Received notice this a.m. that Sandra Meek of Mt. Berry, GA is the winner of this year's Dorset Prize (Tupelo Press). I'll bet she has fun at AWP.
My ms., Demimonde, was one of 23 semifinalists out of 1,200 submissions. Oh well.
Monday, February 26, 2007
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6 comments:
You'd think being in the top 2% (that's TWO percent!) would get you something. Sigh!
Please don't give up. I want to buy your book when it does come out!
Anne, you are so sweet. That's why I posted the "update" here -- so people like you would say nice things and make me feel better.
Thanks!
Yeah, we all want to buy your book when it comes out! Listen to this. "Let's put it this way: it's so unlikely that you were ever born. / All those stars in the sky and just one glove / to catch them." That's a teaser from one of the book's poems that I just happen to have an advance copy of. Don't you want to read the rest of the poem? Don't you want to read the whole book? This book needs to be published NOW!
I came home from the Y and my dog kissed me too.
Okay, this much niceness is more than I can take. (But thanks.)
I suppose one question I might have for people is: revise or not? I am done, done, done with this book. Still, what if there's just one tiny thing wrong with it, preventing it from being taken.
What would you do?
For awhile I applied every year for the Stegner Fellowship and then I realized I could get into the top 2% AND NOT EVEN COME CLOSE.
I want to read your book. I hope some publisher figures out that there are lots of us out here who would buy it if they produced it.
As for revision, well here is my 2 (per)cents worth. Read it some day when you feel totally analytical and like you can maybe be a stranger to it. If there are things you notice, try to fix them. Otherwise, my only advice is what you are probably already doing: try different publishers and contests than you've been trying. And keep trying.
I dunno. You've mentioned Tupelo before--how close you've come there. Would it hurt to ask the publisher if there is anything he sees that would boost it onto the winners table?
And don't lose hope. I know of two people who were in your boat for awhile (years). One won two contests within a week of each other and had to choose, the other one got his book taken finally and to wide acclaim.
aren't doggie kisses the best?
Leslie-
Yes! My dog can make me feel good when I've had the worst of days!
Thanks for the good words -- and the advice. I suppose I could ask Jeffrey Levine, though I think he's a mite touchy these days, perhaps.
-d
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