Chicken Soup for the Soul books arrived!!

Things were not going too well for me the other day. But I came home to this and it changed everything!!



Even though I only have a tiny part of this book, it still felt amazing to find a box at my door from Simon and Shuster! A big time publisher had sent ME something!!

I had made mention of the story being published in CSFTS here and on Facebook, but for the most part I kept it kinda quiet. I wanted it to be a surprise for my mom, since the book was all about moms and the story I contributed was about her. I knew the book was due to release on March 23, 2010...I figured it could be a fab Mother's Day gift.

Yeah....like I really thought I could actually wait that long after actually having the book in my hands.

I am really excited to have my 10 contributors copies almost a month before release day, so when I went over to my parents' house the other day, I took one of the books with me. I signed it, of course, and wrote a little message to my mom. I gave her the book and told her to turn to page 175. She was quite excited!! She knew the story existed...I'd entered it in an essay contest before and it placed top 10. She has it printed out and in a frame. But she was even more excited now...couldn't wait to take it to work and show her friends!

So...I have all these copies and I need to give some away!!! Anyone want one????? I'm gonna give away three copies- all you have to do is leave a comment on this post. You must be a follower! I'll give it till the end of next week, Friday the 12th, and then I'll draw 3 random names! Please feel free to share the giveaway on twitter, your blog, Facebook...wherever!!!

Just got the news!!!!!

My story made it into Chicken Soup for the Soul: Thanks Mom Edition!!!! I am so excited!!!!!!

Little backstory...the piece that made it in is something I wrote a couple years ago. I don't write many essays or memoir type stuff. I haven't lived an exciting life...so there aren't many topics to write a memoir about! But I guess my mom situation was a bit on the unusual side. I never really thought it was...it was my life...it was what I was used to. My mom basically took off when I was 3, my brother 1-1/2. We did see her in the summer though. But we were real lucky....our dad remarried pretty soon after the divorce and she has been beyond amazing. We have called her mom since the beginning (though she tells us she and our dad never prompted us to). She took care of us and never once in my entire life did I feel like a step child. Even after she and my dad had a baby...my half brother was treated no better (actually, he complains incessantly that I am the favored child!)

So anyway, the piece is about my step mom and how important she's been to me and how in my opinion, being a mother has nothing to do with biology.

I submitted this piece to CSFTS after finding the call for submissions listed somewhere on the internet. I sent it off and forgot about it. Till the email came. I've been back and forth with them over the past couple months...but until today....I was never told "Yes, You're in!"

I'm very excited about this!! I didn't tell my mom (step mom) about the piece. She has read it before but I never told her it was being considered for CSFTS. Publication date is set for the end of March and I think it would be a lovely Mother's Day gift!

I will get $200 and 10 copies of the book! Not bad!!!

And.....you know how every story in CSFTS has a quote from someone famous on the page??? Yeah....when they sent me the final edited version of the story for my approval...the quote on my page: OPRAH!