The 18 month wait - a rejection story

I generally take my rejection with grin, angst or a pondering hmmm … depending on the fashion of the rejection. I had a short story out for, wait for it, eighteen months. I will leave the name of the magazine and editor alone only because it is a market that I have published with before and hope to again. That said, as I type this and the thoughts of a lost eighteen months fume in my head, I wonder if I ever will submit again.

So, here’s my brief tale and I am certain I am not alone with this.

I submitted a story to a magazine (print) market 18 mos. and some days ago. The guidelines stated it would be a six month wait before the submitters would hear back, no kidding. So, patiently I waited the six months and gave them another thirty days prior to my inquiry. Expecting a quick, “Oh, sorry. Here’s your form rejection letter.” Instead, I received this:

“Spyder,

Thank you for your query. During this past period we were open for submissions we received a large amount of quality work, yours being one of them. Although we are beyond our reading and reply period, we ask for your patience. Our editor has been hard at working reviewing and deciding on the stories he would like to purchase.

Your continued patience is appreciated.”

So, I am seven months committed, what’s a few more days, perhaps week. Sure, try months. Three more months passed and frankly I was hard at work on another project and had honestly forgotten about my ten month submission (I know unacceptable, should always stay on top of it). I queried once again, and:

“Spyder,

You are an extraordinarily patient writer (insert sucker). Your work is one of three that we are looking to purchase. We are currently drafting up the contracts and request your continued patience as we are in the midst of changing some of our staff.

Kindest regards.”

By now, I am wondering if by staff they mean editor, I query back.

“Spyder,

"Current editor remain in place, thank you for your query.”

Odd, I suppose but they’ve sucked me in this far. When I hit the year mark with my story, I withdrew it. Told the magazine that the process was unprofessional and unfair to the writer (me) … they agreed and accepted my withdrawal. I floated the story in the meantime, about thirteen months after my initial send-away.

I received a contract from the magazine, sixteen months to the day I submitted my work. Now, I was really puzzled. I queried them and received:

“Spyder,

We were hoping that the work was still available and that you would be understanding enough to want to entertain our offer of publication.  

Thank you”

I truncated part of this as they got into specifics on money and “incentive” for my “hassles.” I sat on the contract for a month, never hearing from them. Really, waiting to see myfate with the other market – rejected.

I signed and returned the contract … crickets … more crickets … yet more … until.

“Spyder,

Than you’re for submitting your story “X” unfortunately, it is not right for our current needs. As you are probably aware our editions are themed based and this submission comes to us at a time when our next publication is looking for something other than what you have presented. Please be sure to keep up with our guidelines.

Regards …”

I have my WTF query in with them now … crickets … sigh.

Dark Vigil – Revisited

So, why not take a moment and shamelessly plug by collection - Dark Vigil – Revisited? Well, here goes –

Dark Vigil – Revisited is a collecting of religious based short story. Each story delves into the darker side of religion, not necessarily angels versus demons but everyday people and how they handle their demons. Below is a look at the TOC and a little snippet on each tale.

Enziel – of Fallen Devils:

Cheryl and Marcus Henderson are a loving couple. There is one thing missing in their lives, a child. When Cheryl comes across a boy standing naked in a fountain, her motherly instincts kick in. Little does she know that this boy, Enziel, is a reject of hell.

Seppuku:

An open letter to God, written with the blood of an unborn child.

Concede – the First Circle of Hell:

Lorna and Mia are messengers from Hell and their message can be heard loud and clear. Lorna is the teacher and Mia the not so excited pupil, but class must go on at any cost.

Replicate:

What happens when Angels show remorse towards the forsaken?

Liquid Echo:

An Angel, a bowl and an eternity of suffering.

The Cleansing of Vildar:

An ambitious tale set in a time before time. Follow the purgatorial judgment of one man as he struggles with his past and his lost love.

Unspeakable:

Arianna Tyler is a sinner but aren’t we all? An unwanted infant and a second thought lead to a dark and lonely trek down Hell’s lane.

Flames of Tartarus:

Take a trip along the River Styx with Dakota as he realizes Hades and all the myths and legends are in fact real. In this epic tale, you will find much to relish in and much to fear.

Expiation:

Ever want to interview a demon? Call on Benny, he’ll oblige though you may not care for his fee.

Faith:

Caitlin is a tease, a bar maiden who loves to talk about God and tease the patrons. That is until she ran across, Johnny.

The Killing of Angels

The torment and ultimate death of an angel. This richly dark and tasty tale provides a glimpse into the underbelly of Heaven.

Atianqua:

Travel to the absolute bottom of the ocean, at the request and handsome purse of two priests. What resides at the bottom of the ocean is far more sinister than odd-looking fish.

Dark Vigil – Revisited is a fun read – with devilish details related to all things sinister. Pick up a copy, won’t you? Dark Vigil – Revisited @ Amazon.

Why do you write?

I don’t know about you but I have been asked that question several times over my career. By people in the business, friends, peers and complete strangers, all have asked me. I always (well mostly) respond in the same vague mood – “Because, I love it.” That is not always true of course but what else do you say. I want to be rich. I want to be famous. I want to be the next big thing … none of these fit me. The one vision of grandeur that I do have is to see my work in film. Cannot claim to have been there but I can boast that I have been close.

Of course, no one cares about close. No one cares (or perhaps even believes you) that you have had a book make it to the acquisition editor at a New York House (no less) but just didn’t make it onto the spring catalog, or the following winter catalog and ultimately was dropped. Or, that your script that you worked on tirelessly for nearly two years was purchased but never moved beyond the shelf of some film studio executive’s office, until it too was tossed aside.

These efforts and outcomes coupled with hundreds of rejects that range form mundane form letters to flaming rejections that insult your abilities or fundamental attributes that make you a human. None of this lends itself for a confidence session. Still, we trudge on. We write, submit, wait and wallow in disappointment. Then why write? Like I said, “Because, I love it.”

I don’t write for the editor who was a failed writer, or the editor who is successful at his or her craft for that matter. I don’t write for my confidence, nor do I write with the hopes of being the next King, Saul, Koontz or Barker. I write for the love of it and the one or two of you out there that read my prose.

I will write in some form until my dying day, if able. I will wallow in self-pity and the parade of rejects and forget them all with each publication, no matter how small. In an odd way, it makes me happy … it’s good to be happy, no?

RTS Upcoming Projects

We’ve been getting a nice response to the need for cover art, thank you. We haven’t narrowed anything down, of course and are still welcoming more art:

Angels Versus Zombies

Quick Snippets:

Genre -- Horror
Commissioning -- Cover Art

---

RTS is currently commissioning cover art for Angels versus Zombies - please provide in jpg/jpeg format as an attachment to an email. Please resize your art either on your desktop or here as we do not want 10 MB files sent our way (for obvious reasons). PLEASE NOTE - RTS will hold ALL rights to your art if accepted.

SUBMISSION - open now - acceptance of art closes 7/26 - no exceptions.

PAY - $25.00 after acceptance to your PayPal account (no PayPal account, please do not submit).

REVIEW PERIOD - 30 days after close of acceptance period.

NOTIFICATION - we will try and notify you as soon as possible, in some cases may be as soon as the day after.

Also, please do remember that RTS has both Angels Versus Zombies and Mother of Gothic Angels on tap – the guidelines are here – RTS Anthologies. 

Some info -

Mother of Gothic Angels

Quick Snippets:

Genre -- Horror

Word Count -- 2k to 4k

Payment -- None

Story Status -- Unpublished

Submission Period -- July 1st through October 1st (not before)

Illustrations -- Please

Reading Period --  October 1st through December 1st

Response Time -- 30 days after end of submission period

Publication Target -- First Quarter 2014 (or earlier)

Angels Versus Zombies

Quick Snippets:

Genre -- Horror
Word Count -- 2k to 4k
Payment -- None
Story Status -- Unpublished
Submission Period -- August 1st through November 1st (not before)
Illustrations -- Please
Reading Period --  November 1st through January 1st
Response Time -- 30 days after end of submission period
Publication Target -- First quarter 2014

Thanks!

Storystarter

My muse has been somewhat unpredictable of late. She comes by with ideas and sparks and then as I progress, she seems to lose interest and wanders about. This has been the course of her inspiration for three started but yet completed tales of horror and mayhem.

Her latest jest, Mother of Gothic Angels, pits a nasty little angel against her well-to-do angel of a sister. Mind you they are both angels but even angels can be naughty from time to time. After all, it is angels that carry out the dark deeds of God, should there ever be a need for such activities. 

“Laments of the Wicked ascend as the silence remains tethered until the Rapture.”

So, with a tickle of my fancy and a road to travel, I ventured. I hit a few stop signs along the way of course. The first few were easily conquered. Nothing more than a simple refresh, drink of jaunt about the web tending to RTS duties. Then back to the keyboard, my muse and the story.

“Radiant leaned back against the marble pillar, she allowed her long and milky thigh to show as the slit in her gown fell over her. Desire smiled as she peered longingly at Radiant’s thigh. It wasn’t proper but at the moment in time, she really wasn’t concerned. After all, who was there to scold her, certainly not Mother.

The cries subsided if only for a moment. Radiant stood upright as if the silence surprised her. It shouldn’t, as it came every hour. That one moment in each hour, that someone wasn’t taking their own life. The sin of which is one that is not tolerable and bears an ugly fate but they lament for the Angels to soothe them. A soothing that would never come, this Radiant knew but she wondered if the damned were aware of this truth or not.

The cries, they returned and Radiant was no longer amused. The silence that brought a sparkle to her eye quickly went away as the moans flooded her ears once more. She leaned back against the marble pillar and allowed her thigh to partake in the warmth rising from a distant hell.”

Of course, I ventured deeper into the tale but not quite to the defining end of the short but hopefully (one-day) complete tale. I wonder often if others share similar moods from their muse and if there is any advice, please do share -

Writers and readers – your thoughts on flash fiction?

For me, honestly I am not much of a fan. I find flash fiction absent of those descriptors and back-stories that I love to write and read about. The little details and whatnot's that makes a story whole. Just my feeling and definitely not to say that flash section does not have its place or that it is not an art all unto itself.

In fact, recently I read a flash tale entitled The Professional Crier by author Paul D. Dial. The tale appears in his flash fiction compilation entitled Free Five – Flash Fiction Pieces. Now, this single piece hasn’t altered my feeling towards flash fiction but it has opened my eyes to how genuinely good it can be. When I completed the short tale, I was thirsty for more information on the primary character, Penny Circe, and I was equally enamored with her surroundings and wanted to sense more of what it was like to be in her world.

Alas, as it is with flash this was all something I would have to conjure myself. Was it what the author saw in her, I bet not and as such, it left me short with the tale? Entertained within the short thousand words but something less than satisfied.