Essays and Workshops

I'm good to go on the essay--the faculty accepted the proposal with nary a comment. I'm relieved to have cleared that hurtle.

My story, "Helpmate," was discussed in workshop today. Workshops are funny. On the one hand, you submit your story because you know that you need help--you've taken a story to a certain point and need input to take it to the next level. Still, some primitive part of you just wants a big pat on the back. This workshop was some of both, and the faculty input was so smart (revelations and epiphany, surprise versus suspense), I took pages and pages of notes. I thanked them, then went out and ordered a margarita. Such is the nature of workshops. :)