Wow

So I finally get my first look at the e-ARC (advance reader's copy) of Jim Baen's Universe, and there's my story, "Astromonkeys!," in the Table of Contents.

Now get this: I share this Table of Contents with Alan Dean Foster, Gregory Benford, David Drake, Elizabeth Bear, John Barnes, Gene Wolfe, Bob Shaw (whose name you may not know, but who wrote one of my favorite short stories of all time), Mark Twain (yes, that one), David Brin, John Ringo, and Eric Flint. I mean, holy crap. Holy. Freaking. Crap!

Now granted, I haven't really read all of these authors, but I've read several of them and heard of all of them, and I am just amazed that I'm published alongside them. It freaks me out that I might, just might, possibly, run into Gene Wolfe some day and have him say, "Oh you're the guy that wrote that monkey story. I loved that story."

Yeah, I know, probably never happen, but what if? I'm freaking myself out.

Man, I need to start writing again. I've been on a break for too long.