Well, geez. In all honestly, I did not see this one coming.

When I got the news, my jaw, quite literally, dropped and my mouth fell open. I stared at the email for at least two minutes. Which is a really long time to digest information. That’s how long it took for me to understand and take in the good news.

This fellowship is the first substantial head nod from the universe for the novel I’ve spent the past three years at work on every single day. So, it has an extra special meaning for me.

All that said, having applied for the past 13 years for an OLF and not received one, I’m also viscerally aware of all the writers, also hard at work every day for the past three or more years, on their own projects, also in need of a head nod from the universe, and so I accept the good news as humbly as possibly. And say to all of you, keep applying. Keep applying. Keep applying.

Wishing each of you your own good news somewhere, somehow as soon as possible.

Keep going…