A Writer's Paradise

Rejection 100!

Rejection 100 just came in from Fortean Bureau!

I just wanted to say thanks to the rejecting community at large. I couldn't have done it without the help of slush readers all over the world. Special gratitude to John Joseph Adams, whose rejections have always been most timely, and to Karen Meisner, whose rejections have always been extremely helpful. And thanks to Ellen Datlow, who liked but never loved a single one of my stories; those rejections always made me laugh. And of course, thanks to Jeremy Tolbert, who provided rejection 100 (and my first semi-pro sale, too).

Thanks also to (in the order they first rejected me):

(email)
Katherine A. Patterson
Debi Orton
Robbie Matthews
Phil Adams
Jeremy Tolbert
Peter Padraic O'Sullivan
B. Rosenberger
Amber van Dyk
Rebecca Shelley
Susan Marie Groppi
Gabe Chouinard
Megan Powell
Robin L. Weston
Meagan Church
Gene Stewart
Jennifer Michaels
Gill Marshall
Lon Prater
Vestal Review Editorial Team
Brett Alexander Savory
Michael Kelly
Stephanie Ann Johanson
Christopher East
Matthew Kressel
Jeremiah Sturgill
Stephen Eeley
"The Editors"

(paper)
John Joseph Adams
Gerald Fleming
Marianne Carus
Ellen Datlow
"Judy, Contest Administrator"
The Fiction Editors of On Spec
The Blue Form of Death (i.e., Carina Gonzalez)
"Rachel, Contest Administrator"
Christopher M. Cevasco
Gordon Van Gelder
Sheila Williams
"The Editors"
Stanley Schmidt

Your timely rejections meant that I was free to submit the stories elsewhere, and in some cases, sell them. Thanks to you, dear rejectors, my story did not sit in limbo until I was forced to withdraw it. You actually sent me a letter! And I still have it!

Thanks also to the slushers who slushed anonymously, and either signed their bosses' names or passed me up to their managing editors; in some cases, I don't even know your names. I'd offer to buy you all a drink, but man, there's like, a hundred of you. Woe unto me if you took me up on the offer. But I will bake you a pie. If you come to Michigan. In August. Which is raspberry season. Because I only make raspberry pies.

Think on it!

Posted by Merrie at January 16, 2006 09:40 PM