Context Changes Everything
I vaguely recall having a story nominated for a Pushcart Prize in the distant past. One of the small press magazines that published my early work liked one of my stories and submitted it. While it was flattering, the publication was a tiny, low-paying horror-genre magazine, so the bank of stories that mine was chosen from was small - and the submission not taken all that seriously by anyone on either end (except perhaps by the editor who nominated it). I knew nothing about the prize itself. There was no internet upon which to research it. And the moment passed in the blink of an eye. Flash forward 20 to 25 years. My story, "Nunavut Thunderfuck" was nominated for a Pushcart Prize by Exile Editions - and I was ecstatic. Why the big change in attitude? Well, for one thing, I was able to research the Pushcart Prize and see how prestigious it is. Had I known that back in the 80s, I might have been more excited. The sobering counterpoint is that there are thousands of stor...