1. between july and december last year, i got only about 40 acceptances, because i didn't write as much poetry as, and thus made far less subs than, before. this is mainly because i devoted much of my time to prose writing. (in 2024, i will have to focus mostly on revising, editing and finalizing my prosework.)
2. on aug. 29th, 2023, i got an email from an la-based small press, informing me about their acceptance of my first long novel titled mabakoola: paradise regained (about 100 k words), which includes the second and third part of my trilogy TOWARDS. this means a lot to me, as i spent only 20 months in the whole process, from the conception of the novel to the final acceptance for publicatoin (in 2025).
3. on sept 25th, 2023, my 16th solo poetry collection free sonnets was published by a small american press called dark onus press; unfortuanately, the press has stopped operation by now. link: https://www.google.com/url?sa=j&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.blurb.ca%2Fb%2F11705634-free-sonnets&uct=1700843118&usg=HagwhMqVhKWxreyuSW6di8lsQ5k.&opi=98421741
4. on sept 30th, 2023, the uk-based lincoln review informed me about their nomination of my short story "feng shui" as the "best of the net for 2023" (fiction category).
5. on october 28th, 2023, i received an email from unconventional courier notifying me that it had nominated my short story "emotional curiosity" for the 2023 pushcart prize (fiction category); about two weeks later, another new york-based journal did the same. this is particuarly encouraging: i didn't begin to write fiction until early 2022 after retirement, but thus far i've got three nominations in this category.
6. during the frist half of last year, i wrote 20 short stories. between november 19 and 29, right after i returned from my two month long china trip on november 15, i finished drafting another 10 short stories.
7. between december 5th and 25th last year, i finished drafting another novel, titled the tuner, about 50 k words, based on my own love experiences, which i will self-publish if eventually i fail to find a reasonably 'good' press for it.
fortunatly, 2023 turned out to be the peak of my life: literarilly, i made the greatest breakthrough; econimically, i made most profits; and emotionally, i had my most enjoyable days in my entire life.
one thing worth mentioning: before returning to vancouver, i met a shamanistic practitioner in person, who not only has some super skills but happens to be a distant cousine of mine.
i feel deeply grateful for allowing me to do and get what i really want to. 🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏
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