On his Scribblings Blog, writer James Viscosi posted the above rejection he received in Feb 2009 by Peter Rubie at Lori Perkins' office. It's pretty standard form letter material that looks oddly type-written for this day and age. What's fun, though, is that Laurie Perkins came around on his comments page a few weeks later to make the following disclaimer. "I cannot imagine when you received this, as Peter Rubie and I have not worked together since 2000. He has since started the Peter Rubie Literary Agency, which has reinvented it self as Fine Print. This has nothing to do with my agency now.--Lori Perkins (lperkinsagency@yahoo.com)" It's almost as if her new agency never sends out rejections, isn't it?
9 comments:
This looks like an old rejection. Peter Rubie has been on his own for years. About 15 years ago, I sent a cold query to Rubie, when he was with L. Perkins, and he asked to see the novel. Subsequently, I had a phone conversation with him, and his comment to me about the novel was right on the money: namely, that it read like a very long short story. I knew instantly what he meant. Structurally, I had no idea what I was doing. He had other comments, too, and as it turned out, they were all extremely useful, especially since I was at work on my next novel. I didn't sell that novel, either (it had other problems), but I have since sold my next several books, and even though I never queried Mr. Rubie again (and I can't remember why I didn't), I have always been grateful for his comments. (I guess this is why this blog bothers me. An agent can't respond to everyone, and an agent certainly can't represent everyone. I received a lot of standard rejections on that first novel, for good reason, as well as a few harsh ones (there was no reason for someone to send a harsh one, but, hey, some people are just assholes). But Mr. Rubie happened to find some things worth talking to me about, and they were helpful. What's the point of posting a standard rejection he sent? I know in the past you've said that you're just trying to understand or figure this all out, but maybe there's nothing to understand or figure out. Reading the posts on LROD is like watching a dog chase its own tail.)
is it Lori or Laurie?
Low Man: don't you mean Lowboy?
Lori.
Anon 1:29,
I think some women legally named "Laurie" use "Lori" as a nick name. Out east, they are pronounced differently.
Anon 3:54,
You are making a snide point that another editor may get, but alas, I do not get it. So, regrettably, I must pass. Best of luck to you in your future endeavors. Remember, every 'no' gets you closer to 'yes.'
anon: lowboy is another name for a refrigerator found in commercial kitchens, if that's what you don't get.
wr: totes bizarre. i've been getting lots of rejection lately, but nothing interesting.
I was suggesting Low Man is in fact John Wray, author of Lowboy, a novel you all should read.
Nope, I'm not John Wray. Sorry to disappoint.
"Random Rejection" is an occasional feature on my blog where I reach into my pile, pull something out, scan it, and post it. I do this regardless of whether or not the letter has anything that's actually interesting about it, e.g., specific comments about the work that was rejected, humorously bad grammar, etc.
This entry is not in fact the most impersonal item I've ever posted; that honor is held by a rejection slip (I didn't deign to call it a letter) from "The New Yorker" that doesn't even have anyone's name on it.
Incidentally, Peter Rubie also commented on this post on my blog. I imagine Ms. Perkins informed him of its existence.
Post a Comment