I found myself speechless earlier this week when I checked out the ballot for this year's Ursa Major Awards. I had hoped for -- although really, really not expected -- a nomination. Three nominations was... I mean... wow. Thrilling and astonishing. I know that the competition for Ursa Major Awards is steep, and I don't really write the kind of fiction that usually wins or gets nominated. So, although I received two nominations last year, I had kind of chalked that up to some sort of beginner's luck fluke. Needless to say, I am really excited and honored that people have been enjoying my fiction enough to take the time to nominate it. Thank you.

In other news, I had a story come out today in the online magazine Untied Shoelaces of the Mind. While only a thousand words long, Hot Chocolate for the Unicorn took me ten years to get right. The beginning crystallized in one of those unpredictable jolts of inspiration while I was still in college. The end, though, completely escaped me. Everything I tried seemed either too lightweight or way, way too dark. Then, last summer, my daughter took an interest in My Little Ponies, and playing with pretty plastic unicorns with a four-year-old finally brought the right end to me.

If you're interested in voting in the Ursa Majors, they're open until May 4th. All of my nominated stories, Where the Heart Is, Shreddy and the Zomb-dogs, and Fetching Asteroids are free to read (or listen to) online. And the newly published "Hot Chocolate for the Unicorn is here.