National Book Award Finalist

IT HAS A SHINY STICKER.

So this happened.

I’ve known since Tuesday morning. But Tuesday was my birthday, so I had suspicions that this was all a birthday prank–an astonishingly cruel and elaborate birthday prank. I didn’t even tweet one of those “I have magnificent news, but I’m not allowed to tell you yet!” sort of tweets, just in case it was a prank. But now they’ve announced the finalists on TV and the internet and I’m listed as one of them and everything on TV and the internet is true, right? So maybe this is true.

My very first novel is a National Book Award Finalist.

Right now I feel as though all of my blood has been replaced with some sort fizzy, carbonated drink. My face is in a state of permanent blushing. My hair might catch fire at any moment.  My book gets to wear a medallion on the cover.

I need to rent a tux.