Short story submitted. This is a small miracle.

Honestly folks, I've spent a good chunk of my life writing copy I didn't care one way or the other about, and another good chunk smiling away at this teacher and that neighbor who asked when I was going to write a book, and until this fall, I hadn't produced anything closely resembling a complete, crafted, readable story I'd call mine. Thousands of drafts, yes. Lots of starts, a whole stack of notes, and so very many articles for other people. So yes, I care that my work gets published, and hope that it will. But right now, I'm pretty grateful to get this far. And you guys are part of the reason. So I'll take an opportunity to be grateful now, because this is something - it's a start.

Gud, -t, and tommyrot, thanks for the reads this time around and all the comments. Thanks to Amy. Thanks to Raq.

Congrats on getting it off, Sox!

First query letter sent. Concise, formal, and straightforward.

Good job, guys!

Good job to both of you!

Good job, you folks!

...and I got my first rejection. That was fast.

Yikes. Was that the story or the agent query?

Remember, when rejections are really quick, it sometimes means they're simply over-inventoried.

That was the agent query. I'd be surprised if I have any success, I don't have any credentials, it's a pretty tepid subgenre, and I don't think the story pitches especially well. But still a better chance than not trying.

"Pursue any goal, seek any job, ask anyone out...there are thousands of people to tell you you are not good enough, but do not do their work for them...if they say no, they may not be smart enough to say yes." --Keith Olbermann (One day I'll live this, instead of typing it.)