An unnerving, but not unwelcome, start to the New Year.

In May 2007 (that's two thousand SEVEN), I sent a piece off to a market I felt would be ideal for it (a mainstream mag, no less). However, weeks turned into months and MONTHS, and naturally I figured the story'd sunk without a ripple.

I sent the story off to other markets, all of whom spurned it. "I don't really understand what's happening." "The writing is very nice, but I never felt emotionally moved."

This morning, New Year's Day, I got an email from that long-ago market: "We are interested in running it in our upcoming issue." Moral: eventually, SOMEONE is going to like your story, even if they take a while to tell you. (Once all the details are worked out, I'll post the name of the market and how to get the relevant issue.)

In other writing news:

• A reminder that my five-minute play will be broadcast Friday morning Sydney time (see blog entry below for details).


• The distillation of my Clarion South experience is available for your perusal at the blog of the publishing imprint Voyager.


• As part of my Christmas present from my fantastic mom (who is fantastic for many, many reasons), I acquired a bottle of Noodler's Ink (Kiowa Pecan shade) to use with my stunningly beautiful birthday-present-from-my-family Monteverde fountain pen. And I started a brand-new Moleskine notebook for the New Year. What writer in the world wouldn't face the coming year with optimism, with such news and such tools of the trade?