So, Under the Moon ended up winning the British Fantasy Award for Best Collection 2023. I had not seen it coming. I was up against some amazing writers, and still can’t quite believe it.
But it did happen, so I guess on to the next thing.
It took me a long time to put this post up. I guess that’s what an entire upbringing of “no-one likes a showoff” will get you. Not that I had ever intended to brag or boast or tell myself this meant I was amazing, but yeah.
I guess I can say, “it’s pretty neat” to have won. And I’m happy it happened. I’ll sort out my feelings on whether or not I truly deserved it another time.
I have had a good 2023 although I’ve missed out on several things getting published in this year that I thought would be. But they’ll be up soon in 2024.
I did get my bucket list item of a story in Best of British SF for the year, as well as this award, so I am not upset at all.
Okay, even with all that I often feel like the kid pushed away from the cool kid’s table when it comes to publishing. A bevy of insta-perfect debuts with their trad deals and advances have enough time and energy to fight amongst each other, while I struggle to get one teeny short story published. But such is the way of things, up and down, cycle and cycle again.
So, we’ve all got roads to walk. Let’s lift each other up in the new year, aye?
