Call Me a Dreamer

We don't always remember to check the mail every day, so Karl brought in a thick stack this afternoon and pointed out that my SASE from Zoetrope: All-Story had returned to me. I was thrilled, despite my certainty that my story, "Trouble's Reasons," had been rejected, because now I could stop obsessing about whether and when I should contact them to ask if they'd received the story, which had been mailed months ago (six months? seven? more?).

Yes, it was, as I'd anticipated, a rejection. But, it included a hand-written note: "Well done! Thanks."

( see the rejection letter )

It's not like I've never received a note from a reader or editor before, or even an acceptance, but for some strange reason known only to my psyche, I'm inordinately pleased about that little note.

Now, the story just needs to go on to the next victim reader. But, somehow, between finding the missing application for the job for which I'm interviewing tomorrow (I put it in a "safe place"), going to the interview, and maybe driving a friend to a doctor's appointment (which she hasn't made, yet), I'm not sure it will happen tomorrow. But, I give you all permission to hound me if I don't get it in the mail on Tuesday.

ETA: I found the application. In a place I could have sworn I'd checked five times.