Rejection 229, New Issue of Bailliwik, Poetry Book Rejection

I'm right excited about Knee Jerk's print issue, and it was super-amazing-nice of those dudes to ask if I had anything I'd like them to consider.

Now I'm gonna be honest about what I did.

Casey said that they were trying to pack the issue with really exciting stuff like scratch 'n sniff and diagrams and illustrations, and I thought, 'Aw yeah - I've got those collages of National Geographic photos I've been wanting to do something with and also those weird erasure poems.  I'ma make that into something my Knee Jerk.'

And I did.

And then I remembered that Knee Jerk doesn't take poetry.  So I sent those things to Bailliwik, and they accepted them.  That issue is out now and it's the prettiest thing.  If you buy a copy it has 8 special limited edition artist projects, but you can also browse it online.

Then the deadline for Knee Jerk snuck up on me and I had nothing, and Casey was even nice enough to check in to see if I had anything, and I admitted that I wasn't able to make something just for that print issue, but that I'd send a story, which I realize is a real asshole thing to do because that just means they have to read one more thing they don't really want.

All this and Casey emailed me to apologize that they wouldn't be taking the story and for not keeping me up to date on what would fit in with what they'd chosen so far and what wouldn't.  What nice guy!  I am excited to see what they've pulled together.  Yah.

Another nice occurrence: I received a funny-toned email from Black Ocean regretting to inform me that my poetry manuscript had not been chosen for publication from their open reading period.  It felt more like a general announcement than a rejection letter.

Turns out, it seems some communication lines were possibly crossed on their end, and Carrie Adams sent out a more personally-voiced mass-rejection later that day, thanking people for submitting and apologizing for the first letter.

People nice.  Generally and specifically.