Easy Go, Easy Come

Two years ago I multipley submitted a short story to about 30 magazines and was privileged to have it quickly accepted by a journal out of Texas called Sulphur River Literary Journal. But there was a catch — it wouldn’t appear until spring 2008. Fine, fine. Just send me my copies. Well, I dawdled in getting back to the other journals I’d submitted to, and before long the story was accepted by four other outfits. This was, as you might imagine, great for my ego. But at the same time I had to write to each of these journals and, cringing, inform them about my bad form and laziness in getting back to them. In any case, I knew the story was going to be printed somewhere.

Then this spring came and went and heard nothing from Sulphur River. So I dug out the old acceptance letter — which was no easy task, believe me, buried as it was under a blizzard of rejection notes. I got their number and called and, as I feared, the journal had ceased publication. Sigh.

Now I have the story back in my hands and will set about sending it out. Maybe to one journal at a time this time.

In not-so-similar news, the great literary crime magazine Murdaland also ceased publication recently. They accepted a story of mine for their second and, sadly, last issue. I hope to see them revived soon and am keeping my balls crossed for them. And I hope this doesn’t start a trend in which every journal that accepts me goes kaput!