01.12.2008
So after my rejection from ASIM, six days ago, I had - count 'em - zero stories out for rejection. For those of you who don't know me personally, this could quickly become a dangerous state of affairs.
"Why," you ask. "Could it be that after all that rejection, you won't want to send any more? That your feelings have been so crushed and trodden upon that you can no longer summon the will?"
"Hah hah hah," I belly laugh at your peasant thinking. "No, little reader. No."
It is far, far more dangerous my friends. No rejections means, well... no rejection. And a lack of rejection starts to make me think that I'm better than, well... everyone. Yes, including you.
(On a side note, it also means I have a hard time leaving my apartment because my head is unable to fit through the door. You can imagine what this does to my social life.)
So I rectified this situation before it got out of hand. I sent off five submissions today so that I can bite my nails, chain smoke cigarettes, and generally be a more personable kind of asshole while I wait for validation I know is never going to come.
Where did I send them? Bear witness:
Ayla Athena got postal mailed off to Asimov's Magazine of Science Fiction becuase... because... well, because it's the next place on its list of places to go that still pays pro rates. By the by, if Asimov's rejects it, that'll make four for this little baby. Still, I have four other places to send it to before I consider retiring it for a while. However, it'll make the first time I've been rejected by that fine magazine.
Drug Enforcement also got sent via the fine folks at the US Postal Service to the unknown - and frankly, frightening - editors at Fantasy & Science Fiction. A rejection from them would also be a first for the periodical and mark the fifth rejection for the story. I chose F&SF because it was next on the list also.
By the by, should they both get rejected, they have each other's submission magazine on each other's list so it would just be a reversal. That's what I call symmetry, baby!
Rugged Individualists got emailed to my fine friends at IGMS for its third rejection though I've been rejected by those editors so many times I've almost lost count. And guess what the next two markets on its list are? You know it, Asimov's and F&SF. Wahoo!
Dutch got sent off to Clarkesworld Magazine and its fine editor for my second rejection from them and my second rejection for the story. Again with the symmetry.
And lastly, Rebellion got sent off to Strange Horizons for its second rejection. It's been revised as per my previous discussion and does, in fact, read significantly better. The only shame I feel with that story is that the more I revise it for readability, the more world details I have to cut because they just add to general confusion.
But whatever. Getting paid and published beats out any artistic "credibility" I might possess.
And that wraps up my submission-crazy weekend. Stay tuned for February when I hem and ha over whether to send Skin to the fine folks at Abyss & Apex for rejection number... ah... fuck it.
Cheers, kids.