A shrine to the award-winning greatness of Rob Errera.
Okay, so it’s unquestionably arrogant to post a page featuring my writing awards. But what else am I supposed to do with them? I figured since I tout myself as an “award winning” writer, I’d better offer up some hard proof.
Once upon a time I had an office in New York City, and I hung all my writing awards on the wall. Visitors would look at them and seem impressed, but I always felt like kind of a pretentious douchebag afterwards. I have an office in New Jersey now, but I haven’t hung my awards on the wall…just pictures my kids drew. It’s a much cooler office.
You’ll probably notice that most of these awards are almost twenty years old. Why haven’t I won anything in since 1995? Because I suck now!
Also, in 1996, I left my full-time job as a newspaper journalist to become a magazine editor. Since I was no longer on the newspaper staff, my stuff was no longer eligible for the local journalism competitions. You gotta be in it, to win it!
Anyway here’s a quick visual tour of my various awards:
My first award, earned during a college internship at WBGO-FM radio. Finalist Award, International Radio Festival of New York, “Right to Know, WBGO-FM, 1990.
I won this award back in 1991 from the North Jersey Press Association for my reviews of Harlan Ellison’s Angry Candy, and Clive Barker’s Imajica. Whoop-Dee-Doo!
A trio of first place plaques : First Place, News Writing, North Jersey Pica Club, 1993; First Place, Column Writing, North Jersey Pica Club, 1994; First Place, Column Writing, North Jersey Pica Club, 1995.
A horrific win! First Place Blood Curdling Tales of Terror Contest, Dark Muse Magazine & Chiller Theatre, October, 1995. This was a cool award because I got to share the stage with Ben Chapman, who played the “Gill-man” in the original 1954 “Creature From The Black Lagoon.”
Seconds, Thirds, and Honorable Mentions: Second Place, News Writing, North Jersey Pica Club, 1994; Third Place, Critical Writing, New Jersey Press Association, 1992; Third Place, Headlines, North Jersey Press Club, 1994; Third Place, Feature Writing, North Jersey Pica Club, 1992; Honorable Mention, Spot News, North Jersey Press Club, 1994; Honorable Mention, Headlines, North Jersey Press Club, 1996.
The tour over, my awards are carefully stored back into their custom display case — right next to some dusty floppy discs and an old corded phone.