Exciting News! (At Least, I Think So)
Fri, Jan 13, 2012
Guess what that picture is! It’s my fairy tale post, formatted for the February 2012 issue of Reader’s Digest! The issue isn’t available in stores yet, but subscribers got it on the 11th. Update: It’s now on the RD website if you’d like to see it (unfortunately it’s a slideshow) - go here to check it out.
Back in October, I received an email from an editor at Reader’s Digest, asking for permission to use one of my posts in a future issue. I thought it was one of my friends playing a prank on me. As the emails continued, though, I started thinking, Maybe this is for real. By the time I signed and returned the permission form, I realized this could actually happen and it was hard not to be completely nerdy about it.
I told a few of my closest blogger friends and my parents, but I didn’t mention it to anyone else because I just knew RD would change their minds before the issue came out. Surely they would realize their mistake! Because who am I, other than some random PF blogger in an ocean of PF bloggers? Why would they choose a post that I honestly didn’t think was very good? But they did, for whatever reason, so I waited (impatiently) for mid-January, when I assumed the new issue would be published.
On Wednesday night, Pam from Money Trail sent me a tweet:
And I freaked out because I had no idea it was out already! Pam was kind enough to send me screenshots so I could see my name in print. I drove to Walmart to see if I could buy a copy, but it’s not there yet.
So that’s my excitement for the day. (Or the month. Maybe the whole year.) I’d like to think that this is going to be some amazing turning point and I’ll become rich and famous, but realistically, very few people read the bylines in RD. It’s an honor to have an article published, so I’ll be content with that. For now.
I appreciate all of you who hang out, read, and comment, as well as those who help promote my posts on Facebook and Twitter. You have no idea how much. And who knows? One of you may be responsible for Reader’s Digest seeing my post and contacting me! Thanks to all of you for your part in this milestone. So Over Debt wouldn’t be here without you. (PS If you see the February issue in a store, please let me know so I can go snag a few copies!)
That is so freakin' awesome. You should definitely frame it.
I may have to go run and pick up a copy for you to sign!
That is so incredibly awesome! I can't wait to read it
Wow Andrea, congrats! Thats awesome!
Congratulations again, Andrea! I knew that you were one to watch way back in August when I became your stalker and read through every post in your archives. You're just proving me right!
Also, back off Eric Nisall! I get the first autographed copy!
Oh wow, that is very awesome. Many congrats to you!
That's awesome! Congrats.
Yay! This is so cool! Very exciting to see other bloggers get some attention like this!
Congrats!! Gonna have to actually check my mail and see if my issue is in there.
Very exciting!
Congrats!
" I’d like to think that this is going to be some amazing turning point and I’ll become rich and famous" - Let's stick with that. Call it the turning point… don't forget us little folks on the way up, haha!
Seriously, congrats. It's well-deserved.
You're a rock star! So happy for ya
Awesome! Congratulations!!
This is so exciting!! CONGRATULTIONS!! If this makes it into the Canadian version of RD, I'll definitely pick up a copy. Awesome!
And while you're right that readers don't tend to care about bylines, editors certainly do! You can definitely use this to leverage your way into other paying magazine work.
HOORAY!
My parents get Reader's Digest and every now and then they get an offer to give someone else a year's subscription for free. One of those deals must have been sent to them because I got notification that I was going to get the Digest for the next year, along with Feb's issue. It had been sitting on my counter for a few days unread because I just hadn't had time to read it yet…but when I saw your tweets the other night I excitedly opened it to find your article.
Kick ass, Andrea, I'm keeping this issue.
That is so awesome! Congrats!
SO pleased for you! I believe you are well on your way to picking and choosing where you'd like to be published, not just being glad you're published!
May I have your autograph? Awesome!
Congrats, Andrea. I am so proud of you!
I'm going to need you to sign my copy next time we see each other!!
Congrats again!
Congrats! That's super awesome!
AWE-SOME! Congratulations!
I actually found your site because of reading this outstanding article in Reader's Digest yesterday.
Nice work!
You have no idea how much it makes my day to hear that! Thanks so much for stopping by!
It was such a fun moment when I saw your article! My daughter gave me one of those "my mom's gone crazy" looks because of the whoopin' and hollerin' I was doing. Congrats!
Yay! This is so cool! Very exciting to see other bloggers get some attention like this!
YOU ARE A ROCK STAR!!! Soak it all in, baby! Frame that bitch up
Congrats! That's so awesome
#Amazing!
That couldn't be more cool. I get to say "I kind-of-knew-her" before she was a Reader's Digest rock star….
Huge congrats!
Congratulations!!
This is SO great! I totally understand why you did not say anything to anyone (with an exception of your closest friends and family.) I would do the same thing.
Huge, huge congratulations. I think from now on you might see a lot more great changes coming your way. Well-deserved!
That's such an honor. You deserve it!
WOW That's FREAKING amazing!!! Congrats !!!! I am so happy for you!! You should be jumping up and down!!! I would!!
PS: sorry for the late reply i couldn't post at work
That is SO COOL, Andrea! Congrats!
That is very exciting news. Congrats. So very happy for you. I hope you do become rich but not too famous.
I can't wait to read it! You should be very proud.
Yeah - amazing! I think you have already passed the turning point. You're going to be selling your site for millions in under 3 years. Just wait.. How about I get 1/10th of a percentage if I'm right?
Hahahaha it's a deal. Somehow I don't think I'll have to worry about it!
That's too awesome. Congrats Andrea!!!
I will definitely buy it if I see it at any store! But I can't remember the last time I saw the RD in the checkout stand? I guess I'll have to drag myself over to the magazine aisle.
Congratulations! It always beats everything else when we get rewards or recognition. Hard work should pay itself off someday. Wait for better things to happen. And yes, frame it, as Niki suggested
Thanks to all of you for the congrats and kind words! I didn't want to go down the thread typing "Thanks!" over and over but I do appreciate all of you for being awesome and supportive!
Congrats!!