Getting my Stiletto in the Door

One of my first posts on this blog was about rewarding myself with a pair of shoes when I had completed a full draft of a novel. I think it’s fitting then, that this same manuscript, LANDSCAPE OF LITTLE DRAMAS just won Best of the Best in the 2009 Get Your Stiletto in the Door contest run by ChickLitwriters.com. Did I mention it’s hard to do the Happy Dance in stilettos?


When I got the "you won" phone call on a sleepy Sunday afternoon, it was one of those surreal moments where you can hear what the person on the other end of the phone is saying but your brain kind of explodes like a Christmas cracker. I’d actually been working on another manuscript when the phone rang and BAM just like that I found out I could still do a hitch kick.

After doing several more leaps and punches in the air (luckily neighbors didn’t see this or authorities would have been called in) I went inside to tell my husband the news.

First he smiled and told me he was proud. (Awe)

Then said “Guess you’re not making dinner.” (Babe, like my brain could handle cooking right now.)

And then…

“What does this mean?” (Imagine the sound of a needle skating across a vinyl record)

That question haunted me through my celebratory Margarita and into the night. And even when I woke up in the morning, there was that question sitting right next to my alarm clock as I hit the snooze button.

What DOES it mean?

For one it means I have claim to a really chic sounding contest title – me! – I’m the 2009 Stiletto winner.

It also means I wrote a story that the judges enjoyed reading and deemed Best of the Best. (hope I’m not starting to sound obnoxious)

As the afterglow of winning fades I also realize that what it truly means is that there is work to be done! Now that I have my stiletto is in the door - I’d like to keep it there.

First things first – I’m going to get a pedicure.

A huge thank you to all the volunteers at ChickLitwriters.com who ran this amazing contest!