tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5015329098122035196.post677591795142480384..comments2023-09-30T10:31:07.390-04:00Comments on Short Fiction. Write it. Sell it. : Appearing in issue #21, May 25, 2015Jody E. Lebelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08777207515123248962noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5015329098122035196.post-81733161206446173272015-06-05T06:31:11.182-04:002015-06-05T06:31:11.182-04:00Jody, I've had loads of my subs forwarded to J...Jody, I've had loads of my subs forwarded to Johnene over the past ten years or so, but not a single one accepted. That's what's so frustrating. If Patricia sent everything straight back to me without a comment then I'd know I didn't stand a chance, but for a story to get to the second stage must mean she's seeing something there. So I just plod on and hope... At least with Mary Jo sending me the scans each week and giving me feedback on my subs - as do you, Betsi and Mary Ann - I feel there's a possibility that I'll get something past them one day. Chrisnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5015329098122035196.post-81442378420318107392015-06-04T20:00:46.074-04:002015-06-04T20:00:46.074-04:00@ Mary Jo. I'm hearing through the Internet t...@ Mary Jo. I'm hearing through the Internet that the reason things are wonky at Bauer is because they launched three new mags last year. Maybe the whole system is under pressure. Hopefully things will settle down and get back to the way they used to be. Corporations don't let the public in on their inner-office problems. The only way we'll learn anything is through leaks or press releases. Jody E. Lebelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08777207515123248962noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5015329098122035196.post-64646059434029598302015-06-04T19:53:41.361-04:002015-06-04T19:53:41.361-04:00@ Chris
Well... at lease you know it's not a ...@ Chris<br /><br />Well... at lease you know it's not a postal service problem. Congrats at making it to Johnene! You are now in the club. Don't forget to send in your dues...lol.<br /><br />Jody E. Lebelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08777207515123248962noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5015329098122035196.post-36461492496463974612015-06-03T17:25:45.706-04:002015-06-03T17:25:45.706-04:00If it is crazy for us, it must be totally insane f...If it is crazy for us, it must be totally insane for the WW editors. I doubt they are sitting on their hands. I wish they would communicate the problems so we might be more able to accommodate them. I have already resubmitted several of my no-show stories, romances and mysteries, from last year. Does anyone know what the situation really is?Mary Jonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5015329098122035196.post-39214142955855184612015-06-03T11:33:47.537-04:002015-06-03T11:33:47.537-04:00I just had another no, this time of a romance that...I just had another no, this time of a romance that I submitted in April... of LAST year! Okay, it did have a Seattle postmark, so it got to Johnene, but, honestly, fourteen months to respond. :¬{ At the start of this year, having assumed the story was either lost or rejected, I reworked it and submitted it to markets in Australia and Scandinavia, so it's already out there again. But these response times are getting crazy.Chrisnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5015329098122035196.post-88183003539581069052015-06-01T00:38:55.811-04:002015-06-01T00:38:55.811-04:00OK, Jody. Stock up on red ink. OK, Jody. Stock up on red ink. Tamaranoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5015329098122035196.post-91728517742875609002015-05-30T23:05:32.703-04:002015-05-30T23:05:32.703-04:002 Mary Jo. That's the 60K question. I know t...2 Mary Jo. That's the 60K question. I know that the publishing world practically closes down in August. Also the fall/winter holidays are not great times either. January is perfect. Late September, early October is good. June is good IMO. Don't wait until too late in July as they're all getting ready for vacation and start clearing off desks again. <br /><br />I say send it in, gurl. Just make sure it sparkles so it gets past the first readers. Jody E. Lebelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08777207515123248962noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5015329098122035196.post-25780895922833370862015-05-30T22:57:17.051-04:002015-05-30T22:57:17.051-04:00I just finished a mystery for WW. It came in at al...I just finished a mystery for WW. It came in at almost a thousand words, so I had to chip away at it to get down to 700. Now I wonder if it even makes sense. My question: When will be an appropriate time to submit it? I want to be sure it gets read...preferably by Johnene.Mary Jonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5015329098122035196.post-50846601699268951372015-05-30T18:25:20.225-04:002015-05-30T18:25:20.225-04:00@ Tamara. Smart woman. Dull it down until you ju...@ Tamara. Smart woman. Dull it down until you just can't stand it... and send it in. Jody E. Lebelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08777207515123248962noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5015329098122035196.post-61170637115959248882015-05-30T18:13:17.885-04:002015-05-30T18:13:17.885-04:00I'm working on one now. ha haI'm working on one now. ha haTamaranoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5015329098122035196.post-9104339759789885842015-05-30T14:03:47.498-04:002015-05-30T14:03:47.498-04:00@ Mary Jo. I'm surprised this story made it t...@ Mary Jo. I'm surprised this story made it to Johene's desk. We've had disgruntled heirs in quite a few stories so you'd think they'd be looking for fresh writing. I must say this was so obvious as to be a yawn. I wonder if WW thinks their readers are all old ladies? One thing is for sure... WW LOVES cozies, small town sheriffs, old lady sleuths, and SIMPLE solutions. And when I say simple, I mean no brainers. <br /><br />So, ladies and gents, get writing and create some mini-mysteries that have all of the above. Jody E. Lebelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08777207515123248962noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5015329098122035196.post-47042259657817372782015-05-30T13:32:12.166-04:002015-05-30T13:32:12.166-04:00This story was so lame you have to wonder if all t...This story was so lame you have to wonder if all the available material was still sitting on Patricia s desk. Is this the best that Johnene had to work with? Well, lucky for the author.<br /><br />There is a reason that little old ladies always carry their purse on their arm. Even Queen Elizabeth.Mary Jonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5015329098122035196.post-20463363214828864262015-05-30T10:17:25.848-04:002015-05-30T10:17:25.848-04:00@ Chris. And yet, Besti pulled in a nice $500 for...@ Chris. And yet, Besti pulled in a nice $500 for that story. Go figure. Jody E. Lebelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08777207515123248962noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5015329098122035196.post-45989166499291239922015-05-30T09:35:51.207-04:002015-05-30T09:35:51.207-04:00I have to agree, this could have been improved wit...I have to agree, this could have been improved with more work. The two male characters were too obviously the guys in the black hats - in fact they were so grasping, I wouldn't have left either of them a bean. It would have been nice to have the edges between the goodies and the baddies blurred more, so that we had to decide which of them wasn't as nice as they seemed. <br /><br />The bit about Martha leaving her bag in the living room didn't dawn on me as an issue as I read the story but you're right, Jody, no woman would do that even in her own home when there were strangers staying. As for that bed in the basement, sounds divine!Chrisnoreply@blogger.com