There is a lot I want to share today, and I am not sure it's the right time for any of this. I received my sticker for the ONC Shortlist 2024. "Ward of Storms" made it through to the Shortlist, and I am so proud of Rui's story. A mirror to my own challenges with cancer and the hope for the future where I can travel again and experience those wonderful places. Rui has her HEA; I continue to endure.
"Ward of Storms" almost missed the first deadline and ended up a Round One Winner. It came through to Longlist and then continued to surprise me as it passed onto the Shortlist. I almost didn't finish the story. My other entry, "My King of Flowers," finished a week before and was ready to submit when I learned of a miscarriage. It shattered my heart.
So we endure by writing stories that must meet the deadlines. We tell stories that fill out our senses and make us feel again. When you read "Ward of Storms," I hope you'll understand, appreciate, and empathize with the journey it took to endure.