I entered a short story in the 2014 ABR Elizabeth Jolley Prize and received my response the other day.

Dear Jolley Entrant

 

This year almost 1200 writers entered the ABR Elizabeth Jolley Short Story Prize. The judges have now compiled their longlist, and I regret to say that your story (or stories) were not among them.

This is my FIRST super, proper, for real rejection!!! Still proud of it because at least I did something productive with my writing after years of being too scared to take a chance.

Take that, atychiphobia!