Dr. Judith Freidenberg

Department of Anthropology

1111 Woods Hall

University of Maryland

College Park, MD 20740

Thank you for considering my short story in response to the Sebastian Herbstein Memorial Fund Scholarship in creative writing. I am aware that your selection process was highly competitive, and I am thrilled that you found my submission sufficiently interesting. I love to write; it will always be a part of my life. As I stated previously, I am moving to Los Angeles upon graduation with the intention of submitting my screenplays.

I need to be close to Hollywood. I will use the money to help finance my move to LA and to help support my writing career. Coming from Boston, this is definitely a major move. I used to question why I had to learn something. I have outgrown that. There is so much I need to learn, so much I want to know. I am incredibly excited about the future.

I am also extremely sorry about your loss. I enjoyed Sebastian’s “Just The Parts I Remember” tremendously. My father died unexpectedly last winter.

His death left me sometimes numb, sometimes desperate, and always hopeless. Losing my father so suddenly- I don’t think I can begin to explain how lost I have felt all term. I have tried to function, tried to be normal, but half the time, I just sit, empty. I say this not to elicit sympathy, but rather to express how truly sorry I am for you. It is not easy.

Thank you again for selecting me. It is a tremendous honor.

Sincerely,

William H.G. Bennett

222 Church St

Middletown, CT

06459

Delta Kappa Epsilon, Gamma Phi, Wesleyan University