I've never taken a creative writing course in high school or college. I've read books on the craft of writing and paid people to evaluate my work, but it wasn't until I joined Joy Writers of Roswell, New Mexico that I was able to hone my skills. My high school English teachers encouraged me to write, but I didn't get around to it until late in life when I learned that you can't grow until you let others comment on your efforts. I've submitted stories to many journals, some keeping them for years, before rejecting them. Nonetheless, I will be published even if I have to do it myself. As I entered this contest and read other's work, I know there's lots of great unpublished stories that need to be read.