They should have a mood choice of 'jubilant'.[br][br]I came home yesterday and opened up the post, not expecting much, and suddenly found I was pulling out a members magazine from the OCD-UK charity.[br][br]It really took some time for it to register with me what I was actually holding.  Some of you might know that back in January or February I sent e-mails to a bunch of OCD organisations, asking if they would be willing to link to my OCD short story on a MySpace blog I have.  This one replied within a day saying absolutely.  I was stunned.  After all that hard work putting together submissions to send to magazines, one night I had the idea to try OCD charities and in a day there I was with a 'yes'.  My very first 'yes'.[br][br]Incidentally, that's also how I found OCD Tribe.  I just googled 'OCD' and came across this site…and now it's been nine months and I can't believe how much my world has changed in just that time.  It feels like years.[br][br]Anyway, they asked me to send them a two-page extract to publish IN their members magazine.  I couldn't believe my luck!  And I was told it would be in the next issue, scheduled to come out in April/May.  Then it got postponed, and honestly I'd completely forgotten about it.[br][br]So yesterday there I was, holding it in my hand.  And suddenly, it dawns on me…omg my writing, it's in here somewhere.  I went flipping through the pages and there it was.  Page 7.  'The Royal Bank of Scotland' by Vrinda Barker.  They even printed my e-mail to them, asking if they'd be so kind as to advertise the story for me.  It seems like a lifetime ago.  I could help smiling at my earlier self.  Then, at the end, there's information about how to read the full story online.[br][br]Honestly.  I just stood there.  In total shock.  And then I started crying a teeny bit.  For the first time in my life, this writing thing doesn't feel like it's just a dream.  It's real.  There are people in England now who have seen a sample of my work, people who know my name.  I\\'m not saying I'm a celebrity of course!  But…all the same…I finally have the beginning of my 'portfolio' to show publishers one day.  And here I was, all these years, wondering how on earth one does such a thing.  And I've begun it.[br][br]Not to mention, I'm including that story in the OCD Book (and by the way, I was disappointed to learn that this members magazine happens to have the title I'd come up with for the book…though I guess, clever as it is, it's bound to be thought of by more than one person – I'll look into the ins and outs of this new information), so it\\s good publicity to fall back on, once that book actually takes proper shape.  (I'm still waiting on your stories!! 🙂 )[br][br]So…yeah.  I guess I still can\\'t believe it's happened.[br][br]And really, what with that news, and then everything that\\'s happening at home now (oh, the surprises never end!), my life pretty much feels like something taken straight out of a soap opera.  Now then, I MUST get that microchip out of Hope\\'s brain….:)