Today I watched the live announcement of the 2022 Selah Award finalists, (The picture I am using is last year's symbol which I received as a finalist in last year's contest.) This year my name was not called as a finalist, though I did enter a piece. Still, I was overjoyed to hear the finalists' names called out for a couple of reasons. I have so many writer friends now and I heard a few of their names called and am happy for each. But one in particular, thrilled me! Jenni Clark Dickens is new to the writing world and not so well known yet, but I assure you in time her name will be known! I've had the privilege of reading her work and she is quite the writer!
I met her last spring when she attended a workshop I taught at the MidSouth Christian Writers Conference. After the conference she reached out to me for some mentoring help. I have read and edited some of her pieces and gotten to know her. We fast became good friends. When she sent me the piece that was announced as a Selah finalist today, I knew immediately it was a special piece. I gave her a few editing suggestions but precious few. She is really quite gifted at writing. And I told her to submit it to Chicken Soup for the Soul for their Christmas book. I was not surprised to learn they had accepted it a few weeks later. Then I suggested she submit it to the Selah in the Essay category, which she did. And today it was announced as a finalist! I think I may be as excited about that as she is.
But there is one more detail about this winning piece. She bested me. I entered a piece I'd had published in Chicken Soup for the Soul last year in this same category. Mine did not make the list of finalists. I feel like a teacher whose student has proven to be better than the teacher. It makes me proud as a peacock. Touche' to Jenni! Way to go! I applaud you and am honored to have had even a small hand in your current success.
