So! Hit another signpost on the writing road with my first short story in Endicott’s Journal of Mythic Arts Summer 2007 issue.

“Cooling” features a girl who’s a bit of an arsonist, a woman who is a bit of an alchemist, and a boy who is all water, walking around like he’s human or something.

Three guesses, and the first two don’t count, as to the mastermind behind the illustrations:

It’s the Young Adult fiction issue. I’ve linked to the masthead, not just my story. Be sure to check out the rest of what’s there. We’ve got stories by Holly Black, Will Shetterly, Emma Bull, O.R. Melling, Terri, Midori, Gwenda Bond, Steve Berman and tons of amazing stuff from amazing artists.

I don’t make deep personal confessions around here very often. But I do have one and it feels right.

Back in the day, years before I even contemplated reading comics in any sort of sustained way (let alone writing them) and way before I ran in any of the wonderful creative circles we are a part of now, I used to kill time at the office by combing through every word of the Endicott site. And come serious escapist daydreaming time, a sensitive, artistic blue-eyed husband with a handyman streak was just the beginning of my fantasy. What I really wanted more than anything was to be in one of these true creative partnerships a la Ellen & Delia, Charles Vess & Karen Shaffer, Brian & Wendy Froud, Will Shetterly & Emma Bull, and, of course, Charles & MaryAnn.

Both Endicott and marriage felt like major, major long shots at that time. And a creative marriage? WhatEver.

HA! Take THAT, weird ego!

Have a look and let me know what you think. It’s not my magnum opus, certainly, but I’m proud of it. I wrote it in the midst of some serious chaos last year (right around this time, actually) and it was one of those great escapes that one’s own stories can be when one is not feeling all that hot.

And yes, I do count my blessings constantly.