December 10th

The results are in - my novel THE HOLLOWING MOON is one of five finalists for the 2011 Mercer Street Books Fiction Prize. Selected from more than 500 entries, the winner is Dorette Snover for THE CITY OF LADIES. Find the excerpt from the winning novel, along with the list of five finalists at:

http://www.anderbo.com/anderbo1/andernovelcontest-02.html

My story "The Festering" will be featured in the inaugural issue of Sucker Lit in the upcoming months.

"The Weight of Emptiness" was recently accepted by Halfway Down the Stairs for the winter issue. This journal published my piece "Almost There" two years ago, and both pieces tell the same plot through the eyes of two different characters.

October 23rd

Some updates and news:

My novel THE HOLLOWING MOON is one of the four top finalists (out of 500 entries) of the Anderbo Novel Contest. The winner will be announced in December.

My story "In My Innocence" has been published in an anthology by Help Inspire Others.

Copies are being sold at www.lulu.com

http://www.lulu.com/product/paperback/panik/18186827?productTrackingContext=search_results/search_shelf/center/1

"Toni with an 'i'" was recently published in Red Fez.

http://www.redfez.net/nonfiction/327/0

"The Festering" has been accepted by Sucker Literary Magazine,

and will be featured in either the upcoming or February issue.

"The Weight of Emptiness" has been accepted by Halfway Down the Stairs,

and will be featured in their December issue.

Readings - I will be reading at the following venues next Sunday:

Phoenix Reading Series

Sunday, October 30th

4pm - 6pm

Caffe Scali

235 Bleeker Street

New York, NY

Art & Slush: Soho

Sunday, October 30th

7:30pm - 9:30pm

J.J. Holdings

94 Prince Street

New York, NY

September 16th

The first evening of the Boundless Tales Reading Series was a great success!

We are now looking for submissions for Thursday, October 27th.

Please note: although flyers have been distributed throughout Astoria and the date was originally October 20th, it is now October 27th.

Readings will usually run the third Thursday of each month, but this is subject to change based on holidays schedules.

August 29th

Boundless Tales Reading Series will launch on September 15th!

There are six great readers for the evening.

A separate website for the series is in progress.

Next reading: Thursday, October 20st

The theme is open.

In the spirit of Halloween your most terrifying stories are welcome!

June 29th

* Newsflash!! - I may be starting a reading series in Astoria that will (hopefully) begin in September. I will be inviting writers to submit their work for the series. Ten minutes per author, 6 - 8 authors will read for the evening.

Questions I want answers to (in order of importance from least to most):

What are my plans for tonight?

Is it bad to want to hire a person to clean the house even though I have off for the summer?

Why are some of my plants dying?

Am I mildly allergic to goat cheese or clam strips? (I had both last night and felt a tightness in my chest.)

Should I treat mean people fairly?

June 1st

Things I detest:

The feeling of dread

A recipe that requires more work than necessary, and tastes terrible

People who aren't straight-forward

People who constantly ask me if I'm mad at them

Right before the end of something great

Things I will always look forward to:

A new good book

My husband coming home (even if he went around the corner to buy bananas)

Making apple butter

Starting a new story

Getting rejection letters (that one is too long to explain)

May 27, 2011

My list of things I'm happy about:

I'm going to make coconut lime semifreddo this weekend.

I'm writing a story about a girl whose brother drowns.

I finished writing a story from the perspective of the character David in my published piece "Almost There."

My next next-door neighbor's house is being attacked by bees. (I'm not happy about this. I feel bad for him, but wanted to include it in the list as something interesting.) I have never seen a swarm so intense and unrelenting.

One of my favorite former students graduated from Five Towns last weekend. And although he invited me, I wasn't able to make it. But I'm so proud of him.

I went to buy iced coffee from Bakeway - one of my favorite places in Astoria - with my friend Karen who I think is awesome.

The theme of tomorrow's list.... TBA.

April 25th

Finally revised the entire manuscript again. Small, necessary changes.

Two days ago: three rejections.

Three days ago: my new story "The Darkness of North" was featured in Waccamaw Journal.

Today: going shoe shopping.

April 14th, 2011

New story released - "To Be Home Again" featured by Assisi Journal

Yesterday: two rejections

Tomorrow: "A matter that becomes clear ceases to concern us." - Nietzsche

I'm trying to figure out what to do about that.

Also - if you had to pick one person to follow for an entire day and they were oblivious to your existence, who would it be?

Who would it NOT be? Probably myself.

April 11th, 2011

Today: two rejections for two different stories, and one acceptance of a story that has already found a home with Assisi Journal. I had sent a withdrawal notice, but I guess they never received it.

Last week: an acceptance from Waccamaw Journal. The story should be featured by the end of the month!

Last month: a small press in Sacramento asked to see my entire manuscript "The Hollowing Moon". They said it will take them 4-6 weeks to get back to me. So hopefully by the end of this month I'll hear back from them.

Today I am contemplating going "live" with my website www.AidaZilelian.com.