Smoke and Djinns

I worked on "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes" today. I've finished the first draft and I ran it off tonight. Read it to the spouse. The story has some unusual - for me - formats in it; a couple of fake news articles, and a TV skit transcript (not exactly "Stand on Zanzibar" but still a little confusing when read out loud).

I *do* like the way this version has turned out. I wll edit the draft and pull it through to Pagemaker tomorrow, where I usually do my last changes.

Albedo One e-mailed. They didn't go for "V.S.A.". I got "Fermi's Fraternity" ready to mail to them tomorrow. They are probably my fastest overseas venue - I usually hear from them in a week and a half.

I sent "A Djinn for General Houston" by e-mail to Wendy Bradley in Wales, who is planning a new publication, to be called "Farthing". She just opened for subs May 15. "Djinn" was at Would That It Were, but the latest information tracked down courtesy of Ralan Conley was a letter from the publisher basically said he was giving up and would only work on WTIW in his spare time. The publication seems to be defunct, so I'll get the story back into circulation.

Tomorrow is my last day to run errands before I start my new job Wednesday.

"The Hideaway" is published

Boy, they work fast at Alienskin. Their June/July issue has been posted, and so "The Hideaway" has been posted:

http://www.alienskinmag.com/ffictionScifi.htm

Since "Big Girl" is still up at Ultraverse, that means I have two stories in current e-zines at the same time:

http://www.ultraverse.us/2005_05/v2i4_big_girl.shtml

Nice rejection

I know some authors have said getting a nice and polite rejection is aggravating. This must be what they're talking about:

"It was well received here, but after some thought we have decided not to accept it for publication. I love the atmosphere and historical detail, but the story as a whole doesn't work for me. It never develops sufficient conflict or tension for an action-oriented story. I hope you'll consider us again, and I wish you the best success in placing this story elsewhere."

A sale!

Got word via e-mail this morning from Kate Patterson at AlienSkin magazine that they loved "The Hideaway" and will publish it in their June/July issue. She sent along the contract, which I replied to - that serves as the electronic signature.

So another story heads from the "slush" to "published" pile. I even get some money for this - the story is 3,041 words.

This will be my second publication with magazine. They published my short "They Call It Time" back in December.

Ambiguous Header

The folks at Lenox Ave. e-mailed back. Turns out, they did get my story, but the auto-responder message was ambiguous, which is what confused me. They said they would revise the message. Anyway, the story's in.

"Business as Usual" is done and will go in the mail tomorrow to Sheila at Asimov's.

According to my log, I have 27 stories out at 24 different venues. I'm ready to drop one story, which has been out since October 2004. Magazine must be dead.

I'm ready to get back to "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes". I've given this story special attention. It's alternate history, which is always a hard sell. But I like it myself. It's time to finish it off and send it out.

Disposing of the Arthurian Mythos

Well, I finished "The Man Who Machine-Gunned the Lady of the Lake" and dropped it in the mail to Sheila at Asimov's. That's the first story I've completed in a month and half. I've made great strides today in finishing up the story I originally called "Choice Used Men". It's now called "Business as Usual". It'll probably be finished by tomorrow. I'll see if anythingis returned before I send it off.

The search is over

Well, looks like the job search turned out well. I'll be starting at my new job June 1st. I was offered the post last Wednesday. Friday was my last day at the old job, so I have a week and a half between jobs. I guess I'll use this time to write full-time.

My proposed new boss said all my references at the other places I've worked praised me. That's always nice to hear.

I will be commuting to the new job - but hey, my commute was .8 of a mile for the last year and a half.

I spent most of the weekend getting caught up on housework and then getting caught up on my records and paper work in my personal office. Things had gotten a little behind in the past two or three weeks because of the killer pace I was keeping on the job.

OK, here's the latestfrom the sci fi roundup. "Fermi's Fraternity" didn't clear the second reading at Andromeda Spaceways, so it's back home. Futurismic returned "The Dragon's Black Box". I've sent them "The Idiot Box". Fictitious Force returned "The Runner at Dawn." I sent the story to Brutarian.

I've sent "Video Killed the Radio Star" to Leading Edge magazine. This is the first time I've submitted to this mag, but "Video" is 9,700 words long - it's the longest story I've ever written - and there aren't as many plces I can send it.

I've tried to send "A Djinn for General Houston" to Lenox Ave. , but their auto-responder keeps kicking it back. They are reading for a themed issue - "Mechanical Oddities" - and the story certainly fits, but I'm not sure I'm gettingtheir subject line right. I've sent a separate e-mail inquiry to the editors.

OK, now that things are returning closervto normal, I'll be posting more frequently.