I am a planner. Anyone who knows me will tell you as much, and although sometimes I feel subtle teasing lingering behind those smiles (there she goes again, overthinking the details!), I know this personality trait has its benefits.
If you’re a planner too, perhaps you’ll recognize the calm that comes with a list or a strategy, the settling of thoughts that a plan can provide. Knowing what my day, my week, or my month has in store, at least generally, brings quiet to my mind. When I write, planning isn’t as essential. My plots and characters are always loosely structured, and in most cases, my stories veer sharply in another direction when I actually start writing and the characters share their voices with me. But in the other elements of my writing career, such as submissions and publisher queries, I rely on spreadsheets and calendars and deadlines that bring some control to the chaos of creativity.
But then sometimes - surprise! - those carefully laid out plans are just as easily upended. In the early days of the pandemic, I learned a lot about accepting the unknown. It was hard, and frankly it still is, but I pushed myself to become a wait-and-seer, awkwardly accepting the go-with-the-flow approach that is second nature to so many. Now, I find myself in that place of uncertainty again, but this time in the most exciting way!
As some of you may have seen from my social media posts, my novel Fault Lines has been shortlisted for the 2025 Guernica Prize for Literary Fiction! The prize includes publication with Guernica Editions, a Canadian Press out of Ontario with a strong reputation for supporting emerging authors and promoting Canadian literature. If you are interested in learning more about Guernica Editions and what they publish, check them out here. I am deeply honoured to have my novel chosen as a shortlist contender.
In truth, after submitting to Guernica’s annual contest back in April, I put it out of my mind. I was still querying the last few remaining publishers from my curated list (off a spreadsheet of course!), and contests are always real longshots. I focused my chances instead on the query process. There are many considerations in who to query – most importantly if they publish similar books, but also the timing and length of their submission window, and how long they might take to respond. As I had been working on publishing Fault Lines for a few years, I decided that this would be my final push for seeking traditional publishing, and I would return to that goal with the second novel instead. As I waited out the last few responses, I created a workback plan for self-publishing with a launch in the spring, a plan that is now on hold as I enter this wait-and-see phase! What is it they say about best laid plans?
Many of you have shown me so much support with this debut, graciously asking when you can read the novel or where you can purchase it. In my next
bi-monthly newsletter in December, I will update you all on the next steps in
my publication journey. My landscape of possibility is currently altered, and
there are a number of things to be considered and investigated, but I am hopeful
that this novel will be available within 2026, including the possibility of self-publication. I can’t thank you all enough for your endless encouragement. I am grateful for this shortlist opportunity with the Guernica prize, and even more grateful for such a supportive group of readers behind me every step of the way!
New Website Coming!
I’ve decided to re-develop my website over the next couple of months, moving to a platform that will provide a bit more flexibility in style and design. I’m at the beginning stages, but barring anything unforeseen, I expect the new website will be up and running by the time the next newsletter goes out mid-December. Emails will still come from the same email address and I am hopeful that this will not interrupt your ability to receive communication in your inbox. That said, please mark contact @shirleyhaywrites.com as safe to help prevent any hiccups!
I’m looking forward to sharing a new, fresh look with you soon!
Recent Publications:
I’ve been lucky to have a few short stories accepted for publication recently. Most are available online and can be accessed through the links below. Please check them out!
1) KISSED BY A FISH (Off Topic Publishing – Honourable Mention in September creative non-fiction contest)
2) INTERWOVEN (Jacqui Just Chatters podcast)
3) RAISING (Creation Magazine Volume 8: A Blueprint Issue)
*This journal is only available in print and unfortunately, they do not currently
ship to Canada. However, I have a few copies that I can sell at cost ($10) if
anyone local is interested. Let me know! If you are a US follower, you can order a copy here.
4) THEN (Vine Leaves Press 50 Give or Take)
*This microfiction will be published as story #1882 within the next three months. If you'd like to sign up for the mailing list to receive daily microfiction, you can do so here.
50 Books for 50 Years:
This is the last month of my 50 Books for 50 Years challenge! When I turned 50 last November, I gave myself the challenge of reading 50 books within one calendar year, and as I complete the last list for October, I’m happy to report that I’ll have accomplished that goal. Thank you so much to all the readers who gave many wonderful suggestions. Although I didn’t get to quite all of them, I still have them on my TBR list, and I’ve loved the many recommendations I did have the chance to read over the past twelve months. As I continue to interweave both reading and writing, I will also continue to review books and share these finds with readers. All the books I’ve read during this challenge have been reviewed on Goodreads, and some of them are also reviewed more in-depth on my website.
Here is my October list:
1) Anarchists in Love by Robert Hough
2) The Longest Night by Lauren Carter
3) The Year of the Flood by Margaret Atwood
4) Count on Me by Ann Cavlovic
If you'd like to leave a comment, please do so below. Have a wonderful fall!
