Decade, You Have Been Good To Me

Whatever history will end up calling the last decade, she's almost over.

In the last ten years I've:

...married my wife (the current and only one).

...seen ten senior classes leave McLouth High School.

...witnessed the birth of my two beautiful boys (Owen in 2003...Max in 2006).

...started and finished my M.S. program at the University of Kansas.

...been nominated for Kansas Teacher of the Year.

...written four books and nearly 200 stories. One of the books really sucks; one is being published; the jury is still out on the others.

...lost a little hair (and a number of the survivors have gone grey).

...helped my wife through some pretty crappy post-partum depression.

...witnessed random acts of violence in the 21st Century's "new war". I'll never forget walking from my classroom on September 11th...my vice-principal told me what had happened, his face drawn and pale. Likewise, bombings in Madrid, London, elsewhere--terrorism was no longer a "Middle East" problem--not that it ever was.

...took my children to the doctor/emergency room for broken arms, fevers, anaphylactic shock, and stitches.

...grown up. A little. ('course Santa brought me a Nerf gun...so pbbbbbt to growing up)

Later this week I'll review my year in writing. For now...wow. What a decade. I know I'm leaving soooo much out. Blame it on the post-Christmas stomach flu. I know I am.

While I'm trying to remember what I forgot, please have a look at this lovely review of Kaleidotrope #7 from Tangent Online. My entry lands some favorable e-ink:

'To Put Away Childish Things’ provides some remarkable observations about the nature of humanity...

(the reviewer then goes on to kick me in the teeth with a glancing shot of feminist criticism...read for yourself)

Gotta love it.

On Persistence

Yesterday, Melissa De Kler at Nossa Morte notified me that my short-short "Tesoro's Magic Bullet" will appear in a future issue. I'm thrilled. Nossa Morte is a quality market, garnering four honorable mentions in The Year's Best Horror (ed. by Datlow). I've read, and enjoyed, their offerings for the past two years.

But here's the back story: this wasn't the first time I've submitted to Nossa Morte. Or the second. Or third.

I think you can see the pattern.

"Tesoro's Magic Bullet" was at least (if my records are correct) my 11th try to crack that market. It took some helpful notes from the editor, some assistance from a few readers, and a boat-load of persistence. In fact, that particular piece had been rejected (in slightly different form) three times prior. Write and rewrite. Send it out again.

Someone might read the previous paragraph and quip: Man, that guy's a loser...he failed 10 times and came back for more? Someone who isn't a writer might say that.

Writers know.

They know publication isn't a quick fix. The only essential natural "talent" for a writer is the willingness to keep going. The thick skin that sheds rejections like rainwater only comes with time. The ability to weave magic with words and phrases is attainable with practice, patience, and persistence. God knows I'm still trying. I'm not gifted with a ridiculous amount of natural ability. I'm not in a life position to take off to Clarion West. All I have is persistence.

I hope I still will be trying a year from now. Two years. Hell, ten years from now.

Parent-teacher conferences are today (twelve hours in my classroom for about 1 1/2 hours of face to face time). That takes a little persistence, too. Last year on PT conference day, I heard from Fred Coppersmith that "To Put Away Childish Things" would appear in Kaleidotrope. That issue came in the mail this week, one year later, packed with slipstream goodness (for $5 domestic, I can't think of a better deal).

These things take time.

"Childish Things" to Appear in Kaleidotrope

I heard from Fred Coppersmith at Kaleidotrope yesterday, and my short story "To Put Away Childish Things" is go. Very stoked on this one as Kaleidotrope is a quality publication and "Childish Things" is a weird story.

In other news, entrants in my impromtu "win a copy of Tainted" contest have a better chance of winning than I do of landing an acceptance at Clarkesworld. See the previous post to enter--no limits.

We are hosting an outdoor movie night (projecting on a sheet attached to the house) tonight--barring rain. Looking forward to some hot chocolate and Night of the Living Dead. Heh.