DENIED!

And so it begins.

I just received my first rejection after my new foray into the short fiction marketplace. I mentioned the tale in question in my previous blog entry, Taking The Plunge. The rejection, from Heroic Fantasy Quarterly, was a form letter, of course, but one bearing a subtle hint of encouragement.

Here’s the bad news:

Dear Sam:

Thank you for submitting THE WEED to Heroic Fantasy Quarterly. The story caught our attention but after consideration we’ve decided it’s not a piece we can use.

Please consider Heroic Fantasy Quarterly again. We wish you luck placing your story elsewhere.

Best,

David Farney

Co-proprietor/Editor, Heroic Fantasy Quarterly

            Hey, it could be worse, right? The story caught their attention and the letter suggests I submit to them again. Of course, the kind words could all be part of a pungent load of PR propaganda, but even if that’s true, it’s still the sweetest rejection letter I’ve ever received. I am already formulating a new tale to submit to Mr. Farney and associates.

            Hey, they asked for it, didn't they?

            As stated in Taking The Plunge, I am already seeking out another market for the story. I really believe in this tale, and I solemnly vowed I would send it to every viable market I could find. That’s a promise I intend to keep.

            Meanwhile, I have three other strapping young stories that are just about ready to go out into the world and fend for themselves. Chronic unemployment has left me with a great deal of time to write, and I have been taking full advantage of the opportunity. A recent spate of horror stories have exploded from my turgid keyboard, each one a highly viable fiction-spermatozoa ready to swim out and impregnate some sexy, willing magazine somewhere out there.

            Whew! Who knew literature could be so hot?