PUBLISHED!!!?!?!?!?!??!?!?!?!

I knew it was good.

I’ve always been realistic. I doubt myself, I question. It’s never good enough. But this time, I was certain. I believed in the piece. I believed in myself. I submitted it on Monday. When I didn’t hear back by Tuesday, I thought, “Hmmm. They must not have gotten to it. I’ll hear by the end of this week. Guaranteed.” I knew it and felt so strongly about it.

The next day, I heard.

Sent: Wednesday, April 11, 2007 4:01 PM
To: Gacad, Catherine
Subject: RE: Bay to Breakers Submission

Hi Catherine

Every year I get Bay to Breakers submissions, usually celebrating the San Francisco-ness of it all. But this is decidedly different and unexpected, which I always find attractive.

If possible, would you please give me a call tomorrow so we can talk this over?

Thanks very much.

Mark Trautwein
Editor, Perspectives

Perspectives is a program that broadcasts listener commentaries on our public radio station KQED. Not sure if that means I’m actually published, but I’ll be on the radio. The editor said he was happy to have my piece, that it was unique, and after I read it for him–that I had a nice voice 🙂 It’ll air the week prior to the Bay to Breakers and then on race day which is always the third Sunday of May.

This is the second time I’ve submitted work. The first–a submission to Glamour magazine–didn’t get anywhere. This Perspectives piece is a small (but huge for me) boost for my writing. When I spoke to the editor on the phone, I thanked him for being a guest speaker at the Berkeley Extension class I attended. I’ve listened to the show before, but wouldn’t have ever considered submitting something if he hadn’t encouraged our class.

Very happy, very excited. I’ll definitely have a post for the scheduled broadcasts.