Tagline: Carla's perfect date was in the coffee shop all along. She just wasn't looking in his direction...
In a Nutshell: Carla has been using a cafe's Internet dating service but not having much luck. When talking with the barista about the last dud, she sees him in a new light.Observations: You know those romance novels where the best friends end up lovers? One of the characters knows the other person is The One, and it takes a whole book for the other person to realize it too. This story reminded me of that, but only 800 words long.
You can tell Eric has been observing her for a while and just biding his time. The fun is seeing Carla realize what she'd been missing. First, she notices he's cut his hair. From the description--"a head of longish thick waves to a short neat trim--he underwent quite a change, so seems to me she'd have noticed the moment she got her coffee from him, but I let that pass.
Next she realizes he's older, or old enough rather, and that he has nice laugh lines around his eyes. She finds out he has a graduate degree and will be working as a veterinarian. Poor Carla didn't stand a chance. Cute story.
19 comments:
I like these stories about unlikely and unnoticed characters getting together. I like that line, "hadn't gotten anything but jitters for drinking too much caffeine...." It's a cute story.
oh sure...she gets a doctor. lol.
Good story. It worked for me.
Still no WW in my mailbox. Maybe I will have to call the subscription service again. They better extend my subscription through September! I will have to buy this issue at the grocery store--again.
Kate, how many times did I tell you to write your barista story?
Sorry to hear about your missing issue.
Yes, you told me many a time, Mary Jo. LOL I can still do it. I just have to wait a bit. :)
Hey Chris, in what issue of Writing Magazine did your article/story appear? I want to order a sample, so I'll order that issue. I have an article on common grammar errors that I'd like to pitch.
Hi Tamara,
I've been lucky enough to have a couple of winners and several placings in Writing Mag's comps but the most recent one was second place in their Monologue comp, a couple of years ago. That's the one that's on the website in what they call the Competition Showcase. The link to take you straight to it is; https://www.writers-online.co.uk/Writing-Competitions/More-Info/Talking_to_Tim/
If you're going to get a sample copy of the mag, I'd suggest going for a more recent one, to get the benefit of the most up to date info.
OK, thanks Chris. If they show archived materials, maybe I can see your work online. There are only a few writing magazines in U.S., and I didn't get my article in any of them, although one promised to publish it and then didn't.
I must say, I kind of understand why we must prove we're not robots, but I wonder why they have to be unreadable. (I know they're not your creation, Kate, just had to vent.)
Tamara, I just hit the refresh button over and over until I get one I can decipher.
Ok. Kate, thanks for the tip. I'll do that. Which button is refresh? (duh). I really don't know.
It's that little circular arrow. I know because I sometimes use it half a dozen times before I think I can read the codes. Who makes up that stuff anyway?
I've just posted off my first mini-mystery to Patricia! Thoroughly enjoyed writing it, although it was really hard to get everything in with such a small word count. Whatever happens, I'm really grateful for the advice on Jody's website. Thanks for all the tips.
Also had a contract through today from Highlights for a short rhyme I submitted to their new baby magazine, Highlights Hello. Good start to the week!
Chris, I used to be an elementary school teacher. Could you give me more info about submitting to Highlights? What do they pay? What type of stuff do they want?
Hi Kate, Highlights for Children is, I think, the biggest selling children's mag in the States, circulation 2,000,000+. The guidelines for the main mag can be found on http://www.highlights.com/contributor-guidelines. They buy all rights, but are reasonable payers at around $150 a story, with the bonus that if it is sold on (by them) to another publisher you receive another cheque - for no extra effort. As an elementary school teacher I'd have thought you were in a good position to submit the sort of story they could use.
Their other mags for tinies are Highlights High Five and Highlights Hello, but I'm not sure if these are open to submissions. I queried whether I could submit a story or two when I saw details in a markets listing last month and was told that, as an existing contributor, I could, but friends who've asked have been turned down. So I'd suggest you try the main mag first and see how you get on.
I've also been considering Highlights, but felt it was out of my league. But 2013 is suppose to my year of "taking myself more seriously as a writer."Does Highlights require that you be previously published, Chris?
Question for Kate and others that have been pub in WW: how often do yall submitt material? And is there a quicker route to getting read than the info listed in my writer's market?
Sarah, I don't think there's any requirement by Highlights that you have any sort of track record, only that the work you submit be unpublished and on offer only to them. It is postal submissions only, though, if you live in the States.
I heard back from Woman Alive, by the way, that fiction is not needed at present. I hope you have better luck with your article.
I actually had submitted a non fiction piece to Woman Alive, but they rejected it, rather quickly! I submitted the piece to Today's Christian Woman after the rejcetion. Thank you though
Further to non-fiction for religious mags, Sarah, I spotted a title in a markets' listing that might be worth checking out. There are lots of categories they consider work for, details on; http://www.charismamag.com/about/write-for-us
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