15: A Wonderful Bit Of News
Something really nice has happened and I'd love to share it with you.
Preamble because I can’t just say things, can I
I think many of us find it hard to deal with good news, compliments, or the acceptance of humans in general.
(That’s a nice coat! -> “Oh, I got it on sale.”)
There’s something that makes us want to bat the nice thing away, for fear of being vain perhaps.
Now, I’ve spent quite a lot of 2019-time watching Queer Eye. And to me there is one pretty constant theme: you must find a way to love yourself and accept the love of others, if you’re going to be happy and do your work in this world.
So, I’ve been working on accepting the nice things people say.
I say, “Thanks!”
And I choose to believe them.
(Because if you think about it, batting someone’s good wishes away is a bit of a FU to them, isn’t it? I don’t believe you, I think your judgment is poor, etc)
I think this might be one of the ways we could all be more connected and less isolated.
So anyway, in that spirit
Last night, this happened:
A prize! I won the Brick Lane Bookshop Short Story Prize. A lovely prize in its first year, organised by a bookshop I love and judged by writers and publishers I admire. A prize with quite a few entrants. There was a launch event, all the writers got to mingle (Writing tip: It’s a lonely and weird craft, meet up with the likemindeds and boost each other), and we did readings.
I love readings. I love listening, I love reading, I love the community, I love it all coming to life.
This is especially nice because the story I entered is about five years old, on its ninth(?) draft, and third title. The story’s core is a lot of things I thought I was about when I started writing, but I wasn’t sure. I guess I know now. Maybe I’ll talk about it next year, if people would like that?
For now, that’s a bit spoilery. For now, it’s just my duty to say: maybe you’d like to buy a copy of the book? You’ll be supporting 12 diverse new voices, and the bookshop that took a risk to publish them. It’s £8. That’s 66p per story! Basically you’re buying us a twix. For the short-story-curious, it’s a great way to see all the different weird things short stories can do. For the diehards, why not see what us on the margins are producing? For people who love East London, this book is very East London.
☞ It’s here. Yes, this is a Call To Action.
Good stocking filler, better brain filler.
Until next time: say “Thanks!”, believe the people that wish you well, and take your wins.
❧ James