Daily Archives: January 1, 2015

J. C. Augustine Wetta wins Dr. Ellen Taliaferro Scholarship to SFWC15

From Barbara Santos, of the San Francisco Writers Conference – “The winner of the Dr. Ellen Taliaferro Scholarship for the 2015 San Francisco Writers Conference is J. C. Augustine Wetta, a Benedictine monk. He submitted a beautifully written story with a Gift of the Magi twist at the end. Both Ellen (Dr. T) and I fell in love with the writing and story which we both admitted had us laughing and crying. The Dr. T Scholarship is for memoir writers who use forgiveness to move on with their lives after adversity or illness.”

Congratulations to J. C. Augustine Wetta! Augustine also entered the Victoria A. Hudson Emerging Writer Prize and was a strong contender, having been selected in the top nine of 37 total entries. With selection for Dr. T’s scholarship, this talented writer is no longer in consideration for the Emerging Writers Prize. Congratulations Augustine! I’m looking forward to meeting you next month at the Conference!

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Welcome 2015

Wow! I’m having a moment of disbelief while I try and grok that this is now 2015. How did I get HERE? Where is all that writing in 1975, when I was high school, that I dreamed I’d write? Where is all that writing in 1985, when I was just out of college, that I planned on writing? Or in 2005, when I returned from Iraq and started sending out applications to MFA programs (Saint Mary’s College of California 2008)?

Not to say I haven’t gotten some writing done but much of my writing life has been full of distraction and alternate choices. So, this year, I’ll endeavor (not resolve) to do better.

Duotrope tells me I have an overall acceptance rate of 20% and in poetry that is 50%, and that rate is higher than average. (Mom would be happy and proud.)

One in five pieces sent or one in five markets – not sure how that 20% was computed. I’ll keep chipping away to at least maintain and maybe, up the metric a little.

How was your year?

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