Some catching up to do

Sorry I haven't blogged in a week and a half, but I've been busy. I just finished out my two weeks at my old job. I start a new job next week. I found a job with a small daily as managing editor. It pays $13,000 more than what I'm making now.

The reason I've been so busy is that I've been doing two jobs for these past two weeks. The sports editor left (also to join the staff at a daily) two weeks ago. My boss didn't get the job filled, so for these past two weeks I've been having to do the news AND sports. And at the beginning of this week I was doing THREE jobs because the typesetter quit without notice. The paper where I worked comes out twice a week, so I had to do the news, sports and typesetting all by myself for the mid-week edition. Of course, I didn't get any extra compensation.

A new typesetter started Thursday, so things eased up slightly for the weekend paper, the last one I did. I'll probably need to do multiple postings to get caught up, especially since I was at Conestoga in Tulsa last weekend and I'm going to Archon in St. Louis next weekend.

I had a great time at Conestoga, and some very good news. Baen's Universe has accepted "The Witch of Waxahachie". It's been in the slushpile since April of last year. Managing Editor Paula Goodlett passed on it last year - something I learned at the previous Conestoga.

This year, Baen's editor Eric Flint was at Conestoga. When I got my list of panels, I saw we would be on the same panel at 11 a.m. Saturday. I thought, "wouldn't it be nice if he turned to me and said "I accepted your story."

Well, that's what happened!!!

The dialogue wasn't as clean cut as all that. The panel was on Alternate Histories, Secret Histories and Pocket Universes. When I strolled in I sat down next to Flint (who I recognized from his picture on the web) but of course he had no idea who I was.)

While I was mustering courage to introduce myself, Paula - who was sitting in the first row - caught my attention.

"Do you know when your slot it?"

Of course, I gave a general expression of puzzlement. Paul's eyes widened and she got Flint's attention. "Hey, that's Lou Antonelli. He wrote 'The Witch of Waxahachie.'''

Flint thought for a second and turned. "Hey, good story. Did you get your contract in the email?"

"No-o-o." I quavered. "I didn't know it was accepted."

"Oh, well, I've been really busy. I'll send the contract when I get back home. You're accepted."

"Thanx!"

Needless to say, I was otherwise speechless.

Flint said later one of the problem that bedevils him is that Baen's has relatively few slots. I found out that to get on their schedule, I had to pass muster with three editors, Paula, Eric and Mike Resnick. Paula said Mike is tough to please.

Later, Eric looked up his schedule on his computer in his room. "Witch" is slated to run next April.

More later.