Dear Me at Age 12:

Hi, it’s Me! I’m writing at age thirty-six. Yes, that is old. No, you don’t have an awesome motorcycle. Or a sword. No, no trench coat, either. Trust me, you’ll actually stop wanting to dress like Connor MacCleod someday, as impossible as that might sound right now.

Anyway, I thought I’d just make a list of some of the good stuff that’s happened the last couple of years, because it’s going to blow your mind. And because sometimes there will be kind of lousy days and you’ll want to have a list of your accomplishments. (That’s just a normal part of being a grown-up.) So here goes.

Remember how last summer you decided you wanted to be just like Margaret Weis and write those Dungeons and Dragons novels? Well, guess what? That totally happened! I mean, it’s a slightly different game, but it was born from D&D and it’s still all magical and stuff, and your heroine is super tough and has a sword and everything. No, her eyes aren’t purple. That trend died in the ’90s.

Oh, and I know you’re still thinking about Powell’s Books. Aren’t you glad your sister took you there last year? Anyway, your book is on their shelves, and you’ll be part of a big signing there in November. And that big yellow column with all the signatures? Yours is up there now, too. You should probably work on your penmanship.

I know that ever since you started reading that Fairy Tale series that you’ve wanted to be an editor like Terri Windling. No, I’m sorry. You don’t work in New York at a big publishing company. But you are an editor, and you got to work with Terri Windling last year! And you know what? She’s just as awesome as you thought she’d be. (Oh, and word to the wise? You should start reviewing the rules about using commas now, because they can be pretty confusing. Don’t worry about semi-colons, though; you’ve got those.)

And remember how you wrote down in your journal that someday you want to win a Nebula or a Hugo award, even though you’re not really sure what they are, but you know Anne McCaffery won them and she’s even cooler than Margaret Weis? Well, brace yourself, because this happened this weekend:

Hugo for Best Semiprozine: LIGHTSPEED MAGAZINE

Just one more thing, little Me. I want to thank you for dreaming big. I don’t think there are a lot of kids out there who know what an editor is or want to write gaming tie-in fiction or would sit down and write “I want to win a Hugo award.” You’re kind of big weirdo, and I love that about you. I’m so glad I got to make your dreams come true.

Now I have to get back to work, because I didn’t stop dreaming when I was 12, and dreams don’t keep coming true if you don’t keep fighting for them. And don’t forget: you’re destroying science fiction, and that’s pretty great.

Hugs and kisses,

Wendy N. Wagner, aged 36