Bagging a prize

Remember  how I said I'd been shortlisted in the H E Bates short story contest? Well, I went along to the awards do last night, and a good time was had by all in a very convivial atmosphere. This was the function for which I'd been rehearsing my public speaking skills - and big thanks to poet Kezzabelle for all her help - so I was a tad nervous, to say the least, but I managed to get through it without making an idiot of myself.

I'd been asked to go along and read out my entry: 'Scoring an own goal in tennis', and I had assumed that this was because I'm local, but no: I won a prize! No, not one of the main ones, but the award for the best Northamptonshire writer. (H E Bates was a local boy.)  I was amazed. I was presented with a certificate and a cheque, which latter has been turned into a lovely new bag.

Have a good weekend, folks.

Celebrate the Small Things  is a blog hop. Visit Lexa's Blog for the rules, and then post every Friday about something you're grateful  for that week. Originated by VikLit) and co-hosted by L.G. Keltner @ Writing Off The Edge and Tonja Drecker @ Kidbits Blog.