WRITING - PROSE

The first recognition I received for my writing was from officials of the Michigan Hemingway Society.  They decided to offer the Society's first short story contest in conjunction with its 1995 Fall Conference, held annually in Petoskey, Michigan.

I crafted my story which was actually about 90% non-fiction without telling any family members.  What a surprise to be notified that my story was awarded first place.  And how surprised I was about ten years later to be sitting next to Hemingway's nephew during the banquet at a subsequent Annual Conference to learn that his short story that year came in second place!  I was obligated to read my short story at the Reception for the Annual Conference within the hallowed interior of the Perry Davis Hotel in Petoskey that year.  

A Hemingway fan since college, I had visited his sister at her Walloon Lake cottage to have her sign the biography she wrote about her brother.  Somewhat later I found out that she participated in many local book signings and that there must be hundreds of similarly signed copies.

Unfortunately, there is a typo in the story created by the person entering the text of the story in the MHS Newsletter.  "Fiesta" should have been italicized and bold since it is the name of the Spanish language translation of Hemingway's The Sun Also Rises.