One year ago today, Every Day Fiction Magazine published my first story to commemorate the devastating events that occurred a decade prior. I originally wrote it to address the atrocities of terrorism, and was both surprised and honored to have it brought to light on that day.

While the piece was met with some controversy, I felt we should hold close the reality of these horrific acts. Likewise, I felt we should never forget the dangers that we, ourselves, can pose through the realization of our retribution. In my own way, that story was how I showed remembrance for the innocents that fell victim, both on our shores, and those on others that may have suffered through our retaliation.

I suppose it still is, even now.

That said, this is truly a hard day for me to celebrate, given the concurrent anniversary of something so much larger than myself. Yet it is a day of personal celebration nevertheless, as it’s also the anniversary of my first published work, and the landmark of my first year as a public writer.

In this last year, my focus was largely on Flash Fiction. I worked on a side project for fun (which has already reached the length of a novel, and developed a bit of a following all its own), and also managed to get eight stories published. My material ranged around a thousand words or less, with some dipping as low as fifty. My work will be present in at least one anthology, and for The Widow’s Tale, I even found myself nominated for The Pushcart Prize.

I’ll admit, this exceeded my goals.

However, I have decided to up the ante. In the coming year, I plan to extend on that — to work on larger short fiction, to increase publications, and to prepare a novel.

I can’t express enough appreciation for all of you that grant your time on my stumbles in fiction. A writer is truly nothing without a reader, nor the publishing groups that make this creative process possible.

Likewise, I would like to show my appreciation for all the men and women that strove to rescue those victims on that horrific day. For the public service people that risked (and at times lost) their lives for our friends and our family, on 9/11 and every other day that tragedy has touched. You have not received the support you deserve, but for what it’s worth, I thank you!

Finally, for a hard day to celebrate, I say here’s to another year.