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I (Q) published for the first time when I was a Goddard MFA student. An extremely personal essay in a small but prestigious literary magazine. A kind woman named Myfanwy Collins read that piece and wrote a few words of praise on her blog, which I found because I was desperately searching the Internet for affirmation. This was the first time my work had been praised by a stranger. Ever. She found my essay humorous. I was so overcome with joy that I immediately e-mailed this stranger and...