry at WOTF it means I've just missed two consecutive quarters of the contest. I missed the March 31st deadline. Not good.

I have a novel that needs lots of attention and many stories to put back in the mail. Focus on that, so I tell myself.

Meanwhile, I find myself wondering about the story I sent to Polyphony 3. :-)