Raymond Carver short story competition

So there I was with my rickety mobile broadband, having driven all the way down the mountain and into Caernarfon before I got a connection, sitting in the car in the middle of the wind- and rain-swept Castle Square, and I finally got my emails - including one telling me that my recent story 'Used to Be' has come third in the Carve Mag Raymond Carver short story competition.

So let me eat humble pie. Honestly, always going on about how conventional and conservative short story competitions are, and how (nose in the air) I'm into innovation myself, and then I go and get a prize in one of the blighters! But actually, I must say that (though I may be wrong) I consider this particular story one of my most innovative - it's specifically and explicitly about the contingency of story and the fluidity of all those old short story tropes - metaphor, character, etc - in the face of our particular contemporary uncertainty. So I'll admit it, I'm really thrilled that it's been acknowledged in this way, and feel really privileged!

And I bought a different mobile broadband (what a waste of dosh!) and so though I'm still on the mountain I'm back in blogging business sooner than I expected...