Just Call me "Author" for short

Earlier this year I sent several submissions to The Virginia Poetry Society's year contest. It was a first for me in over 20 years that I submitted a poem for anyone
to consider. Ofcourse though hopeful I knew there was little chance of winning anything. My writing is new, not very strong or sophisticated. I find my writing starts off strong but weakens. However, through the Society's web page I found a small press out of Charlottesville, Va.They publish a yearly anthology of short stories, and one of poems. 2010's Poet's Domain anthology will be based on Laurence Binyon's "Burning of the Leaves". You had to use two lines of the poem as "your own inspiration" in creating your own poem. I took the two lines "let them go toward the fire with never a look behind" "a world that was ours is a world that is ours no more". From those lines I wrote "The Towers" a memoriam to Sept 11, 2001.
To much surprise, I just got notice the poem was selected, along with a contract. I'm actually going to be published!! There will actually be some small royalties if the book sells well. The Publisher takes a portion of proceeds and makes a conribution to a Literacy Cause..I like that. The most amazing thing is that the
first published work is about 9/11....a day that still bares much sadness for me.
Poet's Domain "Burning of the Leaves" will be available through Amazon in late Nov.
Keep it in mind for Christmas. The only thing I know for sure is I plan to donate a book to our Library.