Last year when I went to the ASJA (the American Society of Journalists and Authors) annual meeting in April I was a bit of a sourpuss at the awards ceremony.
I was proud of all of those award winners but jealous too.
I’ve watched writers go to the podium to receive awards for years now and I wanted to be one of them! The story I submitted last year was on the cover of Smithsonian Magazine and also chosen to be in BEST AMERICAN SCIENCE WRITING but somehow that didn’t seem as impressive as winning an ASJA award.
“I think I want recognition from my peers,” I explained in a small voice to Andrea Cooper, an amazing writer I know through ASJA who ALWAYS wins awards (and totally deserves them). “Even honorable mention…”
This morning I got a phone call from ASJA. Linda Marsa told me that I won an award for Best Article in the category of Lifestyle Narrative Nonfiction for a story I did for More Magazine about Denise Cerreta, an entrepreneur who is fighting waste in the restaurant business and started a restaurant with no menus and no prices in Salt Lake City. You can read the article on-line here.
So I’ve been doing a happy dance instead of working.
Professionally this has been a hard quarter. I took time off after Leone was born in November without enough money in the bank to finance my self-given maternity. Last week the maternity leave and the dry spell ended with a big assignment (the one I should be working on right now) but it is going to take awhile to climb out of the hole we fell in with no safety net.
So it’s especially good timing for me to get a small feather for my tattered cap.
ASJA’s conference is the weekend of April 24th. See you there?!
{ 15 comments… read them below or add one }
You deserve this! Congratulations! I think your article on vaccinating could’ve been in the running, too. Nice work.
So happy for you! Congrats! And definitely see you there!
Congratulations!! well-deserved.
Congrats, Jennifer! So cool that you won AND realized a goal.
Terrific news, Jennifer. You have been working hard and it is wonderful that your talent is being recognized this way. Congratulations also on your Smithsonian cover story and having your piece included in Best Science Writing. But most of all, congrats on Leone.
Wow that is awesome!! Congrats!!
Go you!
Congratulations!! Hugs! *jealous*
Great work, Jennifer. Many congratulations!
Woo-hoo!! Congratulations!!
:0)
What an interesting, wonderfully written article. And an important one too.
Congratulations.
Congratulations! Ever since we attended the book festival in Charlottesville, i have felt it is a numbers game wherein some of the best must be getting lost in the shuffle of recognition. As a fan of your authentic, heartfelt and candid writing, you have thousands of invisible awards in the minds of the people whom you have touched.
Congratulations Jennifer! I’m doing a happy dance for you!!!!
I love your articles and it’s fitting they gave you an award. Congratulations!!!
Salut Jennifer!!
Félicitations pour la récompense, je suis très contente pour toi, c’est génial. Quel beau modèle pour les étudiants en journalisme!
Je t’en souhaite d’autres.
Très bonne continuation!!