Ken Scholes on Writers of the Future

KEN SCHOLES (WOTF 21)

Not long ago, I promised an update on what's been happening for me since Writers of the Future XXI. Here it is, in a nutshell.

After coming home from the workshop and awards ceremony in Seattle, I continued to write and sell short stories. About a year later, I wrote my first novel, The Psalms of Isaak: Lamentation , based on a story of mine that had done well in Realms of Fantasy. At about the same time, Fairwood Press put out a limited, hardcover edition of my novelette Last Flight of the Goddess. Last Flight is doing well (I'll be sending a copy down to the Author Services Library soon), picking up some nice mentions including this one in the May issue of Analog I sent the novel to an agent in January and am now represented by Jennifer Jackson of the Donald Maass Literary Agency.

My writing career is off to a solid start and I credit the Writers of the Future program as a key factor in my continued success. Besides being a remarkable, pro-level venue for publication, the workshop is an amazing, skill-sharpening experience and the boost of confidence and exposure from that week is a great help in a field where external validation is hard to come by when you're first starting out. I am promoting the contest now at every con I attend and telling all of my friends that it's a great opportunity.

Folks who want to ask me more about my experience may contact me through my website -- www.sff.net/people/kenscholes -- or visit my live journal at http://kenscholes.livejournal.com .

Cheers!

Ken

P.S. Also, the story my novel is based on, "Of Metal Men and Scarlet Thread and Dancing with the Sunrise," (Realms of Fantasy, August 2006)) made the Locus Recommended Reading List and is eligible for a Locus Award. More details on that are at https://secure.locusmag.com/2007/2007PollAndSurvey.html

The novel continues that story and is part of an anticipated five volume series.