Tuesday 6 October 2009

Fame at last!

One of the stories I sold earlier this year to Woman's Weekly ('Nothing To Wear') has just been published in the October/November Fiction Special - and to my surprise, I'm mentioned in big green letters on the front cover! (along with Simon Brett, a great and very funny writer who I heard speaking a few years back at a writing event and who also has a story in the same issue). In case you should see a copy of it, it's my own name (Sheila Norton) you need to look out for by the way - I write my short stories as myself rather than Olivia!

Simon and I are described on the cover as 'This Month's Big Names'! - wow! I've been called a lot of things in my time, but never before have I been called a big name! I did a lot of whooping and exclaiming about it while unpacking the shopping this morning and heating up soup for lunch, and then nearly spilled the soup when I looked inside the magazine to see my story and Simon's described in the index as the 'Bestsellers Collection'. Well, this is really very nice of Gaynor and Clare at WW, in fact I feel like kissing them both, as I'm not exactly a bestseller, but just for the little while that this issue of the Fiction Special sits proudly on my desk, I can pretend and dream that I am!

It's nice to see that I'm also sharing this issue with Teresa Ashby of 'A Likely Story' blog, whose story 'Always' is in there too. I feel very privileged! This has taken the sting, a little, out of yet another rejection that also arrived today - hey, can't be a big name and a bestseller ALL the time! Wouldn't want to get too used to it, would I! (or would I?)!

I'll write another post very soon about the wedding, with some pictures - it was fabulous. But meanwhile here's the picture of my Waterstones book-signing that I couldn't download before.






8 comments:

  1. Well done - I told ya you were successful (in me blog reply in case you haven't seen it and are wondering what I'm on about) and now you know that not only have people most definitely heard of you - your name will sell magazines!
    I think it's brilliant - can't wait to see the mag! x

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  2. Well done, Olivia! And less modesty please. You ARE a best seller and a big name - it says so in the magazine and on the front cover! You must be over the moon.

    I love the book signing picture because you look so happy. Can't wait for the post about the wedding.

    Julie xx

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  3. Thank you all! I feel quite overcome by how nice you all are! xxx

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  4. Fantastic news and well deserved. Go, you!

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  5. Sheila just to let you know I bought the magazine BEFORE I read your blog post because your name was on the cover!! Congrats and I loved the story, you Bestseller, you. XX

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  6. Ah, thank you Kate, and thank you Helen! (How nice to know you saw my name on the cover, too - I'm dead chuffed!). Ha! I wonder if I can add 'described as a bestseller in WW Fiction Special' to my writing CV! ;) It's really quite funny! xx

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  7. Love the picture and get you - on the front of the magazine. Enjoy - you deserve it.

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  8. Oh, thank you Colette! Yes, still giggling to myself about the magazine! xx

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