Last year at this time we were mid-trip on our journey across the country to our new home. Weeks before that were spent packing, prepping, painting, and doing all the required antics to sell our home in Toronto. Weeks after that were spent unpacking, prepping, painting, and doing all the required antics to set up our new home here in BC. It was not what I, or anyone in their right mind, would call a relaxing summer. Throw massive wildfires, smoke, and ash into the mix (literally, ash raining down on our newly acquired home) and the notion of being able to relax this year and enjoy bright, clear summer skies seems almost too good to be true.

But in addition to the perfection that has been summer 2022, for much of July, we have been hosting visitors here as well as traveling. Time flies when you’re doing all that. As it often does in the summertime.

Not that I’m complaining

I’m not complaining. No way. Not this gal. But I also want you to know that I’m still holding myself accountable to my commitment to writing. I’ve been focusing a lot lately on submitting pieces to contests, a great way to obtain professional feedback. Most of the time, those entries have to be unpublished works, and that excludes blog posts. As these submissions are either recognized or passed over (more the latter than the former, as it goes), I’ll share the pieces here.

To that end, my first contest submission fell summarily into the ‘passed over’ column. And I can tell you the feedback was cutting. But that is part of the journey; succeeding all the time doesn’t make you better an anything, really. Happily, another one of my short stories is a finalist in a different contest. Time will tell what comes of that but the exercise is a good one and I feel better for it.

I hope the first half of summer 2022 has been good to you. And if not, remember, if at first you don’t succeed… just keep going.