How to say...

Back from spring break vacation. I thought the magazine in plastic lying on the table was another magazine from the Insurance company.

This afternoon, in between catching up on reviews and rewriting stuff, I tore the plastic sheet open. Out tumbled Interzone 203.

Oh no, I think. Did I order Interzone 203 in my sleep? Where's the order slip? Where is it?

I open the first page of this shining, glossy, science fiction mag, and out tumbles a note from Andy.

"Enjoy your subscription of Interzone," he writes. "A gift from Ellen Pierce."

I stand at the table, message in my hand. What to say, what to think?

**

Ellen is Lily. Well, she's sort of like the little sister I never had. She lives in the UK and she is a bookworm ( like me ). She is years younger than I am, but we share the same memories of Banaue.

Even though we're not blood-related, I've always felt like she's family...and her stay with us was so relaxed and so easy, we browsed through bookshops and shops alike. I shared my dream of breaking into Interzone someday...She brought me stamps for SASÉ's so I could send subs to the UK.

Standing there, I realized how awesome it is to have someone believe 100% in a dream you imagined you cherished for yourself. I suppose there's no getting out of it now, I have to write something Interzone -worthy...and that's just about one of the hardest markets in the science fiction world to break into.

Thanks for believing in me, Lily. One of these days .... :)