Rejection 178

While away on tour I set up a vacation email response because I knew my chances to respond would few and far between.

I got a rejection from Mac at Lady Jane's Miscellany. He got my vacation note which said this:

"I am in a van with a bunch of other writers right now.

Chances are I won't have the capacity to respond to this before July 17th.

Why don't you call me if it's so important?  I'd probably like to hear from you: 847-828-2366

-Jac"

Mac must have thought that was a personal email, because he sent an email saying this:

"Not a big deal, Jac, just update on things.

Mac"

It makes me laugh every time I think about Mac getting that vacation email and thinking, "Chill, bitch.  I was just rejecting you."

Rejection Post-Acceptance by Other Magazine, but not Post-Withdrawal (eek!): Rejection 177

So, for the first time I had a story accepted and I did not immediately withdraw it from the other places I'd sent it, because I didn't think that I could possibly hear about a story from two magazines while I was gone, so I didn't bring my notebook where I keep track of these things.  Yup, in a notebook - not a spreadsheet or a google doc.

So I got an acceptance and then I prayed that whoever else I'd sent the story wouldn't want it for the next week.

And no one did.  But Fringe rejected it. So I think I should maybe count that. So I guess this is Rejection 177. I will not leave my notebook behind for two weeks again.  That put fear in my heart.

New Issue of JMWW Up

On the tour I got to meet Jen Michalski who is rad.  We met in a trapeze practice studio.  I was under the influence of one of our famous doctored cola bottles so I hope she didn't think I was a crazy too hard. Anyways, the new issue is up here. 

It features work by Jessica Anya Blau, Madison Smartt Bell, Justin Sirois, Leslie F. Miller, Kevin Spaide, Sean Thomas, Jim Coppoc, James Iredell (who I met and hugged in Atlanta!) , Meg E. Pokrass, Rebecca Coffey, Heather Fowler, Jason Kerzinski, J.A. Tyler, Donald Illich, Derick Varn, Gary Lehmann, Ashlie Kauffman, Catherine Harrison and a sort of longish story by me.

Check it out.  There is much to love.

Rejection 176

Good god.  I am back from the insanity that was The Dollar Store Tour.  I am back and my kitchen seemed bigger and my bed seemed better and I forgot how to notice that customers needed help in my bookstore because I've been asked more times today than ever if I worked here, but alas, I am back.  And I don't know how to not be a party girl 24/7 and I don't know how to smell nice and I don't know how to rest or not eat a ton of shit all the time and I don't know how to exist without moving all the time across America and I don't know how to not be constantly accompanied by the most badass posse that ever was, but alas, I am back and trying to figure those things out. I'm back in Chicago.  And while I was gone I got some rejections. 

The first was from Diagram, which was, again, a form letter.

Gah. Fine.

Gone Fishing

As referenced in the previous post, I will not be around for a minute, or two weeks to be exact.  Where will I be? In the greatest van to ever tour the United States of America.  That's right: a handful of writers will be coming to a city near you sometime soon.  Check out the Dollar Store website for dates, locations and times.

See ya soon!

Rejection 175

That's a nice round number on which to take a hiatus, I think.  A story of mine was just rejected from the fancy new magazine, The Collagist.

It seems Mr. Bell's reasoning was that they aren't taking work for the first few issues from Dzanc authors, which, I think, makes perfect sense.  I actually hoped this might be the case when I sent the story, but indeed, I was excited and thought I'd at least try.

Anyways, get pumped.  It seems obvious this journal is gonna rock.

New Issue of Gander Press Review

Hola.  Please check out the new issue of Gander Press Review.  It is quite lovely and features attractive geese icons as well as the work of the following:

Ignatius Valentine Aloysius — J. David Bell — Catherine Bergart— Ryan W. Bradley - Mark DeCarteret — Adam Deutsch — William Doreski — Dave Engeldrum- Richard Fein — Jéanpaul Ferro — Roland Goity — Gordon A. Graves -Alamgir Hashmi — Kai Hoffman-Krull — Jac Jemc — Zachary Kluckman -Jane Rosenberg LaForge — Peggy Landsman — Krystal Languell — Gregory Lawless -Laura LeHew — Carol Levin — Kurt Luchs — Lisa Markowitz -Robert McGowan — Kristine Ong Muslim — Benjamin Nardolilli — Patrick Nevins-Taylur Thu Hien Ngo — Derrick Paulson — Simon Perchik

— Nahid Rachlin -Marina D. Rubin — Sarah Salway — Adeline Scout — William Seaton -Ron Singer — Johanna Stoberock — Carolyn Stoloff — Ray Succre -Janice Krasselt Tatter — Donna D. Vitucci — Mark Vogel — Anne Walls -Anne Whitehouse — Shellie Zacharia

Rejection 174

I cannot crack the SmokeLong shell.  They continue to send me rejections praising my language/ sentences, but apparently my stories are not up to par.  I can't figure it out.

Work In Two Online Publications

A year and ahlf ago I had the pleasure of TAing for a class called "Text Off the Page" at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.  The class features a gallery show at the end of the semester along with a response reading.  We made a book of the work featured in that show that you can look at here. Then, last fall, I was invited to write a response to one of the pieces in the 2008 show, and that whole show, including part of my response, can be found here.

These are really incredible publications representing what were  terrific gallery show/ response nights.  Go flip through the books if you havea minute.  There are lots of gorgeous color photos.  Finally something ultra-browsable to share.

New Blog Post Up at Other Blog

I'm posting a couple times in June (which is almost over) at the Our Stories Blog.  We're allowed to post about anything literary, and mostly I just ramble a bunch about how things are obviously changing in huge ways, especially in the world of publishing/ writing, and how it makes me nervous and excited, but also fearful of people like this dude I went on a date with who had spear tattoos and didn't understand that he was a living animal and not a robot who could solely function in some other realm.

There are details about this date at the Our Stories Blog.  You should go there.

Also, I should really start a blog about the dates I've been on in the last 4 months.  You would crack up.  If you email me at jacjemc@gmail.com, I will tell you a story.  I have a minimum of 21 of them.  I will email one date to each person who asks in chronological order.  Srsly.  I don't know what got into me.  I have an addictive personality.  I am saying it aloud.