I don’t know why I feel awkward telling you this, but I do. My essay, “This Will Be a Love Story” was recently named as a finalist in The 48th New Millennium Award for Nonfiction. While I have been named in the past for an honorable mention, finalist status is the best I’ve ever done in the New Millennium literary awards. Unfortunately, they only publish the winning essay, but I feel hopeful for this one being picked up by a different journal.
Congratulations and Write On!
New Millennium Writings + Sunshots
Dear Cindy,
Congratulations to you on being selected as a Finalist for “This Will Be a Love Story” in the 48th New Millennium Writing Awards!
Your name and the title of your piece are included on our list of Finalists, which you can see here: newmillenniumwritings.org/writing-awards-48/ We’re so pleased at the chance to read and publicly commend this fine work!
Although your piece won’t be published, I hope you’ll be gratified to know that as a Finalist, you placed in approximately the top 4% of our entries (or, as I prefer to look at it, your piece beat out 96% of the competition). 
🙂
If you’d like to share more of your work with us, the final deadline for our 49th Writing Awards is January 31. Visit newmillenniumwritings.submittable.com/submit.
Thank you for the part you play in New Millennium Writings, and for being a vibrant voice in the writing community. Congratulations again on your achievement!
The Early Draft 
Dear Cindy,
I’m so touched and pleased at your reaching out and sharing your terrific news. The effort to write nonfiction, the truth of our hearts and to share it, is such a challenging, compelling, difficult and satisfying endeavor (at least, for me!) I have a note over my computer which says… “Writing is a kind of double living. The writer experiences everything twice…once in reality and once in that mirror which waits always before or behind.” Catherine Drinker Bowen
Congratulations on your persistence and being named a finalist. 4% is nothing to sneeze at! Is “This Will Be a Love Story” available to read? I’d love to see it. And will you be submitting for the 29th award?
I’m heartened and inspired by your news. I continue to write nonfiction pieces and recently returned to revising the many poems I have left in the drawer. It’s been a rewarding return. But the effort to cull the journals and send is another matter.
Enjoy the reward of recognition! There is so much effort behind that award.
✍🏻 Faye
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Hi Faye,
Thank you for your lovely comment. It means a lot to me to hear from you and receive your encouragement. I’ve become somewhat of a loner these last few years since my mother passed away, including on social media. I’m trying to get myself back into the swing. I so appreciate you taking the time to write to me here.
I agree that Creative Nonfiction is a challenging genre. I love the quote from Catherine Drinker Bowen. Thank you for sharing that.
A version of “This Will be a Love Story” was the first workshop entry I submitted at Solstice. It was also my first reading there. I can email you a copy soon, but first I want to update it a bit to make it stronger in the hopes of another journal will publish it. After that, I will send it.
I am completely inspired by your continued writing in both non-fiction and poetry. That’s fabulous. I hope you will send more out, although I know how difficult that can be.
Thank you. Cindy
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