I am an award-winning author. At the end of 2016, I won an award for a book I wrote. Pretty cool. It was a dream come true. Sort of. When I was a kid, my favorite book in the world (still is, btw) was Bless Me Ultima. That book inspired me so much that I fell in love with all things Chicano. And literary prizes. Bless Me Ultima won an award called the Quinto Sol and I wanted nothing more than to win one. Alas, like everything else pertaining to the Chicano Movement, the Quinto Sol faded away into history. Still, my book, 49 Tips and Insights for Understanding Addiction won the 2016 Self-Help Book of the Year (the NM-AZ Book Coop awarded it to my work).

When my editor called me to inform me of my victory, I was more than elated. The heavens shined light on me and I felt like I had arrived as a writer. I thought editors and agents would line up to feed me grapes. I expected colleges and universities to flood my inbox with teaching offers. But most of all, I figured publishers would offer me tons of money for my next book. I would be set for life with all the success my award would bring.

But none of it happened.

No one really called afterward. I may have fulfilled a dream, but I had to comfort myself with the knowledge that someone found value in my work. Otherwise, though, my writing career fizzled. The truth was that even if the grapes and publishing deals had come through, I didn’t have a manuscript ready. I hadn’t really been writing and after I won, it took a while to get back to the keyboard. I wasn’t being lazy, it’s just that I was out of ideas and words. Plus, life happened and I had to focus on family matters (my own, not the old sitcom from the 90’s).

But now, I have a manuscript almost ready for editor/agent review. And I’m still an award-winning author. Although agents haven’t knocked down my door, no one from the writing world took my award away from me, either.

And so, the hard part now begins: I have to find a publisher. My previous publisher died, which sucks from a career perspective (may he rest in peace, though). I can self-publish, which is a viable option, but that takes money and time, two things I don’t have in abundance. Yet, I have hope and I am happy that I have been able to produce a new book.

Winning an award was cool. It wasn’t the Quinto Sol, but that’s ok. I think my new book will also win an award, but it will also fund the rest of my life with its incredible sales. That’s the goal, anyway…