fairy skeletons.: Welcome to the Common Room!

My first-ever contribution to a real anthology is out in the world today, and I'm completely over the moon - plus, I can't wait to read the rest of the winners' stories in the Freshman Fifteens COMMON ROOM collection.

Also, we've got the same pub date as Marissa Meyer's Fairest, and I think that's pretty cool.

I've gushed about this fabulous opportunity on this blog ad nauseam, but for those of you who need a primer/refresher, I'll direct you to my initial *squee*-filled announcement post (where I also briefly featured all the other writers, whose stories I need RIGHT NOW because they all sound phenomenal). Basically, I'm in a Wattpad anthology featuring fifteen teen writers total - short stories from a wide range of genres, all edited by Freshman Fifteen debut authors. 

My short story is called "Destinata", and if anyone would like a bit of info before they read the full story, that's here in my initial entry, which contains a pitch and a brief excerpt.

For the past few months, I've been going through three rounds of edits with my mentor, Kim Liggett, whose debut novel Blood and Salt is coming out this year. I'm so happy with how far the story has come and how much sharper it's gotten, and no doubt none of it would have happened without Kim's expert guidance. 

I have also been tweeting about the process - and so has my mentor (so you all can see for yourselves how sweet she is)!

I'm working on @Freshman15s revisions and dang, @Kim_Liggett has THE sharpest eye for plot and structure. Her comments are A+. #mentorlove
— christina (@clocksandcages) September 21, 2014

Sometimes things got a little... hard.

I just have twenty-two words to cut from this short story and I did not know the true meaning of pain until today. #amediting
— christina (@clocksandcages) September 22, 2014

But it was okay, because look! Kim Liggett is not only a wonderful mentor but a wonderful person who tweets things like this:

@clocksandcages So glad they made sense to you! I might be slightly biased, but your story is AMAZING. @Freshman15s #menteelove
— Kim Liggett (@Kim_Liggett) September 21, 2014

So proud of my @Freshman15s mentee @clocksandcages. Her writing is sublime. She's certainly one to watch.
— Kim Liggett (@Kim_Liggett) September 26, 2014

My @Freshman15s mentee, @clocksandcages, is killing it with her short story! Can't wait for everyone to read it!!!!!
— Kim Liggett (@Kim_Liggett) November 8, 2014

I'm mentoring such a fabulous writer for the @Freshman15s @wattpad anthology. So proud of @clocksandcages-- she worked her bahookie off.
— Kim Liggett (@Kim_Liggett) December 16, 2014

Which brings me to the conclusion:

On that note (see last RT) the whole world needs to know that @Kim_Liggett is a mentor bursting with awesome. I'm so grateful to her.
— christina (@clocksandcages) December 16, 2014

Additionally, I'd like to spruce up this little announcement post with a little "Destinata"-themed fun - in the form of a Pinterest board, of course! It's rather sparse but should give you a little insight into the story's aesthetic, if you're into that sort of thing:

Follow Christina's board destinata - short story on Pinterest.

I also did an interview with the Freshman Fifteens on their website about two weeks back, which you can read here (and basically witness me fangirling ad absurdum about feminism and fairy tales, which is what I do everywhere I go anyway).

Before you go, of course, I need to show you how you can get to the Common Room! Read on for more:

[ READ IT HERE ]

Be sure to check out the anthology and spread the word! Happy reading, friends!