Update on "The Pearl"

I entered the "God Uses Ink Novice Contest" a few weeks ago. I found out yesterday that I won third prize for my age group. I tied for third with some-one else and the prize is a $50 gift certicate to the Word Guild. Unfortunately, it is hard to spend this money unless you go to the writers' conference in June which would cost you another $350. I am not sure what else you could get with it from them, but my Mom is going to the conference so maybe she could try to spend it there. Or, as she just suggested, she could try to apply it to her own registration and then give me the $50. The first prize was free admission to the Writers' Conference and second prize was a $100 certificate. My reward from my Mom for even entering the contest is that she is going to take me out to a restaurant of my choice. I am somewhat excited about winning third, but slightly disappointed I didn't win first prize so I could go to the writers' conference for free. It would have been fun, but I didn't really expect I would win first. I will get an email soon with the judge's comments.