03.15.2008
I was headed out last night to the Fish Bar to have some whiskeys with my friends Paulie and Howzr and to support my friend Lisa in her training to start working Monday nights. I stopped by my mailbox and tickled the key in my pocket, trying to decide whether I should check my mail or not.
Well... I decided to. And inside I found one of my self-addressed stamped envelopes. I already knew who it was from. Only Fantasy & Science-Fiction responds that fast. The editor there is like a superhero at sending out rejections, if there was a superhero who's power rejecting.
So I got to the Fish and tore open the envelope to discover that I was correct. After six days, F&SF wrote:
Thank you for submitted "Ayla Athena," but I'm going to pass on it. This tale didn't grab my interest, I'm afraid. Good luck to you with this one and thanks again for sending it our way.
Hmmm.... It's a nice rejection, but it sounds strangely familiar... Of course! That's because it's a form letter!
With a magazine like F&SF, I don't expect to receive a personal rejection given how many submissions they have to sort through. So... yeah. Neither should you....
Jesus, you people are demanding. Just wanted you to know...
Anyway... That makes the second rejection from F&SF and the fifth rejection for Ayla Athena. As a story it has sat on editor's desks for 163 days, averaging 32 days per rejection. And, as the headline says, this is rejection number forty.
Christ, Jesus in hell, I have no idea how I've managed to rack these things up but I'm not stopping, kids. There's more rejection to be had.
For instance, Ayla Athena might be sent to Andromeda Spaceways for their fine rejection. And I think F&SF might get sent Environments, once I get my ass in gear and do another mailing.
And, of course, I have three stories still out, waiting for their inevitable reply.
So, kids, remember. You're not really a writer until you've been rejected a fuck of a lot. In that vein, I think I'm going to throw a Rejection Number Fifty party when that one rolls in. I said I was going to do one for twenty-five but the fact is that I took that one too personally and never got around to it.
But as they say in movie trailers, this time I'm serious.
I think it'll probably come in in July or August, which is just fine to me.
Now, it's Saturday and a friend of mine is throwing a Bloody Mary and Guitar Hero brunch. Perfect. I'm hungover and totally up for some really fucking stupidly retarded fun.
Remember, it's cold out there, kids. It's cold out there everyday. Take shelter where you can.