HOPEFUL WORDS FROM AN EDITOR


I've been meaning to post this for a while, but it came the day that I ended up taking Jacob to the emergency room and I've been a bit scattered since then :)

I sent the short story of Annest to the Black Gate magazine months and months ago, so I wasn't sure what the SASE in my mailbox was. Sure enough, a rejection, but a hopeful one. Beneath the form part, I got a written note from the editor, John O'Neill:

Laura,
First, I hope you can forgive me for holding this so long. Thanks for your extraordinary patience. [Me: not hard to be patient when you've completely forgotten!]
Almost. This is a magnificent tale--fast-pace, splendidly written, with terrific characters and a vivid setting. But it took just a bit longer to get underway than a handful of others we're considering.
We won't re-open to submissions until we fix our response times. But when we do, I really hope you'll try us again.
John

This was what I needed to give me confidence in Annest and to spur me forward to rewriting now that I've finished the first draft.

Also, I've got a story in mind to write for them. I'll probably enter it in Writers of the Future first, since I can't submit to Black Gate for at least a few months. But it's nice to go into a new story knowing that someone (who is neither my relation or my friend) wants to read it.

Right now, I'm taking all the good news I can get.