An interesting couple of days.
My story "Harbinger," which I wrote for a specific anthology project, was rejected late last week. This did not come as a surprise, seeing as I was more than 4,000 words over the requested word limit; and, in fact, I told the editor that she was going to reject me because of the length even before she'd had an opportunity to read the story. (This is something that you can do when the editor in question is also your writing/critique partner. Whether or not it's a good plan is something I leave open to debate.)
Though I really would have liked to be a part of that anthology (obviously), the rejection itself wasn't a problem. When I decided to stick with "Harbinger" instead of trying to write another story before the deadline, I knew that rejection was the most likely outcome, and yet it took me so very long to find a story idea that fit that particular theme and I liked "Harbinger" so very much. Anyway, it was out in the mail the next day, so not a big deal. (Though we all know what fun it can be trying to market a 9,000 word story.)
This weekend was the craft show in Palgrave, which I've written about in more detail in the Stellar Magpie LiveJournal here. What I didn't say there was that it was bloody cold, both outside and in, and I became that bone-deep sort of cold that I've learned to not even notice in the winter months; but it took me about ten minutes of immersion in very hot water to make me feel warm again. Another lesson: when going to craft shows, dress in layers.
Friday, before the craft show and before the weather turned wet and cold, I went for a long walk with my dad all around Palgrave. We had a great talk, saw the gorgeous fall colours (Caledon -- the big township that encompasses Bolton and Palgrave and a handful of other little places -- is actually one of those spots that people drive to come see in the fall) and took a lot of pictures. Some years I rail against the coming of autumn, and the season that inevitably follows it, but this year ... I had a good summer. It's allowed to be colder for a while. And so long as I'm warm and happy in a good jacket and scarf? It's all good.
