My wife and I are avid photographers and often go to the shore to take photos when the weather is good. One thing you can count on while walking the Atlantic shoreline is gulls. They are everywhere!
And what better than a presence hiding in plain sight to seed a story idea?
This photo of mine proved to be the inspiration for a story I called “Prey”, about an unnatural mutation in nature that proved to be particularly horrific. Just last night, as I was preparing for bed, my phone alerted me to a new email, which turned out to be an acceptance for “Prey” from an Australian publication!
When I saw this call last year, I thought “Prey” would be a perfect fit, so I sent it along… and promptly forgot about it. Well, the good news is that the editors didn’t forget about it, choosing it to be a part of this forthcoming publication. I believe this represents the first time my work will premiere in Australia, so there’s a first to celebrate.
Needless to say, I signed and returned the contract, along with the requested short bio, and then made my way to bed for the night with a smile.
As we head into a new year filled with the hope that a return to normalcy is coming our way, we can look forward to doing the things we love to do once more. Like those trips to the shore, composing images in our viewfinders as we keep an eye on our surroundings… the weather, the people, and the birds. Oh yes, don’t forget about those gulls.
Sleep well…
