Wulf Moon's SUPER SECRETS Workshop & Challenge!

I'll be entering two more quarters, for sure. After that, we'll see. I want to win, but I don't want to get so hung up on winning that I miss out on other opportunities--especially now that I have the twins, because my time is even more limited these days.

Same here. I plan to finish (4 in 36). Writing fresh short stories has been a huge boon in my writing speed and quality, and a win could certainly help launch a novel career.

But I have novel edits for a manuscript that an editor told me to send in when I am done. Splitting my attention on additional stories has seriously slowed that process. I wish I were fast enough to continue doing both, but I may have to re-asses at the end of this year.

Glad the SUPER SECRET fresh story bonus challenge has worked for you, Julia.! "A huge boon in my writing speed and quality" will create better stories and more of them. It will also put you in greater touch with your subconscious, and if you can drop into your supermind on a more frequent basis, you will create more imaginative and meaningful stories.

As to dropping out of WotF, I'm going to say again to all, you NEED this win. If you win this, you have the greatest credit a *new* writer can have, and you become a prequalified author among editors and agents. Your novel ms won't sleep in the slush. It's going to get pulled to the top and considered ahead of the others, knocking a year or even a couple years off your consideration time. Better, with a good credit like this, you might be able to get the interest of an agent that could actually do you some good.

I'll suggest this, because it is very hard to slave for two masters--short stories and novel at the same time. Work on your flash. You can do a flash in a day easy. Use it as a warmup excercise before going to your novel. As you get close to the end of a quarter, select one to flesh out just a bit and send in. Don't labor on it for months, just a day or two. See? It won't eat up all your time. You're still in, and you're still writing your novel.

All the beast,

~Beastmaster Moon~

Helge wrote: "After a few days of writing like this, I got into a rhythm and started experiencing the same thing that happens to me with good books: I stopped seeing the words. Instead, I was living the story in my head - like when reading, but the experience was a lot stronger.
Writing that book was a rush, and I remember it fondly. I hope that one day I'll be able to get back into such a rhythm and experience this again."

Excellent. The routine pushed your conscious skills into autopilot--it became easier to write, so your conscious mind could let go and allow the subconscious to drive. That's the best place to be in, and in the beginning, it's very had to get there. So there is one trick. Develop a writing routine.

Any others to boost access to our subconscious? Weigh in! You are making the next SUPER SECRET!

~Moon~

I'll suggest this, because it is very hard to slave for two masters--short stories and novel at the same time. Work on your flash. You can do a flash in a day easy. Use it as a warmup excercise before going to your novel. As you get close to the end of a quarter, select one to flesh out just a bit and send in. Don't labor on it for months, just a day or two. See? It won't eat up all your time. You're still in, and you're still writing your novel.

This sounds like a workable strategy. I have never written flash, but this could be the compromise that keeps me in the WotF game. I continue writing, gaining speed AND a daily warm up routine before the novel edits.

A trick I've found to work for me, and maybe would for others as well, is the reminder to self that there are no crappy ideas. Have an idea for a story? Write it. Bugger whether people would like it or not, just write it. Write them all. Even if the drafts aren't complete. Then, when you want to sit and have a serious writing session (e.g to make WotF quarter deadlines) pull up that file of ideas written and in whatever state of completion, read through them, pick the one you feel strongest about (that also fits SFF, of course, for WotF), and flesh it out, work it.

Not everything you write has to be sellable. Junk writing is a very liberating experience. Especially potent when a writing routine is established. Getting the noise out of my head helps me focus and I can get into that writing spree fest that lasts a few weeks or more at times. Perhaps it could do the same for others.

On a recent podcast Anderson talks of not winning WotF (after 23 submissions) before getting a novel published, and mentions Sawyer having done similar. So - do you NEED to win?

On a recent podcast Anderson talks of not winning WotF (after 23 submissions) before getting a novel published, and mentions Sawyer having done similar. So - do you NEED to win?

Nope. Many many many more authors break in having not won WotF than break in having won WotF. It’s a path, but not the only path. That’s not really a reason not to submit either. Plenty of people break in not having published at other short markets too, but that shouldn’t dissuade you from sending to CW, BCS, et al.

The first and most important thing is that you’ll never break in without something good enough to publish. Everything follows from there.

On a recent podcast Anderson talks of not winning WotF (after 23 submissions) before getting a novel published, and mentions Sawyer having done similar. So - do you NEED to win?

Winning is great. It's not the only way to get into writing, but it's a great foot in the door. Some people genuinely might feel they NEED to, whether because they want the prestige or because it's a hard and fast goal on their 'how to become a professional writer' checklist. I don't think I NEED to anymore--not as much as I used to, anyway--but I definitely WANT to. I can certainly say that any success I gain as a writer will be due in large part to the things I learned entering this contest. I don't want to stop entering, and I may find ways to keep entering while writing those novels I want to write. I just know that after my four fresh stories, the next goal scratched on that mental chalkboard is WRITE NOVEL. I need to prove to myself I can finish one.

A trick I've found to work for me, and maybe would for others as well, is the reminder to self that there are no crappy ideas. Have an idea for a story? Write it. Bugger whether people would like it or not, just write it. Write them all. Even if the drafts aren't complete. Then, when you want to sit and have a serious writing session (e.g to make WotF quarter deadlines) pull up that file of ideas written and in whatever state of completion, read through them, pick the one you feel strongest about (that also fits SFF, of course, for WotF), and flesh it out, work it.

Not everything you write has to be sellable. Junk writing is a very liberating experience. Especially potent when a writing routine is established. Getting the noise out of my head helps me focus and I can get into that writing spree fest that lasts a few weeks or more at times. Perhaps it could do the same for others.

I heard of a guy who wrote a book about a girl who got raped with a corncob. Now is that bad idea for a story?

A trick I've found to work for me, and maybe would for others as well, is the reminder to self that there are no crappy ideas. Have an idea for a story? Write it. Bugger whether people would like it or not, just write it. Write them all. Even if the drafts aren't complete. Then, when you want to sit and have a serious writing session (e.g to make WotF quarter deadlines) pull up that file of ideas written and in whatever state of completion, read through them, pick the one you feel strongest about (that also fits SFF, of course, for WotF), and flesh it out, work it.

Not everything you write has to be sellable. Junk writing is a very liberating experience. Especially potent when a writing routine is established. Getting the noise out of my head helps me focus and I can get into that writing spree fest that lasts a few weeks or more at times. Perhaps it could do the same for others.

I heard of a guy who wrote a book about a girl who got raped with a corncob. Now is that bad idea for a story?

I wouldn't read it, that's for damn sure.

On the other hand, I get where Anike is coming from. I've written some NSFW things for my husband that I have no intention of ever publishing, but we've gotten enjoyment out of them, and they got me writing at one point when I was inspirationally dead in the water. Writing for personal pleasure, without intent to publish, is still writing and can definitely still be a learning experience.

That guy went on to win the two biggest writing contests in the world. And like Anika said, he didn’t care what people thought about his writing. He wrote his way. And of course the story is not a graphic account like it would be today.

Wow. Weird stuff out there. Well, splatterpunk is a subgenre that exists with a niche audience, so I guess it could still stand into the publishing aspect of it though I don't have valid experience in that department. But yeah, basically the idea is just to help you get over humps and blocks in writing.

Working my way through WOTF Volume 35 - seems to have a greater quantity of harder-edged stories in it than previous volumes. Interesting - start of a trend or just the best stories in this quarter shared that characteristic? Probably the latter.

Your story was great Wulf - and yes the first person POV is vital to its charm and poignancy.

Of course there are many roads to Mecca. We are here because we believe this is the BEST road to Mecca. If we didn't believe that, what are we doing here? Go write that novel. Go sell those short stories to other markets. No one is forcing anyone to stay here, nor to sign up for this voluntary challenge. I am spending a lot of time and effort here to help you win through this challenge because I believe in the power of this contest, and in the power of writing fresh stories, not rewriting old. If you don't believe, why sign up for the more difficult challenge? Why keep trying to enter this contest? The people commenting in this topic are people that joined my challenge because they BELIEVE, and if others wish to chime in, they should be cheering everyone else along toward gaining the advantages this contest brings.

Writers of the Future has launched the careers for many, many writers. Even Brandon Sanderson, who recieved a semifinalist certificate, has said that without that certificate, he would have quit writing. With it, he had confirmation his writing must be good, and with that belief, went on to write his first novel. No, he didn't win the contest. But Brandon would not be writing today without one of the many benefits Writers of the Future provides. He has said so! Nnedi Okorafor, who has won the three highest awards in SF and Fantasy, just spoke to us in our workshop and said the reason she is writing today is because she won WotF. Martin Shoemaker said the same thing, and now he's got his first novel out with Baen. Kris Rusch and Dean Wesley Smith are friends of mine. Dean was the first writer to walk across the very first WotF stage, and Kris shortly after him in that same first year. They launched their bestselling careers with this contest. Go pick up Volume 3. There's a guy in that one named Dave Wolverton--now David Farland. He won the Golden Pen, and just look where that win took him! He submitted a portion from his novel, won the Golden Pen, sold his novel immediately, and launched a bestselling career. I could go on and on. But why? If you are here, you believed enough to join. You didn't sign up for life. You took my fresh stories for the four quarters of Volume 36 challenge because you believed it would help. So help yourselves, and help the other challenge members, by putting wind in one another's sails. I created this challenge to focus on the good, and to focus on specific writing tips that might be employed to get you your win. Help one another by remembering why you joined, and by building your fellow runners up in this four quarter marathon. It will build me up as well--trust me, I've got plenty of other things I need to be working on, but helping you out is important to me--some of you I have run alongside with for years. I've jogged back from the finish line to hand you a water bottle and power bar, and to run alongside you telling you that you can do this! And you can!

Sometimes, just hearing words of encouragement from friends is all that a runner needs to dig down and finish the race. Be that voice for your fellow runners.

And now, back on the topic at hand. How do we engage our muse, the subconscious, more effectively? We've got a writing routine, we've got the mantra there are no crappy ideas--just write and don't judge. What else? I know I've got a trigger I use, a symbolic cue with an audible sound in the real world that awakens the muse in the subconscious. I put on a kettle of tea, and when I hear that whistle blow, it's off to the races. How about physical cues to stir your subconscious to rise up? Has anyone else tried this?

And we are still waiting on results from Q1 for TWO of our SUPER SECRET challenge members! This is very exciting for all of us--what are the odds that from a possible 2000 entries from AROUND THE WORLD, TWO, count them, TWO finalists have come forth from our SUPER SECRET challenge group? Here's to seeing new winners come forth this year from among our challenge members! May the next winner be YOU!

All the beast,

~Beastmaster Moon~

I am one who has read everyone of your words of advice here Wulf. Thanks for all of those pearls of wisdom.
Now that I've returned to entering the contest I am paying attention to what is expected.
I recently sent my first completed novel to two different first-readers to get some feedback on the possibilities.
I don't have all my eggs in one basket but for as long as possible I will write fresh stories to submit to WotF.

I am one who has read everyone of your words of advice here Wulf. Thanks for all of those pearls of wisdom.
Now that I've returned to entering the contest I am paying attention to what is expected.
I recently sent my first completed novel to two different first-readers to get some feedback on the possibilities.
I don't have all my eggs in one basket but for as long as possible I will write fresh stories to submit to WotF.

Well done, Storysinger! You are wise to have eggs in other baskets, and even wiser not to neglect the basket that holds the richest rewards possible to a new writer. May you feast from them all as you KEEP WRITING FRESH STORIES!

All the beast,

Wulf Moon

I still WANT to win. I'd LOVE to win. Right now - I need a coffee.

(I thought there were many roads to Rome? Damn! No wonder I haven't seen the Coliseum yet.)

Stimulus triggers is pretty interesting. I don't have any myself. Wonder if I should make and ingrain one. I reckon the Pavlovian idea could have quite a potent effect.

And thank you, so much, Wulf! Taking the time to help us and cheer us on means more than words can describe. It really does help tremendously and sharing in the excitement of fellow forumite successes gives that extra punch to motivation that, yes, I can and will win this.

Work on your flash. You can do a flash in a day easy. Use it as a warmup excercise before going to your novel.

This sounds like a workable strategy. I continue writing, gaining speed AND a daily warm up routine before the novel edits.

All right Mr. Moon. Today's the day.
I'm giving flash a try as a warm up to noveling.
Hold on to your hat! (Nice hat, by the way)
Who knows what could happen!

BTW, Thanks as always for the advice and pep talk

As I mentioned above, I attempted my first Flash yesterday. The rough sketch of it is already 460 words. So, I'm not sure if it will remain Flash when I flesh it out. But it is Fresh, and the idea intrigues me. Plus, it seems more WotF than my other idea.

Good Luck my friends!

I still WANT to win. I'd LOVE to win. Right now - I need a coffee.

(I thought there were many roads to Rome? Damn! No wonder I haven't seen the Coliseum yet.)

Maybe winning the WOTF contest is not your Rome. Your Dark Tower. As Jeff Carlson once told me, “At the end of the day it’s just a short story sale.”

If you’re writing and reading and studying, and if all that makes you feel good inside, then you’ve won.

If you’re writing and reading and studying, and if all that makes you feel good inside, then you’ve won.

Hear! Hear!

I still WANT to win. I'd LOVE to win. Right now - I need a coffee.

(I thought there were many roads to Rome? Damn! No wonder I haven't seen the Coliseum yet.)

Maybe winning the WOTF contest is not your Rome. Your Dark Tower. As Jeff Carlson once told me, “At the end of the day it’s just a short story sale.”

If you’re writing and reading and studying, and if all that makes you feel good inside, then you’ve won.

But it's not "just a short story sale." And it's not a "Dark Tower." People that say that are actually trying to diminish all the benefits that come from winning this contest. If they had said "it is a short story sale" that would be true. To say "just a short story sale" is to say it is just another ordinary sale to another pro market, with no additional benefits. That is such a gross understatement, it is a falsehood. A win in this contest provides far, far more. And everyone here, *that has taken up this challenge*, knows this. I am happy others want to read this topic. If they have something positive to say to the members that have signed up for it, cheering them on as good people do in the sidelines of a race, I welcome it. But please do note this topic is specifically for challenge members--people that signed up to do the work--not for passers through that want to toss out comments on stories about "raping women with corncobs" and saying winning the contest has little consequence. That's like standing on the sidelines and calling out to marathon runners, "Do you really want to be in this race? Why try for this finish line?" Please, take that negative talk somewhere else. And I am not just singling out one person here. Others have been sneaking in comments like this and trying to undermine the good spirit here.

There are plenty of other topics where people can say whatever they wish, within reason. This topic is for *challenge members.* I am its founder and moderator, and I have worked very hard to keep it positive, and focused on its stated purpose. Please respect what I'm trying to do here, what all of our members are trying to do here. And if you don't, please, just move along.

No short story sale comes with over $30,000 worth of benefits. I didn't make that figure up. John Goodwin is president of ASI, and it comes from his accounting records. A short story in even the most prestigious magazines will earn you about 0.10 a word. And a publication in their magazine. That's it folks. Now take the Writers of the Future Contest. By the time you add in the prize money and your publication rate of 0.06, you will more than likely exceed that. My payout with my second place prize money works out around $0.18 a word. Nobody in the spec fic field tops that rate. Not *just another sale.* You also get a weeklong workshop with the best teachers in the industry. Orson Scott Card, David Farland, and Tim Powers for ours. Not *just another sale.* You get flown to Hollywood from wherever you live in the world, and put up in the Leows Hotel, and get free pickup service to and from the airport. Not *just another sale.* You have flown in to your workshop dozens of top writers and industry experts, and they all share their pearls of wisdom to help you succeed in flash one hour sessions. Not *just another sale.* You get taken by stretch limo to one of the top banquet halls in Hollywood, in our case get to see a giant sixteen foot iron robot greeting you off the cover of your book, you get a delicious banquet served table-side, and you get to enjoy a stage and program with one sole purpose--to honor you for your achievement! Not *just another sale.* Your story gets published in a beautiful book, translated into many languages (I believe I was told 30) and distributed around the world, hitting #1 Best Seller categories, making you a bestselling author. Not *just another sale.* You get a professional team booking you television, radio, and newspaper spots, and setting up signings to promote you and the book in major bookstore venues like Barnes & Noble. Not *just another sale.* I could go on and on, but anyone that says this is *just another sale* has their head in the sand. And they want YOU to put your head in the sand with them.

Like I said, this topic is for commentary by people that took up my challenge. They didn't have to. But they did. There is a published list. They signed up. They believed it would help. They can leave at any time, it's a voluntary challenge obviously. Others not in this challenge are reading the posts and comments, and I hope they take what works for them and use it to advance their writing skills. But if you're not a member of the challenge, please don't ruin this for the rest that see its benefits. Plenty of other places to go make your comments.

Wulf Moon

My main focus for the past 8 or 9 months has been WotF, with a novel (based on a s/s submitted to WotF) in between new s/s. Everyone else seems submit to other places - I'm not familiar with those places and haven't really looked into them.
WotF is head, shoulders and torso above other comps.
Now I need a whisky (it's later in the UK.)

I should chime in here since I played a part in the derailment, and I owe Wulf an apology for it.

This is the "Moon's SUPER SECRET Bonus Challenge!" not the "Should we write short stories at all" or any other thread. While all discussions are worth having, the threads are broken into topics to help forumites find the appropriate area to discuss each issue. Although my ill placed comment, gained me some very useful Wulf guided advise on juggling short stories and novels, it was not respectful of what Wulf.

As Wulf said, here we have all signed on to race to the finish aided by Wulf's selfless and amazing advice to aid us toward the ultimate goal and career starter of entering the winner's circle of WotF. And he is right about the rewards. I find out continuously what a huge deal this is!

Again, I am sorry for my part Wulf.
And THANK YOU for sharing your time and advice!

But if you're not a member of the challenge, please don't ruin this for the rest that see its benefits. Plenty of other places to go make your comments.

Very good Wulf. Thank you for all you do and for keeping the right frame of mind for all the forumites reaping your advice and striving for improving our abilities. I enjoy writing a new story for every quarter. I am cultivating the ability to write what I feel and use minimal editing. Think it, write it, and be happy with what you've accomplished. Write on!

It wasn't my intention to derail anything or undermine anyone else's spirits. I certainly wasn't trying to undermine the challenge. I made the mistake of voicing some private thoughts and concerns in a public space, and it turned out to be a bad call. My apologies to everyone.

It wasn't my intention to derail anything or undermine anyone else's spirits. I certainly wasn't trying to undermine the challenge. I made the mistake of voicing some private thoughts and concerns in a public space, and it turned out to be a bad call. My apologies to everyone.

I definitely went down the rabbit hole of voicing private concerns in a public space. Writing is hard, but luckily Wulf is very encouraging. We shall soldier on towards the WotF winner's circle. Maybe we can meet up next spring disgruntledpeony at the Gala! Get the baby sitters on the ready!

I think your challenge is a good one. It gets people to produce stories. And regardless of a win, they'll have written a bunch of stories and that's always good for a writer.

I'm not trying to start an argument. The person who told me that about it being just another short story sale is, or was, a contest winner and went on to sign a multi-book contract. I think he was trying to soothe my frustration at not winning the contest after several years of trying. He was being realistic. I'm not saying there isn't great, unmatched benefits to winning the contest. My objective was to offer a positive outlook for writers who haven't won, by which I mean anytime you write, you win personally. Yes, a person who wins the contest is treated like royalty and God bless the contest for providing that to new writers. But after every one is done chanting your name and cheering you on, you have to face that blank page again and also face yourself. That's what writing is: Am I good enough. And like the Navy SEALS say: the only easy day was yesterday. What I'm saying is to write because it makes you feel good and you enjoy it regardless of publication. That's the hard lesson I learned after a pill addiction and a car accident and book contract that I made too much of and also allowed it to inflate my ego instead of staying humble. That's just me though. I'm not saying that will happen to anybody else.

I'm not trying to belittle the achievement. And I'm not a passer through. I've been on the forum since 2005, and for several years I submitted fresh stories for every quarter. That's of course not the reason I didn't win; I didn't win because the stories were not good enough, but I believe I was making progress toward finalist when I got derailed by a disease and then an addiction and piece of crap publishing company. But again my experience.

A side note on the guy who wrote the rape story: he won two Pulitzers and a Nobel Peace Prize.

And I have to ask: Did you write Moongirl so you could win a prize and get paid, or did you write it because you wanted to tell the story of a little girl facing a multitude of challenges with a positive attitude so that her story might affect or change the lives of the people reading it. I would say that if your story affected somebody in a positive manner and made them stop and think and be appreciative of the good lives they have or it made them realize that if a young girl can be tough and overcome her difficulties then so can they. That's the prize. And for that I commend you greatly because making people feel is what writing is about. Not money or trophies. I hope there's a bunch of people out there who read your story and it affected them and your story sticks with them the rest of their lives. If it did, then you deserve a million bucks in royalties and I'd be the first one in line to get your autograph on the book and shake your hand.

I respect and admire you. Not because you won the contest but because you wrote a story that has the potential to make somebody's world a better place. They should hand it out in every junior high and high school and have every kid read it.

Anyway, I apologize if I upset anybody with my posts. It was not my intention.

I think we are still a bit off track. This thread is for improving techniques on winning WotF.
The personal reasons we each write is an interesting topic. Just not this topic.
I respectfully ask that we each break out new threads for additional topics.

Hey, Corbin. Thank you, truly, for your post just above. It was mature, heartfelt, and sincere, and I deeply appreciate it. If I over corrected this topic's necessary course correction, I am sorry. Like I said, it's not simply one person's comments. I had to say something to get us back on track and focused on why we are doing this topic. And I do get the frustration at not winning, and the need to soothe our pain by saying things like, "Well, it's just another sale, just another rejection. I can live with that." So I can see where that winner's comments were coming from. You may not know this, but there are some past winners saying that and more to attack this contest, or to undermine its validity in the minds of those trying to win. They've done it to my face as well. They are in the minority, and they come into the Forum at times to sow negativity and distrust, and can quickly make the most positive contest gathering place toxic, driving sincere people away. I realize this is not you. But perhaps you will better see where I am coming from in my own comments now, as I have yours.

I also understand addiction--mine, not yours. Addiction is personal and unique to each, and so is the suffering internal and external it causes. I almost died several times, ended up in a hospital, and decided I did not want that to be the last chaper of my brief life story. I burned all my bridges behind me to break free. That included ending a full scholarship to a private college, moving away from all of my *friends* that kept pulling me in, and destroying every award I had won in speaking and writing, and there were a lot of them. You see, those awards I had indeed won because I *had* wanted the win, just like you say. So I destroyed them. But here was the reason I had sought them, which perhaps you may not judge me harshly by when you hear it. I had been badly abused by my father, beaten mercilessly, humliated continually, until one day after a beating with hammers I ran away from home to save my life, and got placed in a foster home. Winning contests was the only way I had available at that time period to prove to my badly abused ego that I was worth something. That didn't keep me from trying to kill myself a few times. But when I won contests, I figured I must be worth something, I must not be totally worthless as my father had tried to beat into me, and the wins often helped me to carry on another day in spite of the echoes of his abusive words and treatment.

As to why I write today, why most anyone should write. I care. I often cry watching the news each day, at the suffering being inflicted upon others in this world. I can't change the world, but I do my best to do good to others around me. I have over 10,000 hours of volunteer work I've done helping people in various communities, and have helped many break free from their addictions and vices. I have had people write to me, saying that had I not been there for them, they would not be alive today. That is very satisfying, knowing I've used my life and continue to use my life to help others. But I have to write. I did not allow myself to write or read a word of fiction for ten years, trying to ensure that I would never go off the deep end again. And that too was making me miserable--necessary in my case, but miserable--because we cannot be happy denying who we are. I am a writer. I must write, not for myself as much as to touch others with the things I believe and care about. A writer, which is a storyteller, has a great need to share their soul with others. It is a part of their makeup.

As to "Super-Duper Moongirl..." I wrote that story because I saw a video on Facebook about a professional photographer that created his own special project to elevate little disabled kids. He'd dress them up in superhero capes and costumes and place them on bigger than life sets and shot their picture in stances that made those kids look like they were mighty in power. And then he'd make a big poster of it, and they'd do a reveal in the kid's home. He'd put it up on their living room wall, and the mom would bring her little kid in and point to to the poster and say, "Do you see that? That's YOU!" And those kids faces beamed like a Batman beacon. "That's ME?" And mom would say again, "That's YOU!" And they would say, "Wow. That's *me*."

This deeply moved me. I wiped away tears, because I could just imagine what such a tremendous visualization might do for some of these kids. For some, it might create a turning point in their lives, where they no longer viewed their disability as immobilizing. For some, it might forever change them, making them believe nothing was impossible if they reached for it.

That's where my Dixie story came from. Meeting a Writers of the Future deadline just gave me the chance to write it. The workshop and gala are the icing on the cake. But the cake? The eggs and flour and milk baked into something delicious and of substance? That's been getting it published in a major distribution venue, where people actually have the opportunity and ability to *find* this story, to read it, and to have it move them. Some of them, many in fact, have even written to tell me how much it touched their hearts, even their kids' hearts--some of those kids much younger than I ever intended or expected this tale to be shared with. That surprises me most of all.

You know what I'm working on now? Finding a way to get this into the hands of disabled kids. I have someone at Author Services working with me on this, it is our goal. You know why. If a poster can empower a disabled child to re-envision who they are, how about a story about a disabled girl on the Moon? If it can help them move past the pain and inferiority they deal with in their young psyche, if it can help them set their own goals and not view their disabilites as total restrictions on living a full life, then my work here is done. I have helped someone disadvantaged...to believe. And that belief might just get them through another day. Maybe even a lifetime of days.

I wish you and all trying to help one another succeed in writing and life my very best. You are most welcome to comment here.

All the beast,

Wulf Moon