Published on Halloween!

Submitting to publications is grueling enough as it is, it's chalk-filled with disappointment all on its own, you don't need to be adding your own self-inflicted wounds to the party. A writer can run out of body parts to absorb these blows.

But that was what I did to myself. I wanted to submit to a publication, one that put out monthly themed issues. I hadn't ever submitted to them before and I looked over their site. Seemed simple enough. I saw an upcoming theme that fit a story idea that I had. Next to the theme it said, "July." Alright, so I just need to submit to them in July. I imagine they accept submissions from July 1st to July 31st. But I decided, "I'm going to be smart. I will submit EARLY in July. Just to be safe."

I wrote my story, a rough draft, and finished in early June. I figured I'd give it some time to breathe, give myself time away from it so I could gain some clarity, not be so attached. I had another project to work on in the meantime, so I figured, why not get back to it at the very end of June? Do my needed revisions, they'll only take a couple days, then that way I can submit July 2nd, July 3rd, EARLY in July.

I did just that. Only when I went to submit on July 3rd, submissions were closed.

Wha-huh??

Ohh! July wasn't referring to when submissions were open. July was referring to when the issue would come out. Submissions closed on June 30th. Oh, you can't imagine how annoyed I was with myself. KNOWING that I could have just worked on the revisions in mid-June and submitted late June and STILL MADE THE DEADLINE.

But I waited because I misunderstood what the submission window was. And I missed the window. I get this thing, deep down inside of me, when I do something like that, it BOTHERS me. And not just that it BOTHERS me in the way other people would be bothered. It lingers... unless I am able to gain a sense of closure and push it away, which I've learned to do. But I get a feeling of something being incomplete, and I don't like that at all, and that feeling lingers in my gut. Here I had this story that I was excited about, and I wasn't able to submit it to a themed issue that I felt it was perfect for.

Eventually, I found two other publications to submit it to, so at least I was able to send it somewhere. That helped. Still waiting to hear back from them. And that particular publication, I submitted a different story to a different issue ON TIME, so that helped. I was turned down by them. At least I got something in.

However, they had another theme coming up, a Halloween related one. The Ticking Clock. Ooh, I had some stories that could fit that theme. I picked out the best one and submitted it. Got another one in ON TIME! Look at me!

This story had gone through some evolutions. I originally wrote it for a publication and it was based on a photo prompt. It had to be under 1,000 words. I submitted and got turned down. Oh well, that's happened to me over 300 times. It's OK. Months later I submitted it to another publication. Turned down again.

Months later I wanted to submit it to another publication and thought it could use some edits. So, I read it over, realized it had some issues, and reworked it. The story went from being about 980 words to about 1,400 words. Had a lot more juice to it. A lot more pulp. Filled up more of a cup. And whatever other jugo metaphors you wish to make, amigo.

And then it got turned down. I reread it, thought it was still good, sent it to another publication. Turned down again. 4 times. So, this happens. But it sat there for a while until I recently revisited it, and I saw all the glaring issues once more. The story was short, but it was still waiting too long to get to the most exciting parts. And the characters were a little flat. And the story just wasn't there like I was envisioning it. That's why I like stepping away from a story for a while... assuming I have the time... because I can see it for what it is. I reworked it. It became a 2,800-word short story. Doubled in length! That's a lotta OJ! And then I submitted it, as I mentioned, to this particular publication. Boudin Literary Magazine. And they told me they loved it! It was accepted! You can read it online for free right now! My story is "The Box on West 129th Street." Boudin Literary Magazine is, as they say, the spicy online cousin of The McNeese Review. Take a look at the entire issue if you like. Link right here:

I found this publication when looking for publications all over the country... and beyond. Trying to find many publications affiliated with states and cities and colleges. McNeese State University is a college in Louisiana and their publication The McNeese Review has been around, I believe, since the 40's. They made my list of places to submit to. And then I saw they had this other publication as well. Boudin. That made the list too. And now, I have been published by them!

It's so exciting getting published any time, it is especially exciting getting published on Halloween! And with a semi-horror/urban-fantasy story... one that had gone through the grinder, seen many revisions, seen much rejection, and finally found a home. And seeing on Submittable, amidst a sea of Dark Blue "Received's" and Light Blue "In Progresses" and the looming Gray "Declineds" to see that Bright Green "Accepted." Oh yeah.

Not only did I finally find a home for "The Box on West 129th Street" but I completed that incomplete feeling when I attempted to send something in to Boudin and missed the deadline. That feeling had stuck inside me a little bit, even if it clung to the back of my stomach in the shadows, out of sight, it was still there all the while. I can shake the feeling off mostly after a day or two now, but I have trouble shaking it off entirely. Now I have. I've colored in that sad white space. I always wondered, could I have gotten published by Boudin with that other story? Now, it's OK. Because I have been published by them... with a different story.

Go take a read if you like. I hope you enjoy my story, and all the other work in their magazine. I'm excited to be published in this Louisiana Lit Mag. I'll be celebrating with a drink of choice, maybe listen to some jazz or zydeco, and eat a beignet. No joke, I had a leftover beignet that I ate earlier... in honor of this achievement... but also just because it was damn good.

Feeling damn good.