I got a letter a few days ago, not an email, but an actual envelope delivered by the post office, with a stamp, an address, and a return address label stuck neatly in the upper left hand corner. I didn't recognize the woman's name on the label, Kathleen Warnock. Do I know a Kathleen Warnock, I asked myself... Then I saw the address under the name, New York it read, and my heart rate sky rocketed. New York was where I sent off my short story, 'Letting Go of Baggage'.
"Oh my gosh, this is it" I thought, standing there looking down at the envelope in my hand. "It's either my first rejection, or my first acceptance letter..."
I had almost forgotten about sending off that story; I've been so busy establishing myself as the best darn weed puller in the neighbourhood that I hadn't prepared myself... Whatever it was that was written on that piece of paper inside that plain white envelope was going to rock my world. I stood there looking at the envelope in my hand.
"Oh for cripes sake, open it', the voice inside of my head chided, so I ripped it open, taking extra care not to tear the paper inside....
"Dear Ms Levy'
This letter is to confirm the receipt of your submission to Best Lesbian Erotica 2010. The email you included with your submission bounced, so would you be so kind as to email me with your current email?
Your submission is currently being read. If it is chosen as a finalist, I'll let you know within the next month to six weeks. If it is not a finalist, I will still let you know...
....
Cordially,
Kathleen Warnock
Editor, Best Lesbian Erotica 2010
My email bounced. ... I must have proof read it all over a dozen times, and laboured over the format till I thought it was perfect, ... and I made a mistake on my email address! LOL!
Kathleen Warnock, Editor, Best Lesbian Erotica 2010, is a very nice woman to send me a letter asking me to email her with my current address. She could have just as easily shrugged her shoulders and said to herself "oh well, another one for the trash bin."
I'm keeping the letter anyway, it's the first time an Editor has ever written to me, but I'm refusing to count down the passing time of a month to six weeks.... Who am I kidding! LOL.
Hey, exciting news! What a nice editor. She could so easily just have passed and gone onto the next submission but she did the decent thing.
ReplyDeleteI hope you triple checked your email address before sending it to her!!;-)
Now, a month, to six weeks will pass in no time, expecially when you're flat out being the best weed puller money can hire. I'm crossing everything here for you. Positively contorted I am:-)
xx
(chuckling) Hopefully you won't have to hold that position for too long. (grin) ... Funny image that, you, blond hair and all, looking very much like some Hindu sculpture... :) Thanks Lane; it would be foolhardy of me to expect that the first story I've submitted would be accepted, so I'm preparing myself for the let down. Still, there's something that won't let me totally abandon the hope. ... At least I believe I can look forward to a polite and informative rejection letter from the editor. I'm actually looking forward to reading whatever news it is that she sends me. :)
ReplyDeleteA month to six weeks is a really short time in 'waiting to hear about submission' terms :) What a star that editor sounds!
ReplyDeleteDar, six weeks is bugger all. Hang on a minute 24 x 7 = 98 hours per week (I think!) 98 hours x 6 weeks = 598 hours (I think!) Maths is not my strong point. Phew! 598 hours in a lifetime is hardly much time. So go forth and pull some more weeds. And wait for in no time your fate will be known. Rather exciting methinks ;)
ReplyDeleteWell a congrats might be a bit too early on this, but I say it anyway. Cheers to having a nice editor who took the time....
ReplyDeleteShe sounds great, doesn't she Helen; I hope I get to keep her. :)
ReplyDelete"... go forth and pull some weeds." I like that. :) TF, it is rather exciting, either way though, I'll still be a writer and weed puller, and all sorts of other things that won't be affected by the outcome one way or another ... You must have sat there for quite a bit to figure out how many hours I had to wait. lol. I'm impressed. :) Math isn't my strong point either.
Thanks Del. :)
So, you've got your very own countdown going on! Congratulations Dar, and I hope that you get some VERY good news at the end of the wait QRx
ReplyDeleteThanks Rose! It won't end of my writing career if it is bad news though, after all, it's the first thing I've ever seriously submitted. :)
ReplyDeleteWow wonderful news, I'm so glad they got in contact with you by snailmail. My very best wishes to you and hope it's the start of something amazing for you.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great story to add to your blurb on your bookcover...lol How I nearly missed having my bestselling novel because of a bouncing email address.
Hey Annie, you're jumping the gun there! LOL It's just a short story. It's hard enough to keep my hopes up for that, let alone dreaming of the jacket blurb for a novel that hasn't even been written yet. Thank you though, for imagining that my dreams could be bigger than I've allowed myself to dream. :)
ReplyDeleteGlad I could make you smile, my dear, dear friend. ;-)
ReplyDeleteBest wishes
"Being read." Now that's encouraging. And the editor taking the time to send you a letter. That's even more encouraging. I'm so proud of you "Darling." Towaaanda!!!!!
ReplyDeleteHey Linda! Thanks for popping in. ... At least it didn't get scrapped right away, that is good in itself. BTW, you're sounding very much like a certain POGO we both know. (Grin) ... Thank you.
ReplyDeleteAs a writer of first person lesbian erotica and poetry at http://alesbiankiss2desire.blogspot.com , I am always interested to see a post like this. THANK you for sharing.
ReplyDelete