At the start of December I sent an application to the novel-writing workshop Taos Toolbox. A few days before Christmas, I found out that I’d been accepted. Despite the lack of exclamation points thus far, I’m extremely excited. I’m really pleased I got in, and owe a debt of thanks to my critique group (the Minnows), who worked really hard to make sure my application and writing sample were up to par.
After passing the year-anniversary of quitting my day job (in October) I wondered if perhaps I’d made a mistake. Impatient and absurd as it sounds, I somehow thought that I could only justify the decision if I immediately got an agent and signed a multi-book deal. Of course, those things didn’t happen. What did happen, though, is that my writing steadily improved. So here I am, looking forward to one of the best sci-fi and fantasy workshops around.
And just as good as getting accepted is having enthusiastic (and patient) friends and family, talented teachers and fellow writers, and a super-supportive spouse. So, thank you, friends, family, teachers, writers, and spouse. (If ‘thank you’ doesn’t seem sufficient, I’ll back it up with a parade of forthcoming novels.)
Kelly Horn 
*throwing confetti into the air!!* I concur that your writing has improved; it was always very good anyway but now it’s even better! You are such an inspiration to me.
Aw, thanks, Teresa – and you inspire me (you’re the only person I know with as many neat hobbies as I have ;-). It’s so great we’re in the same critique group!