This is pretty neat, a short-list for an international writing competition:
http://www.commonwealthwriters.org/2016-commonwealth-short-story-prize-shortlist/
4000 entries from 47 countries, and 26 stories on the shortlist (including mine). Kind of blown away, to be honest.
Trent Lewin 
That is fricken awesome. Yay for you. It is an enjoyable read and I’m not surprised that it was chosen. Congrats, Trent. 😂.
Thanks Jaded – appreciate that.
Congrats Trent! Sending this comment from the fitness center at my hotel!
So happy for you! Just making it that far is incredible!
Absolutely Friking Awesome Tent. Man I knew you were amongst the best but to make the short list of 4,000 submissions from 47 countries is so cool. Congratulations dude! You are the best! Someday you’ll be a rich and famous writer and I’ll be able to say :”I knew Trent when he was a struggling writer.”
Thanks Paul – I’m not sure I’ll ever be other than a struggling writer, but for a moment it feels like otherwise. I could totally get used to this feeling.
Imagine sending in a piece and thinking that it should be an easy win as there are only 4,000 other applicants. Ha!
That is definitely another way of looking at it.
Congratulations!! They are a good judge of talent.
Thank you so much, Ann.
Congrats Trent! Sending this from the fitness center at my hotel! Just making it that far is incredible! So happy for you!!!
Fitness center? Figures! And thanks Kelly, blows my mind a little bit but it’s hard not to walk a bit taller suddenly…
Yes – about fell off the treadmill when I saw your message! I’m so thrilled for you! I hope the rest of the world has the opportunity to enjoy your talent as much as I do!
Don’t fall off treadmills! Unless you’re drunk… then it’s okay.
That could easily, easily be me. All it takes is a bit of scotch…
Sounds a bit risky, Trent! Don’t be like that guy! I just drove home in a snowstorm – like a white out! It was unreal! Have a good night 🙂
Woohoo! Well deserved. 🙂
Merci, Victo.
I’m not surprised in the least. You are a brilliant writer. Congratulations!
Thanks so much, Michelle.
Nice! Congratulations!
Thanks Walt!
Soooooooo cool. And very well deserved. I can’t wait to read the story!
Dude, you told me you were black! Remember? WTF, Holmes? You were my one black friend. Ah, well. Congrats. You’ve got the guts to put it out there so you deserve the accolades.
Hey nice to see you Mark, you’ve been a little absent lately!
Thank you, VJC. That’s nice of you to say/notice. I am weary of the sound of my own voice. I have cancer of the spirit.
No!!!!!!!! Unacceptable. Come on back, your absence has been noted, I left a message on your blog last week… we need you around, man.
But that’s the thing, Mark – a great storyteller can make you believe anything.
He was very convincing. I didn’t realize he was honing his improvisational skills.
What makes you think I’m not black????
They can even make you believe that they are in fact storytellers.
Hey you told me to get stuff out there, so I did… I owe you there.
Sweet!! Congrats!
Thanks Matticus!
Dude! Congratulations! That is freaking awesome!
Thanks man! Pretty cool feeling.
Congrats for a most deserved honor.
Thank you, Mark.
I’m so pleased! SEE, I told you you were good!
Thanks Vanessa – very kind of you.
Congratulations my friend…I’m so very happy for you. I raise my glass in honor of you! Sláinte
One day, we raise a glass together, SB.
Now there’s something to look forward to!!
I’m back, and I read their notice and the clip from your story. You had posted that story before! Repost, repost, repost!!!!!
Tell ’em I told you to. Then you’re not bragging!
Seriously cool honor for you. My fingers and eyes are crossed for you. Hopefully not my stars 😉
I knew you’d remember that… you corrected me on some names in that story, due to your keen editing eye.
I’ll pass that on to them – and I appreciate the crossed fingers and eyes!
Everybody needs a proofreader!
Amen to that.
But some are better than others, by the way…
Any time you need one.
Careful, I may take you up on that… in fact. Well, I may, and it may be more than you want to chew off, Elyse, but I’ll give you the option of deciding for yourself once you get more detail. E-mail me at trentlewin@gmail.com when you have a second.
I can help later in the month. I’m in the middle of a crazy hard project that is due on the 15th. But I’ll email you in the morning.
Awesome news – congrats!
Thanks much, Norm.
Super cool, my friend. And well deserved. Now, you should win
Thanks Audra – keep your fingers crossed for me, ok?
Of course. Keep me posted
Hi I am new to, well, the whole social media. I saw the pickle story and want to read more. My blogs are based on philosophy, feel free to check it out https://about.me/2muchsugarr
Because you are the man… or the most highly-evolved nudibranch I know… wait… spell checker, nudibranch is too a real word… they are soft-bodied marine gastropod mollusks… loser…
This is NOT a word!
Google it… I did… because I call people that all the time…
Good grief… really?
yup
also, it sounds cooler than gastropod… and I already call my daughter Mollie Mollusk.
Ewwww…. mollusk just sounds gross and slimy. Poor Molly!
No, she likes it… we even have a handshake… well, a high five… where we say: Mollusk me… and put our cupped palms together… also, I keep telling her to just cling to that slimy rock no matter what the ocean above her throws at her… perfect life advice.
Wow, this is amazing! Congrats, Trent!!! So happy for you. What an incredible honor.
Thanks much Amy. Been a pretty cool week.
That’s awesome .. and well deserved. Congratulations! …. I’m off to get a glass of wine for a toast.
Have a sip for me, Frank – and thank you, that’s much appreciated. It’s been quite a week hereabouts, lots of fun. And now back to that writing thing…
Cheers! You have a talent, so continue to push yourself.
Like I says to myself in the mirror, I have not even yet begun. Also, I really need to shave.
Encouragement with a slap of reality is a good combo.
When do we find out!?
Early May for the regional shortlist. September for the overall winner. Just happy to have made it this far.
You deserve very ounce of it. 🙂
Thanks dude. Figure I’m just getting warmed up.
what happened? have you won yet?
I totally didn’t win! Yes, I’m a loser. But at least I’m a fun loser.
yeah, that still makes you a loser…never mind; you’ll always be a winner to me, and i believe that’s all that matters…
You’re pretty much right, Babbage.
SO I didn’t bother to read the article, because I just noticed it… sorry, my bad. Anywho, it doesn’t matter what stupid list you’re on, we all know your da bomb!! Best writer I know! So Congrats and all, and let us know if ya win! STILL waiting on a book………………….and waiting…………….. 🙂