Rejection 231

Willow Springs.  The pattern continues here that a story I think is one of my best of late is being turned down regularly.

I'm interested in people being more up in arms about the rejection blogging of late.  I've noticed a handful of tweets, statuses, posts about what the use is. I can say that when I started this blog, close to two and a half years ago, I wasn't seeing much public talk of rejection at all.  And now people mention it or write about it more often.  Usually they seem to be doing it in a good-natured way.  I don't see the big deal.  It's probably healthy, right? In some weird 70s self-help sort of way that I could care less about.

Anyway, I plan on continuing to log my rejections here.  First of all, the narrative continues as I continue sending work out and receiving word back.  Second, I have another venue to blog more editorial type content: Big Other.  Third, I don't really care if people are as tired of hearing about people's rejections as they are of seeing photos of the meals people make posted to Facebook.  It's just a life-part that's as valid as any other for marking off the days UNTIL WE ALL DIE.

jokes!

Rejection 230

This is the 8th time I've been rejected by Smokelong.

Rejection 229, New Issue of Bailliwik, Poetry Book Rejection

I'm right excited about Knee Jerk's print issue, and it was super-amazing-nice of those dudes to ask if I had anything I'd like them to consider.

Now I'm gonna be honest about what I did.

Casey said that they were trying to pack the issue with really exciting stuff like scratch 'n sniff and diagrams and illustrations, and I thought, 'Aw yeah - I've got those collages of National Geographic photos I've been wanting to do something with and also those weird erasure poems.  I'ma make that into something my Knee Jerk.'

And I did.

And then I remembered that Knee Jerk doesn't take poetry.  So I sent those things to Bailliwik, and they accepted them.  That issue is out now and it's the prettiest thing.  If you buy a copy it has 8 special limited edition artist projects, but you can also browse it online.

Then the deadline for Knee Jerk snuck up on me and I had nothing, and Casey was even nice enough to check in to see if I had anything, and I admitted that I wasn't able to make something just for that print issue, but that I'd send a story, which I realize is a real asshole thing to do because that just means they have to read one more thing they don't really want.

All this and Casey emailed me to apologize that they wouldn't be taking the story and for not keeping me up to date on what would fit in with what they'd chosen so far and what wouldn't.  What nice guy!  I am excited to see what they've pulled together.  Yah.

Another nice occurrence: I received a funny-toned email from Black Ocean regretting to inform me that my poetry manuscript had not been chosen for publication from their open reading period.  It felt more like a general announcement than a rejection letter.

Turns out, it seems some communication lines were possibly crossed on their end, and Carrie Adams sent out a more personally-voiced mass-rejection later that day, thanking people for submitting and apologizing for the first letter.

People nice.  Generally and specifically.

Rejection 228

Unfortunately, Claire Lacey at Dandelion found the poems I sent her to be more on the weedy side than the blossom. Drat.

In other news, I've begun to scatter my seed more regularly.  While I've been slow of late, I'm working out a regular writing and submission practice again.  Thank gawd.

Wait-listed for Ragdale

I suppose this is an improvement.  While I was lucky enough to go on a residency residency at Ragdale in the fall of 2008, I was not accepted last year.  This year, I'm waitlisted.  Which actually might be for the better, as I was wondering how I would finagle it anyway, what with work and family stuff running my cup-eth over-eth. The issue with a wait-list in situations like this, is that they'll call the week before the residency and ask if you'd like to come for two weeks.  The only people I know who can drop everything and leave their life behind for 2 weeks with 1 week notice, don't need a residency to begin with.

Rejection 227

I got a nice note from Claire at RealPoetik that they're changing formats, so I should check out the new guidelines and send something again, soon.

Things look kind of exciting over there: RealPoetik. This is an enjoyable rejection to receive.  The ante has been upped.

Story in new issue of Pear Noir!

I'm pretty excited that I have a new story in the fourth issue of Pear Noir.  It is chock full of people whose words make me just about lose it: Sarah Manguso, Mike Kinsella, CL Bledsoe, David Erlewine, Chelsea Martin, Ryan Bradley, Ethel Rohan, Blake Butler, Shane Jones... the list goes ON!

Check it out.

Rejection 226

Nice rejection from Jennifer at Tuesday: she said they enjoyed the poems I sent, but couldn't offer to publish one now.  Well-worded!

New Section of a Long Poem Up at Bone Bouquet!

There's another section of my long poem, 'this disturbed evening,' up at the online journal Bone Bouquet alongside new poetry from Kristy Bowen, Nava Fader, Carol Guess and Sarah Mangold!

Rejection 225

In the same hour I got an acceptance for a whole bunch of sections of one of my weird long poems from Strange Machine and a rejection for that same poem from Booth.

The good news is I don't need to go through the trouble of withdrawing those sections from Booth.

I am content.