So, what happens when you collaborate with your friend and your short story is published?

You become a first-time published author and you enjoy the accolades from readers, friends, and fans.

Then our short story is nominated not once, not twice, but three times for a variety of upcoming awards.

• First, our short story won the Agatha Award at Malice Domestic convention.
• Then it won the Anthony Award at Bouchercon convention.
• Lastly, it won the Macavity Award given by Mystery Readers International.

Now I am a first-time-published award-winning author.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So, what is supposed to happen? I get queries as to when will I write the next short story? Again, reluctant author here.

But I did write a flash fiction (short story under 1,000 words) and submitted it to three places and all three rejected the story, nicely and one even gave me critique on how to improve it.

Now what do I do? I really don’t have it in me to write a short story that is at least 5,000 words all by myself. I really didn’t have it in me to write the 500 words I wrote for my flash fiction. But I did. One never knows.

I’ll just bask in the glow of winning three awards on my first time out. And wish my co-author, Kristopher Zgorski, congratulations on on writing two new short stories for two different anthologies—one available now, and one publishing next March—and his next goal of writing a full-length novel. Yay Kristopher!!

Have you felt reluctant?