As many of you know I enter regularly in the Writers of the Future Contest. Winning the contest has launched quite a few careers in the SF and Fantasy genres but for me the biggest prize isn’t the money, or the entry on my CV but rather the weeklong seminar that the winners attended that is led by one of my favorite writers, Tim Powers.

The contest is open to authors who do not have profession grade publication credits and after checking with the contest administrator I confirmed that I remain eligible until Flame Tree Press publishes my novel. Given that it is my plan to enter every quarter that I remain eligible.

And this quarter has turned into a bit of race.

Every short story I started this quarter has sputtered and died in the middle and with the deadline for entering this Sunday evening I truly thought I was going to have to skip this submission.

And then an idea came together as I as falling asleep last Sunday. It’s all there, a strong narrative, an SF idea, and a character with a terrible choice before them.

I am nearly done with the first draft and I think I can complete it today, which leaves just Saturday and Sunday for polish and edits.

It’s a race.