Currently, I am up to 49 beautiful rejections for the three stories I’ve been trying to find homes for.

16 for Jenny of Lebanon, 30 for Jenny Kissed Me, and three for Honk for Ferry.

Will I get 100 rejections? 200? Could 50 be my lucky number?

Only time will tell, I suppose, but I wish I knew.  Someone, somewhere will eventually publish me, right? Someone other than me?

I’ve spent some time editing both JoL and JKM lately, trying to make them better, but I’m reaching that point, hell, I passed that point years ago, where the story is just as good as it’s gonna get.  Time to move on and write other stories. I’ve used the little criticism I got for JKM and changed her up considerably.  I’m hoping when I submit her again, she will be better received. After 30 rejections, though, are there any legitimate places left to send her?  I suppose I’ll figure that out, too, just as soon as I start looking for some new places.

My number is out there waiting for me. And the only way to get to it is to keep submitting and trying. Even if it means more depressing as shit rejection letters.

Well, that didn’t take long at all.

I manually sent my manuscript to The Paris Review on June 5th, and this past Saturday, June 20th, I received my teeny tiny rejection form.  I thought they would take around five months to get back to me, which is what they say on their website.  I’m glad I don’t have to wait, but a rejection that fast sorta stings! I honestly don’t think they even read the first page. They probably opened up my folder, grabbed my SASE, slipped in their standard rejection form, licked it,  sealed  it and threw it in their outgoing mail stack.  So, the most personal thing I got from them is their spit. Joy.

51 more to go until I get to eat 100 cupcakes!

Rejection Letter #49 – The Paris Review

After sitting and twiddling my thumbs for quite some time, I’ve decided to edit and resubmit “Jenny of Lebanon” to a few more publishers.  Three to be exact.  If they all say no, I know of only four other places that I can send her to, unless I cut her in half or write an additional 20,000+ words – neither of which I have any intentions of doing. Once I’ve exhausted those options, I’m going self-publish and be done with her.  So, one way or another she’ll be available for you to read sometime in the near future. My greatest hope is that I get to do both.

Since I last posted, I withdrew “Jenny Kissed Me” from three magazines.  They were all defunct. The way I see it, that’s three rejection letters I can’t get. 🙂 Woo hoo!

I had to query one place for “Jenny of Lebanon” because it’s been over a year and they still appear to be functioning.  Not sure what’s going on.  I’ll give them a few weeks to respond and then I’ll withdraw her from them, too.

I’ll keep y’all (hahaha, who’s still reading this ridiculous blog?) abreast!  I hope I can become more active here in some way or another, too!