I mentioned way back in January that my manuscript, The Pansy Paradox, was in the quarter-finals of the First Page Cage contest over at Pulp Literature.
Then, of course, I never mentioned it again.
But as it turned out, the experience was beyond gratifying. The Pansy Paradox tied for first. I love this outcome, and I was so thrilled for Nikita, my co-winner. I love that Pulp Literature was so generous in awarding a double prize.
There’s another layer to this, beyond winning and the prize money. I entered the contest specifically because I wasn’t sure I could write anymore. Obviously, I can string sentences together (because here I am, stringing sentences together). But writing stories, in particular, this story?
I had no idea. After the past couple of years of … everything, I simply wasn’t sure.
So it’s gratifying to learn that I can still write stories that people want to read.
Here’s what one of the judges said about the story:
“The Pansy Paradox is a delightful New Adult romantasy set in the mythical rural town of King’s End, Minnesota. It deals with themes of grief, loss, and responsibility with humour, romance, and sentient umbrellas.”
Yes, you read that right. Sentient umbrellas. They’re a thing; well, at least in this story, they are.
You can read more about the final outcome on this post here. You can also read what’s going on with this year’s quarter-finalists here. It’s interesting to see where the editor judges agree and disagree.
Writing Wrongs 