It’s been a sleepless week. On Monday (six days ago as I write this) I got a call from Blas Falconer at Zone 3 Press out of Austin Peay State University, letting me know I won the First Book Award in Poetry for my manuscript Frost in the Low Areas. So I jumped up and down for a while, sent a thumbs up to my hubby in the next room, tried to shush my two small kids (who were not impressed by my recent good luck), spoke incoherently on the phone to Blas, and wondered if this could be an elaborate hoax. Well, I hope not, ’cause I’ve been telling everyone and I’ll feel silly if I have to take it back.

Zone 3 has been marvelous – so kind and reassuring. The final judge, Nancy Eimers, sent me an incredible note and suggested I not make too many changes to the manuscript before it goes into book form. That’s pretty amazing, considering her name will always be on it.

I’ll have a book. A book! I’ll get to hold that little sucker in my hands.

Here’s the press release.

Publication is set for fall 2013. Now to think of some cover art…