It's a Mystery Man

 Here I am, in Books-A-Million, holding a treasured prize!

What's special about this issue of Alfred's Mystery Magazine?

Why, my name is in it!

Sounds impressive, don't it?

Well, there are some caveats. 

First, it's just my name. I am an honorable mention in a story contest. Only the winning entry is published.

So, this is part of my big dream, but not all of it.

I have not yet had a story published in a pulp fiction magazine (currently, the big four are Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine, Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine, Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine, and Analog Science Fiction). That part of the dream has not yet been realized.

Also, please note that I am hardly the only honorable mention. There are ten; for all I know, that may be everybody who entered.  

To further dampen things, they release the magazine's circulation figures on the next page. Many numbers are listed, but the bottom line is that the total circulation is around 10,000 (about 40% being mail subscriptions). With a US population of around 335 million, about .003%* of the population gets this magazine.

Well, ok. Nevertheless, I am proud. It's a big step for me in the right direction.

I am writing a story for the next contest.

I am editing a story I wrote a decade or two ago.

And I am creating a new story centered on an 1880s gothic girl!

As my pal Superman says, "Never give up! Never Surrender!"

Something like that. That could be Winston Churchill.

Nevertheless, the sentiment stands!

*math could change depending on if I did it wrong