I'm going to be published!!!!

There are times in our lives when everything seems like it's heading downhill and then, unexpectedly, you are handed a piece of good news or a great experience that makes everything so much better. That has just happened to me.
I am holding in my hands a contract from Aspen Mountain Press for the publication of my short story, Fired or Fired Up, to be included in the GOIN' DOWN Anthology that I have been involved in with a group of six other wonderful and talented women.
I CAN'T BELIEVE IT!!!!! My dream is coming true! When the query letter was sent out on February 14th, never did we expect to have such a quick response from two publishers. The group decided together on Aspen and here we are now with contracts to be mailed and cover art to be decided upon.
I'm so happy. I want to jump up and down like a giddy school-girl. Even though it's a short story that I wrote, I'm still being published. It's the best feeling in the world to know that I wrote something worth publishing - me! Shannon Robinson! I did it! Yippeee!!
Sorry - I had to toot my own horn there. I don't get accomplishments like this that I can pat myself on the back for. Of course, there's several people that I owe tremendous thanks to for helping me get this piece ready: My best friend and critique partner Holly Weeden, the fabulous ladies of the GOIN' DOWN Anthology group who I simply adore: Collette Thomas, Jane Leopold Quinn, Mallory Hall, Karma Jones, Tambra Kendall, and Renee Michaels, and the ladies from our online critique group, Writer Buddies. You all were a wonderful help and I appreciate all of the advice.
I've got to go for now - but I'll tell you all about the anthology soon!!

Forever Friends

As a young girl, one of my yearly traditions was to have a slumber party on my birthday. From my thirteenth birthday until my eighteenth birthday, I had the same 6 girls to my house for these slumber parties. We went roller-skating a few times, to the movies once or twice, and even quite the road trip to the Drum - interesting story there!

Anyways, these girls were the ones that I considered my closest friends and I still consider them that. They will always be dear to my heart and I never want to lose touch with them. They are special to me and I will always be here for them if they ever need me, as I know they would be for me.

Regardless of how much time has passed, I know that I can still count on these girls to bring back the good ol' days. These girls know the "real" me, inside and out - without any judgement against me. They were there with me through my teenage experiences, through the laughter and tears, the parties and boys, even my high school pregnancy.

We were able to get together after 9 years of being apart. Some of us see each other more than the others, but it was nice to have lunch and catch up with each other. We talked and reminisced just like old times. While I thought things might have been awkward at first, it wasn't. It was wonderful. So, here we are:

From Left to Right: Holly, Me, Heather, Lindsey, and Suzie - (missing is Tara - she couldn't make it unfortunately)