CORONAVIRUS INTERRUPTUS--A Rejection and A Thought On Editor Ghosting

Interrupting the regularly scheduled posting for a throwback rejection. You may think I'd run out of these things, but the more books I write and try to publish, the more rejections I have. Funny how the more things change, the more  they stay the same.  This onne was funny because it came five months after submission. My text response was "Well at least she read it and bothered to respond." Secret Agent Man's text response was: "That's what I thought too." Apparently, since I've been writing new books, there's new thiing called "ghosting"  that editors do....even to well-known agents.  My goodness!

DAY TWENTY-TWO: CORONAVIRUS ISOLATION

Writers group last night was great! No takers for an LROD writer's group? I guess that seems like we'd sit around and reject each other, but that's not what I had in mind. Well, whatevs. Hope you all are doing well into Week Three of this thing.

Throwback to #Rejection Days: This Lady Thinks I'm Working Out My Issues, Not Writing a Proper Memoir (Pfft...lady....Pfft)

I don't like the ligatures...see the "ing" and the "and"? They look weird. I need to fix that, but I think it could be okay.


Anyhoodle....just for old time's sake, in case you think getting published once, twice, or thrice changes things for Writer Rejected and all you writing mice out there, it doesn't.  Here are some rejections I got for my book about disinheritance that no one wanted.

This lady was like: The author is working out her mental issues, not crafting a memoir. And this was from a WOMEN'S imprint. Pfft...mean.

(Now rejections come by text from Secret Agent Man)

Funny: I thought it was the most commercial thing that ever happened to me. Ha!

DAY TWENTY: CORONAVIRUS ISOLATION

I love the freeze-frame on this video. Me--dumb face. Does that happen on purpose?

DAY EIGHTEEN: CORONAVIRUS ISOLATION

 p.s. I mentioned in the above video that I'm working on a graphic novel. The story is this: I had a tenth grade art teacher who convinced me I wasn't a real artist, even though I LOVED to draw and hang out in the studio with the arty kids, who were the real deal. The thing was that I didn't really care (probably for the only time in my life) whether or not I was any good. It was just a joyful thing for me, something I did in childhood all the time. But he said I needed to work on my skills and not just convince myself that my work was good. He was harsh, so I quit his class and never went back. Unfortunately, I never drew again. I remembered this incident a few months ago when people from my hometown were posting about their favorite teachers on Facebook, and the guy's name was mentioned. I thought, "F that!" I'm going to draw again. This little book came pouring out of me, and I was obsessed for three months with working on it. Now, I have a prototype of the book, which needs work.  It looks like this:

Does anyone have a suggestion for what to do with this thing? Suggestions are welcome.

DAY SIXTEEN: CORONAVIRUS ISOLATION

DAY NINE: CORONAVIRUS ISOLATION

Better mood today because of  writers' group last night on Zoom. Should we start a writers' group on LROD? Anyone interested...we'd all be strangers, but everyone here is a friend.   If you're interested put your email address in the comments and I'll organize  something.

DAY EIGHT: CORONAVIRUS ISOLATION

Feeling kind of buggy, but also grateful for health, work, family.

DAY SIX: CORONAVIRUS ISOLATION

Some "cats" really know how to entertain themselves in isolation. (She's playing with a leaf....a leaf!) We can all take note. This is #BabyCass, Standard Poodle.

Also, today,  a shout out to my dear, sweet friend Risa Denenberg, a poet, but also a nurse in Washington State. She and I go back to the AIDS Epidemic as members of the protest group, ACT UP, and as besties.

She had recently retired from nursing, so I checked in via email:

ME:  Are you okay? Shelter in place? Not working the front lines, I hope, but writing poetry.
RISA: So would you really expect me to not work during a medical crisis? I am being careful. I promise. 

So, let's all take a moment to say a little prayer or give the universe a vibe of gratitude for all those nurses and medical folks working to help those who have symptoms of this virus.

(Thank You, Risa. Please be careful.)

DAY FIVE: CORONAVIRUS ISOLATION

DAY THREE (OR FIVE): CORONAVIRUS ISOLATION

A three-parter because I didn't know about the Blogger data limit. Will keep it shorter from now on.

DAY ONE: CORONAVIRUS ISOLATION

WRITERS: ARE YOU OUT THERE?

 

I'm back because...well, you know...the nation is socially isolating, and we writers probably get enough of that. So, let's get the band back together and have a little community. I'm going to be putting up videos to catalog this situation.  Even if no one comes to my party, I'll feel like I'm talking to someone out there.  I hope you'll join in.

#Literary #Agent Takes on The #Rejection Letter

I came across this in my reading and thought you'd like to have a look. It's a prominent literary agent's take on having to deliver the bad, bad news to you. Here's how he sums up the relationship we at LROD bitch and moan about non-stop:

It always bears repeating: agents work for writers, not the other way around. I make my living as a percentage of an author’s living. Essentially I’m looking for a cool boss who is an extraordinary writer. So feel free to send me your manuscript. I’ll try to get to it quickly. Maybe it will be a runaway bestseller. Maybe I’ll subject you to my brutal candor, or maybe I’ll ghost you. And if it doesn’t work out, please know that I wish you the best of luck connecting with a good agent who isn’t such an asshole.

Refreshing, right? Honest too. He's no asshole, BTW; dude is my agent.

A "Must Read #Fiction Listing" from Mass Book Awards

Remember me? Yeah, yeah....I know. Long time. Two things, though: some good book new and some rejection book news. My book of short stories, which was roundly rejected by all in the early years of this blog, was just named a Fiction Must Read for the Massachusetts Book Award hosted by the Massachusetts Center for the Book! Here's the full list. Congratulations to the winners. If you haven't read Pretend I'm Your Friend: Stories yet, check it out here.  

     As for the bad news, you all will recall that I was writing a non-fiction book about disinheritance in a memoir kind of style. My agent loved it, sent it out to the big houses, but, guess what, no one bought it.  The common theme seemed to be that the editors did not find resonance with the voice of the book, or had published something similar (?! not), or simply didn't respond (ghosted the agent: have you heard of this?).  I decided to let the book sit. Who knows? Maybe I dodged a bullet (literal family bullet by gun-carrying relatives who did not want me to publish that book no-way, no-how). I will eventually publish the rejections here, of course, so you may have a look-see and do what you will with them.  

     In the meantime, happy summer 2018. Keep writing. Don't believe what the fuck-wads say about you when they are rejecting your book. 

    Also, try not to worry so much about the state the country and the world. Just write about it. That's why you were put on this green earth.