Just before Christmas I was asked to write a short story for a Doctor Who anthology - my first ever professionally published piece of fiction. This morning an envelope arrived containing a nice colour proof of the cover and the typeset story for me to correct and sign off. It’s what finally made it sink in for me – before this it was just emails and phone calls back and forth.
Seeing my name there among the others on the back cover, for the first time, was just the best feeling.
Commissioning the first story was a bit of a speculation by the publisher, but after reading the one I submitted to them they’ve now invited me to write another one for an upcoming anthology towards the end of the year.
I know it’s not exactly great literature, but I’m still investing a little quality time doing my happy dance 
So is this thread larger on the inside than it is on the outside?
Congratulations! That’s great! So what’s the name of the book so we can look for it, then?
That’s wonderful, and congratulations! What kind of story are you writing: action, romance, or just plain ol’ sci-fi?
Congratulations! I just saw Tomb of the Cybermen and The Aztecs through Netflix. Good times. Good times.
What Doctor are you featuring? Any famous villians?
Congratulations!
We are the supreme beings! You will obey!
Thanks all for the congratulations.
My story featured the eighth Doctor (Paul McGann), but no famous villains. Most of the copyrights on the well known baddies are held by the authors who created them, making them, at best, problematic to use. I may get to use the Draconians in my next story though.
The collection’s full title is “Short Trips : A Universe of Terrors”
Do you get to pick which Doctor, or do they assign you one?
In this case I got to pick which Doctor I wanted to write for.
In the next story they may well be assigning one to me - my editor said something about Sylvester McCoy, and then laughed in a very disturbing way.
First of all Congrats!!That is wonderfull.
Now please tell me you think Tom Baker was the best Doctor?
[sub]I had a crush on Sarah[/sub]
No, no, no, it was definitely Peter Davidson. (with Nyssa. definitely with Nyssa.)
And let me add to the congratulations for Armilla.
Congratulations! When is the book released?
Ooops… Davison, not Davidson. Sorry.
If I had to pick a Doctor as being the best I think it’d be a close call between Tom Baker and Peter Davison, more so since they were the actors I grew up with playing the role. In the end I think Tom Baker wins on points.
The book’s being released sometime in June, but with any luck I should have my copy a little sooner than that.