A little off-topic, but I feel the need...

This landed in my inbox today...

"Hi Rob

This is just a quick note from SFX to let you know that your story was chosen as one of the runners-up in our writing competition.

The standard of entries was very high but the judges at Gollancz chose your tale, "Wolves at the Door", as one of the final stories (the overall winner was a chap called Colin Harvey, who's story "The Stinker" will be the lead story in the book).

We have printed your story, alongside other runners-up, in that book. It's being given away with the next issue of SFX, which hits the news-stand next week, from Wednesday 30 August.

Thanks again for entering the competition, and well done for the quality of your story. You can see your name on our website (www.sfx.co.uk) later on today."

I'm utterly gobsmacked. Happy, freaked out, frankly still shaking a little. It's the kind of vindication of the fact that I can put a meaningful narrative down on paper that I've never had before. This, in the week when Snatching Time gets a full West End screening as part of Frightfest.
I think I might just explode with joy. Or maybe that's just wind.