News!
(I promised myself that I'd finish an essay before I let myself post my news here, and I have finally finished.)
A few weeks ago, I received an email from Jed Hartman at
Strange Horizons that began, "This is not an acceptance or a rejection, but a request for clarification." The fiction editors had a few questions about the story I'd submitted, "Drowned Men Can't Have Kids." To be honest, I'm not surprised that there were questions. This is a story whose motto I've always thought should be "You figure it out."
But, I realized that "you figure it out" is not an ideal answer to give to an editor, and knowing that my response to this email might very well decide the fate of my story, I agonized and laboured over my very calm and casual-seeming reply. I hit send, and let the waiting begin again.
I've been thinking about this for so long, knowing that it was sitting right on the fence--but that it had a chance. The editors had read and liked my story, and it had a chance.
Today I received their decision: they bought it!! "Drowned Men" is going to be published in Strange Horizons!!
I can't believe it. I am so, so happy about this. Shocked, delighted, overjoyed. Pro sale! WOOHOO!!
