At the Short Story America Festival & Conference in Beaufort, South Carolina, I met some wonderful writers, including T.D. Johnston, Kathryn Brackett, Katherine Tandy Brown, Mathieu Cailler, Gregg Cusick, John Engell, Susan Molada Madison, and Niles Reddick. I would have enjoyed meeting my fellow award winners, Michael Matson (“Heaven”) and Ray Morrison (“Doyle’s Diner”).