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Luke
2 January 2003
...And virtue is not always its own reward, sometimes it comes with a bonus. I e-mailed the story to the States at 9pm, New Year's Eve; by 4.30pm on New Year's Day I had a provisional acceptance, the proviso being that I give it the proper rewrite that I intended anyway. I like this man. I went to two parties yesterday evening, and smiled and was happy at both. Selling a short story always gives me a buzz. It's different from novels, or at least from commissions: that's a commitment, an anxiety, a guarantee of trouble ahead. With stories the trouble is behind me, the work is done or pretty much done, and a sale is reassurance that it's been done well or well enough. Writing is (as if you hadn't noticed) sheer egotism, an extended shout of 'Look at me, see what I can do!' - and it comes with that moment of doubt inherent, where you're just not sure if anyone is actually going to turn their head to look.
© Chaz Brenchley 2003
Reproduced here by permission of Chaz Brenchley, who asserts his moral right to be identified as the author of this work.