I received an email today announcing my short story Etymology is a finalist for the Naked Girls Reading writing contest. Describing my joy at this announcement would fall short, so I’ll be brief: There has been dancing, singing, and later this evening there will be beer.

Here’s an excerpt from the story:

When she is submerged in words, late into the evening, I walk to the desk, rub her shoulders, whisper an invitation to bed, and say even early man took a break from hunting to mate.  She tries to explain the limited linguistics of early man that led to the naming of mountains and gods as I kiss her ears, unbutton our shirts, massage her wrists away from books.  She says that language led to everything we name now, to our apartment, our mismatched breasts, our pillows, our bed.  The headboard in our neighbor’s apartment we try to overpower.

The reading will happen in Chicago on November 18th after naked girls read each submission. So, in my mind, if a naked woman reads my work aloud, I’m already winning. Now I just need to scrounge up the money to buy a plane ticket.