Saturday, January 09, 2010

Another BCer Novel

I received this email yesterday.

Great News.

At the last count that makes about three dozen published books by BCers and ex-BCers


Dear Alex,

I was a boot camper for a short period of time about eight years ago. Your straighforward feedback, honest and thorough, pushed me to become a better writer very fast. It also helped me to learn to accept criticism in a productive manner--I don't sulk much.

I left the bootcamp about seven years ago when my first daughter was born, and took a break from writing. Four years ago I started writing seriously again. It felt like I never stopped--everything I learned was still there.

I write flash fiction and short stories. The flash 'Snowrise' was nominated for the Pushcart Prize, and also won the Evelyn Sullivan Gilbertson Award to an Emerging Artist in literature.

I just learned that my novel, Swearing in Russian at the Northern Lights, was accepted for publication by Invisible Publishing (Canada). The novel is set in the Canadian arctic, and the protagonist is a Russian woman. No, it is not autobiographical, though I'm Russian and I lived in Iqaluit for three years. The pubication is slotted for the spring of 2011.

I wanted to share this good news with you. Because of you I didn't waste years as a hopeful beginner, struggling with the craft. I moved forward fast, feeling I gained a firm base in the fundamentals of creative writing.

Thanks for everything,

Ania

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Didn't you receive that email 'yesterday' a couple of weeks ago? Did she forget she'd already emailed you?

It's a good way of living off past successes.

Alex Keegan said...

Another cowardly anonymous poster.

I received THE ORIGINAL email and said so on this blog, but the email now posted is a second one from the author, specifically for publication and with personal information removed.

Alex Keegan said...

and "Past Successes"?

I think you'd better watch this space, Mrs!

Alex Keegan said...

No further anonymous posts will be published

Vanessa Gebbie said...

Many congrats to Ania. I know her sort of from Zoetrope - how nice that she remembers to let you know.