So on February 27 the Overlord told me I’ll be listed on the masthead of Lightspeed as Assistant Editor. I share the title with Jordan Hamessley, who is a children’s book editor by trade.

I choked on my tea and said thank you about a half dozen times.

A month later, having asked him repeatedly if he’s absolutely sure, I’m finally starting to feeling like it’s real, and am updating things from “slush reader” to Assistant Editor.

What this has involved so far apart from reading a whole lot of slush (and we do have other people who read some when they’re available) has been varied. I’ve done some proof-reading and some brain-storming; I’ve given some second- and third-opinions; came up with questions for an author interview; done whatever minioning needed doing, and on one notable occasion actually made an editorial pass at a story.

I feel really weird about it. Elated, but also humbled. I’ve only been doing this for three months. I won’t short myself and deny that I have worked very hard, but it’s still an honor I don’t really feel I’ve earned yet.

The solution to that, of course, is to just keep working hard. I figure by the end of the year I won’t feel like a total fraud anymore, right?

Right?