Having survived a week waiting to hear if I won, I relaxed my guard. Surely I wouldn’t find out on a weekend.

Well there I was, on a Sunday afternoon, watching the Aaron Rodgers-less Green Bay Packers beating the Bears, wife seated on the couch by my side, when my phone rings.

Caller ID Blocked.

It was Joni, her voice somewhat subdued as she introduced herself. “You took Third Place,” she said, letting the excitement back into her voice. “Did I do a good job of not letting my tone of voice let you know whether you won?”

“Maybe too good a job,” I managed.

We talked a few details, keep the first week of April open for a trip to LA. People are going to start emailing you about edits, bio, etc., and because we need to get the book to the printer this will start happening quickly. That sort of thing.

She wasn’t kidding when she said things would start happening quickly.

You know what else is super cool? The person from the Forum bunker? She won the quarter.