Mary Soon Lee's Mailbox Blues for 1996
This page contains Mary Soon Lee's
1996 mailbox mutterings. For more recent news see
the latest Mailbox Blues.
19 December 96: Aboriginal SF rejection
Another day, and, alas, another rejection, this time from Aboriginal
SF.
18 December 96: SF Age rejection
Short personal rejection from SF Age, still top-of-the-league
in prompt writer-friendly responses.
12 December 96: Newsgroup!
It's not a story response, but I'm including it anyhow.... As of
today, I have a newsgroup under SFF
Net at sff.people.mary-soon-lee.
Please post a message to the newsgroup if you are passing by!
11 December 96: F&SF rejection
Alas! In today's mail, a friendly letter from Kris Rusch at F&SF,
saying she would normally have accepted the story, but due to the
approaching end of her editorship she is buying very few stories :-(
5 December 96: Where did the mail go?
Almost two weeks with no story responses.... Beware the temper
of mad mail-deprived author....
23 November 96: Double rejection
Returning from two nights in West Virginia, I found a down-turn in the
mail: rejections from Sense of Wonder and the Writers of the
Future contest.
20 November 96: Publication in Distant Journeys
Today I received contributor's copies of Distant Journeys,
a beautifully produced science fiction and fantasy anthology,
containing my story "Not Another Unicorn." It's been a fun couple
of days at the mail-box :-)
18 November 96: Publication in Little Green Men
In today's mail: contributor's copies and payment for my story Dry
Water, originally published in Random Realities #7, and now
reprinted in Little Green Men
#2.
8 November 96: Plot Magazine rejection
After almost three weeks without a rejection, today I received
one from Plot Magazine.
6 November 96: Pirate Writings publication
Today I received my subscriber's copy of Pirate Writings #12,
containing my short-short science fiction story, "Zero."
26 October 96: S&S page proofs
Today I received the page proofs for "The Hollow Dancer," due to
appear in Sword and Sorceress XIV next summer -- I am eagerly
anticipating its publication, as this was my first sale to an
anthology rather than a magazine.
25 October 96: Freezer Burn acceptance
Today I received the contract for the recently solicited rewrite
from Freezer Burn. It was a pleasure dealing with such
a friendly -- and efficient -- editor.
19 October 96: Strange Fiction rejection
A four month e-mail rejection from Strange Fiction.
17 October 96: Pirate Writings acceptance
Happiness :-) In today's mail, an acceptance of my story "Roadside
Stop" from Pirate Writings.
11 October 96: Rewrite request
Today I received a very friendly and encouraging rewrite request
from Freezer Burn.
10 October 96: Double rejection
As predicted, the rejections are now beginning. Today I had two short
personal rejections from Science Fiction Age and Worlds of
Fantasy & Horror.
9 October 96: Silence
Over two weeks with no story-related mail. Any day now, the
rejections will come flooding in....
23 September 96: Voice from the Grave
From the sadly-deceased Pulphouse, an eleven month rejection,
explaining that a box of manuscripts (including mine) went astray when
they moved offices as Pulphouse folded. Also in the mail, a
friendly rejection from F&SF.
20 September 96: Fantasy Macabre rejection
Another day, another rejection, this time from Fantasy Macabre.
19 September 96: Writers of the Future rejection
After ten days with no mail, even a rejection can be welcome. Today's
rejection joins nine others that I've accumulated from the Writers
of the Future contest. Once I reached the heady heights of a
semi-finalist, but I've never yet been a finalist (let alone a prize
winner).
9 September 96: Galleys
Today I received the galleys for the fourth story I sold to F&SF,
"Ex Terra, Ex Astris." Less happily, I also received a rejection from
Pirate Writings.
4 September 96: Double rejection
Just when I was getting impatient about my lack of mail, two
rejections today, both friendly, one from Tomorrow and
one from On Spec.
26 August 96: Tangent author profile
In today's mail I received the latest copy of Tangent
(an excellent magazine reviewing short speculative fiction), containing
an author's profile that I wrote. Also in the mail, a friendly
rejection from Transversions.
25 August 96: More separation pangs
Once again I was parted from my mail for more than a week, this
time due to a holiday in Michigan (I have not been working hard
this August). This time I found three rejections waiting when
I returned, from F&SF, Interzone, and Tomorrow.
16 August 96: Separation pangs
I was parted from my mail for over a week, while I visited my
mother in London (most enjoyable). Upon arriving home, I tore
through the mail mountain, and unearthed just a single story
response (a friendly rejection from Pirate Writings).
31 July 96: And another double rejection
Another double-rejection day: Pirate Writings and Tomorrow.
27 July 96: Double rejection
Alas, two rejections on the same day, one from Analog, and the
other from Plot Magazine.
22 July 96: MZB's rejection
A 48-day rejection from Marion Zimmer Bradley's Fantasy
Magazine. I've had quite a range of Marion Zimmer Bradley's
tailored form rejections, but this was the first time that I have
received the "not suitable for our intended audience" letter. (No,
there wasn't any explicit sex in the story! But there was some
implied homosexuality.)
18 July 96: Fantastic Worlds rejection
125 days to receive a form rejection from Fantastic Worlds,
noting that they will be closed until October....
15 July 96: F&SF payment
A happy mail day: I received the contract plus check for my recent
sale to F&SF.
11 July 96: Galleys
I received the galley proofs for "Silent in the Cities," now due out
in the Fall or Winter 96 issue of Aboriginal SF. This is one
of my earliest stories, and was accepted over three years ago.
8 July 96: Double acceptance
Despite a rejection from F&SF, this still counts a very good
mail day: I had acceptances from Pirate Writings and Little
Green Men.
6 July 96: Little Green Men rejection
Another fast and friendly rejection from Little Green Men.
4 July 96: Little Green Men rejection
A very fast and very friendly one-day rejection from Little
Green Men (the wonders of e-mail allowing rejections to
arrive even on days when there is no regular mail).
30 June 96: Honorable Mention :-) :-)
Not strictly a mailbox item, but still good news: today I learned
that my story "Ebb Tide" (F&SF, May 95) received an Honorable
Mention in the Year's Best Fantasy & Horror #9.
28 June 96: F&SF acceptance :-) :-)
In the mail today: an acceptance from F&SF :-) :-) :-)
The story was a sequel to one I'd previously sold to F&SF, and is
the first sequel I've ever written. I am very happy indeed.
24 June 96: Asimov's rejection
A swifter response than normal from Asimov's Science Fiction,
who included a postcard noting their change of address as of today.
20 June 96: Tales of the Unanticipated rejection
I seem to be mired in a morass of rejections; today's came from
Tales of the Unanticipated.
18 June 96: Zone 9 rejection
And another rejection, this time from Zone 9.
17 June 96: Tomorrow's rejection today
A fast and friendly rejection from Tomorrow.
12 June 96: Transversions rejection
Encouraging rejection from Transversions.
8 June 96: Worlds of Fantasy & Horror rejection
Quick, friendly rejection from Worlds of Fantasy & Horror
7 June 96: One check, one publication
A decidedly good day at the mailbox: I received payment for "The
Hollow Dancer," my story recently accepted for Sword & Sorceress
14 and I received contributor's copies of Deathrealm #28,
containing one of my few horror stories, "The Voice."
3 June 96: Crank! rejection
Swift 13-day rejection from Crank!.
30 May 96: Sword & Sorceress acceptance
I am very happy indeed: I just found out that my story "The Hollow
Dancer" has been accepted for Sword & Sorceress 14. This is my
first ever sale to an anthology rather than a magazine, and also my
first sale to Marion Zimmer Bradley.
29 May 96: Slow rejection
An almost nine-month rejection from Cemetery Dance. When
rejections take as long as this, my relief at finally getting the
story back outweighs my disappointment over the rejection.
25 May 96: Deathrealm payment
Better mail than I have had for a month: payment from
Deathrealm for "The Voice," a story they accepted a while ago,
and which will be in the June issue.
24 May 96: TOTU rejection
A friendly ten-day rejection from Tales of the Unanticipated.
18 May 96: Story rejection
I.e. a rejection from the magazine called Story.
17 May 96: F&SF rejection
A "came-close" rejection from F&SF after 111 days.
The remaining stories that I have out are now polarized into two
groups: thirteen stories that have been out for no more than nine
weeks, and three stories that have been out for seven months and up.
I am getting a little impatient about the three lengthy response
times.
13 May 96: Telephone rejection
Yesterday I had an email rejection; today, for the first time, I had a
telephone rejection call. Jacob Weisman from Thirteenth Moon
kindly phoned to apologize for the delay in responding (eight months).
12 May 96: Email rejection
An email rejection from Adventures of Sword & Sorcery after five
months....
11 May 96: More TOTU rejections
Another two friendly rejections from Tales of the Unanticipated.
9 May 96: TOTU rejection
Encouraging rejection from Tales of the Unanticipated, mentioning
that he is still holding my other two submissions.
6 May 96: Glimmer Train rejection
One-month rejection from Glimmer Train...
30 April 96: Doom, Doom, Doom
Rejections are always painful, but, with practice, I can now go about
my daily business with barely a visible scar after receiving a
rejection. But on days when I receive two rejections at once, I may
limp a little, or stop in the middle of the street and sigh. And
today, a terrible blow occurred: three rejections in one day! Wailing
and gnashing of teeth! (The rejections came from Sword & Sorceress,
Tomorrow, and Realms of Fantasy---the last one took almost nine
months.)
25 April 96: Plot Magazine publication
Today I received my contributor's copy of Plot Magazine #5 (and
was very favorably impressed by the magazine's appearance and layout).
I was happy to see this story, "Hillun of Troy," in print. There is
always a risk in submitting to a new small press market, but I often
do so anyhow; in 1994, I submitted "Hillun of Troy" to a new magazine,
Between Dimensions. They accepted the story, but, alas, folded
later that year without publishing a single issue. May Plot
Magazine have a long and successful life!
24 April 96: Pirate Writings rejection
Prompt and encouraging rejection from Pirate Writings.
20 April 96: Silver Web rejection
A quick rejection (9 days) from The Silver Web. Alas, such
promptness is not universal; five of my stories have been sitting at
magazines for over six months.
15 April 96: Asimov's rejection
Today I received my second ever personal rejection from Asimov's
Science Fiction.
14 April 96: Talebones rejection
A few magazines permit email submissions, and that allows for some
record-breaking response times, such as, alas, today's 3-day rejection
from Talebones.
11 April 96: Distant Journeys payment
Friendly letter plus payment from Distant Journeys for a story
accepted two years ago, and now scheduled for publication in August.
(Patience is important for short story writers!)
6 April 96: Preliminary Nebula ballot :-)
Today I received the latest copy of the SFWA forum, and found that my
story "Ebb Tide" (F&SF,
May 95) has qualified for the preliminary ballot of the Nebula award :-)
:-) :-). (The Nebula awards are voted on by the SFWA membership in a
three-part process: if a story receives ten recommendations it
qualifies for the preliminary ballot, issued once a year; the five
short stories that receive the most votes when the preliminary ballots
are returned are placed on the final ballot; the short story that
receives the most votes on the final ballots wins the Nebula.)
Also in the mail: rejections from Terra Incognita and Worlds
of Fantasy & Horror.
4 April 96: Story rejection
... by which I mean that I received a rejection from Story
magazine, the first time I had tried submitting to this market.
3 April 96: Pirate Writings acceptance
:-) "One Small Step" was accepted by Pirate Writings, my third
sale to them, and they are also the third magazine to buy three
stories from me (the others being F&SF and the now-dead
Random Realities). I have yet to manage to sell four stories
to a magazine.
1 April 96: Mini-mail flood
Returning from a weekend meeting up with friends, I found two
rejections (from Transversions and Blood & Midnight), an
acceptance from Aberrations, and the galley proofs for
"Monstrosity," which will be my third story to appear in F&SF.
28 March 96: Mind's Eye acceptance
A second day with good news via e-mail: my story "Seeing Deeper,"
first published in Thirteenth Moon, has been accepted by
Mind's Eye Fiction, and should be
available online soon.
27 March 96: eSCENE acceptance
I was delighted to receive e-mail saying that my story "Pandora's
Dogs" has been selected for eSCENE 1996 (eSCENE is an annual
selection of the best online fiction).
25 March 96: alphaDRIVE rejection
A rejection from the online magazine alphaDRIVE.
21 March 96: Not again!
16 days ago I had two rejections in one day. 8 days ago I had two
rejections in one day. Today I had two rejections in one day (Dead
of Night and a personal rejection from F&SF. I am not
looking forward to March 29th!
20 March 96: SF Age rejection
With his usual speed (one of the main reasons I like this market),
Scott Edelman of SF Age returned a story of mine in 9 days.
18 March 96: Galleys
In the mail today, galleys for my story "Hillun of Troy," due out
shortly from Plot Magazine. The galleys looked good, and I
got an advance peek at the artwork for the story :-) Alas, some bad
news too: a rejection from Analog.
13 March 96: Another double rejection
Alas, a mere eight days after my last double rejection, today it happened
again; this time the bad news came from Terra Incognita and
Pirate Writings.
9 March 96: F&SF acceptance :-) :-) :-)
And there was much happiness upon the face of the Mary: today I
received my third acceptance from F&SF :-) :-) :-)
Yay!
8 March 96: Lynx Eye rejection
An 83-day rejection from Lynx Eye.
5 March 96: Double rejection
Ouch: two rejections in one day :-( Personal letters from
Tomorrow and Century. Somehow receiving two
rejections in one day is considerably more than twice as
painful as just getting one....
4 March 96: Space and Time payment
In the mail today, payment for a story earlier accepted by Space
and Time, and, alas, a rejection from The Leading Edge.
29 February 96: Edge Detector rejection
Nearly ten months after my original submission, today I had a friendly
email message from Edge Detector, saying that they were unable
to find the funding for the magazine, and are returning submissions.
27 February 96: Intermix anthology acceptance
In the electronic mailbox today, an unexpected bonus: Intermix are trying to
arrange for a Best of Intermix anthology, and would like to use my
story "Marna-Li."
22 February 96: Worlds of Fantasy and Horror rejection
A nine-day personal rejection from Worlds of Fantasy and
Horror; a rejection is always disappointing, but at least this one
was swift.
20 February 96: Pirate Writings publication
A happy day: I received my contributor's copy of Pirate Writings
#9, containing my short-short story "Mail-a-Day."
16/17 February 96: Two more rejections
I was out of town for two valuable mail-days, so I am not quite sure
whether these arrived on the 16th or the 17th: a 25-day rejection from
Dead of Night and a 4-day or 5-day rejection from Terra
Incognita.
12 February 96: Fractal rejection
In today's mail came a story that I had started to worry would never
make it home. It had been at The Fractal for eight months;
today it returned--battered, rejected, but finally reunited with me.
10 February 96: Analog rejection
A 31-day rejection from Analog.
7 February 96: Asimov's rejection
After fifteen previous rejections from Asimov's, I have now
received my first ever personal rejection from Gardner Dozois. This
has proved considerably harder than selling my stories to other
magazines!
5 February 96: !#?!*! revisited
Another ten days without any story responses -- and this despite
having twenty stories out at the moment. If it weren't for the steady
arrival of bills and junk mail, I would believe the postal service had
ceased operation.
26 January 96: Double-barreled rejection
Ouch: in today's mail a 7-day rejection from SF Age and a
92-day personal rejection from F&SF. :-(
22 January 96: Intermix acceptance
Gloomily I sifted through my post: no story responses. But in the
evening I received email from the electronic magazine Intermix -- accepting my
story "Voices in the Wind," which was first published in Star
Tiger.
18 January 96: !#?!*!
Ten days without any story responses. Grrrr! Still, I did receive
my preliminary ballot form for the Nebula awards. Since this is the
first time I've been eligible to vote, this was an exciting event.
8 January 96: Mail avalanche
I returned from my holiday to find a gargantuan flood of mail awaiting
me. And buried amongst the Christmas cards and the junk-mail were
several story responses. First the bad news: rejections from
F&SF and Pirate Writings. Then the good news: an
acceptance from the small press magazine Deathrealm, plus a
letter saying that my story "To Have And To Hold" won second place in
the annual Best of Soft SF contest. The latter really pleased me, and
the accompanying fifty dollar check was an added bonus; the story was
earlier accepted for Dark Region's virtual reality issue.
Other Mailbox Blues
The most recent Mailbox Blues
1995 Mailbox Blues
1997 Mailbox Blues
1998 Mailbox Blues
1999 Mailbox Blues
2000 Mailbox Blues
2001-2002 Mailbox Blues
2003-2004 Mailbox Blues