I told a lie on purpose. I admit it: I'm a liar, and I'm proud of it! I'm telling the truth about that. Honest. Okay, maybe I didn't really tell a lie, but everyone thought I did.

It happened at a Tall Tales and Liars competition, where I recently won both the Judges' Favorite and the People's Favorite. I can now say that I am an award-winning liar! That's kind of fun to brag about. The competition was held in Waxhaw, North Carolina at Made in the Carolinas, a quaint little shop that sells artisan work made by North Carolina artists. It was such fun to be there with all the other tellers and listen to their stories. They told tales about Johnny Appleseed, Southern Accents and college adventures; there was even one about a mother who was carried into space by stray fireworks. All in all, it was a pleasant evening of lying. 

When my turn came, I told a story about a farmer's unconventional way of protecting his cattle from city deer hunters while, at the same time, sparking an open air forum where children could learn to spell their very first word. Thing of it is, the story is based on truth; it actually happened! Since it was a Liars competition, perhaps you think it was unfair for me to win with a story of truth. But, if you really think about it, I did lie by saying the truth was fiction.

Sometimes life really is unbelievable.