Good News. My long short story “Pandemic” was a finalist in the December 2013 Glimmer Train Fiction Open Contest. “Pandemic” was inspired by my trip to Italy five years ago. I wrote the story mentally for several years before committing it to computer screen, seeking feedback, revising and sending it out. Many thanks to the following people, who read all or part of the manuscript: Brian Brennan, Barb Howard, Shaun Hunter, Lee Kvern, Marilyn Letts and Deborah Willis.