Jibber Jabber - Q1 - 29

[MontyApollo]

I liked the Dark Series as a whole, but some of the books weren’t as good as the others. I think it helped that I read them all straight through after the series was complete rather than reading one book and then waiting years for the next to come out.

I am not a big fan of the author appearing in the story, but I tolerated it okay in this instance.

And that, of course, reminds me of "The Dark Tower", which ...spoiler... In a brief afterword, King says (paraphrased), "That's the way it is, so don't bother writing to complain." My mom, who read everything the man wrote up to that point, threw the book across the room and has never read another word by him.

I believe I remember there was section there at the end of the final book where he basically says “stop reading here – the story is done.” The rest (including the incident in the spoiler) was just for people who "had to know" what happened afterwards.

[gower21]

Ah well, there you are then. So I guess I won't submit my 500 word humorous alligator story. It does have an ending though, a rather fine one... (Insert evil devilish emoticon here)

I have yet to hear back on my story: 16,999 wds and all of it ending--no set-up, no Frietag's triangle, no climax, just straight-up ending. It ties off loose ends of plot strands that don't even exist. The reader is left to infer everything that preceded it, including who the characters are and what they are doing in said story. It is, I think, the wave of the future. But we'll see whether KD agrees or not.

Well *I* have a story that's all middle. Events and people you know nothing about, doing things that have no apparent effect or purpose. Nothing is explained, nothing is tied up. It begins and ends half way through a sentence.

I call it _in the Time of_. I mean, if you can't infer "Love" and "Cholera" from that, then you're just not my target audience.

This sounds like KD will most definitely will see the value in all of these. I however have written a story with all a long drawn out beginning....but I have this little feeling in the pit of my stomach that you and Patrick were joking. I am not.

[Ember]

This thread has been making me giggle muchly - you are all awesome!

Patrick I loved the idea of your "all-ending" story - was it all tragically beautiful?

Condolences to all those caught in the cross-fire so far.

I think it is sad that instead of opening up my email as I would usually upon sitting down at my computer, I now open this website and duotrope first to check if it is *safe* to check my email! Of course, I check my email after that regardless, but I like to know whether I should have my heart in my mouth as I do.

Because of the time difference it all happens WHAM BAM when I check on things first thing in the morning, I don't have to worry about frantically refreshing, which has probably stopped me getting RSI. I should check on what the time difference actually is, I know we are ahead by something in the order of half a day (or, as I like to think of it, I am talking to you from the future )

[preston]

Wow, that's a lot of rejections. I'm sorry guys. I hate when people on the forum get rejected. But if I remember correctly, KD did say that perfectly good stories do get rejected, not because they were bad, but because they got edged out. Inexplicably I'm still in at this point, but now I'm scared! There are going to be a lot more casualties. After all, only 3 of us will actually survive to the very end. My bet goes to Annie or Marina or Amanda or Martin or Tina or Elinor or Grayson or Corbin or one of you guys...please let it be a forumer!
Here's to at least an HM or higher!
Preston Dennett
(HM x 2)

[Nick_T]

have yet to hear back on my story: 16,999 wds and all of it ending--no set-up, no Frietag's triangle, no climax, just straight-up ending. It ties off loose ends of plot strands that don't even exist. The reader is left to infer everything that preceded it, including who the characters are and what they are doing in said story. It is, I think, the wave of the future. But we'll see whether KD agrees or not.

Kary the Awesome wrote:
Well *I* have a story that's all middle. Events and people you know nothing about, doing things that have no apparent effect or purpose. Nothing is explained, nothing is tied up. It begins and ends half way through a sentence.

I call it _in the Time of_. I mean, if you can't infer "Love" and "Cholera" from that, then you're just not my target audience.

This sounds like KD will most definitely will see the value in all of these. I however have written a story with all a long drawn out beginning....but I have this little feeling in the pit of my stomach that you and Patrick were joking. I am not.

Perhaps all three will win on the premise that they make a coherent single story once placed next to each other in the anthology?

[gower21]

That is a good point Nick!

(always wished they rules could be bent to allow people to work on stories together. If the whole forum got together I bet we'd come up with a sure winner--all of us having our strengths. Then we could all go to the workshop together)

[gower21]

Wow, that's a lot of rejections. I'm sorry guys. I hate when people on the forum get rejected. But if I remember correctly, KD did say that perfectly good stories do get rejected, not because they were bad, but because they got edged out. Inexplicably I'm still in at this point, but now I'm scared! There are going to be a lot more casualties. After all, only 3 of us will actually survive to the very end. My bet goes to Annie or Marina or Amanda or Martin or Tina or Elinor or Grayson or Corbin or one of you guys...please let it be a forumer!
Here's to at least an HM or higher!
Preston Dennett
(HM x 2)

I just noticed this post. I just wanted to say I'm humbled that you would include me in a list the the above people who are extremely talented...I'm far from the winner circle though considering I refer to my entourage of rejections like King Henry VIII could refer to his many wives.

[Martin L. Shoemaker]

Wow! I woke up this morning and found email from WizeHive (regarding the awards show); and I thought sure it would've caused panic on this thread from people who saw the sender and assumed it was a results notice.

But not a single panic response here. Not one.

Excellent work, all. Thank you for exceeding my expectations!

Patience... Patience... Patience... Patience... Patience...

[Patrick S. McGinnity]

I had a momentary blip of fear when I realized it was WOTF related, but I didn't immediately recognize "wizehive," diluting the fear a bit. It was really, really early too. I can't panic effectively before 9:15 am.

[Sai]

I got that e-mail too, but since it was from a generic 'mailer' address and not Joni or some other Writers of the Future e-mail I didn't freak out too much.

I'd be curious to actually watch the ceremony this year. The time capsule sounds really interesting. I'm personally interested because it was sealed 25 years ago, the same year I was born. Let's see if Isaac Asimov predicated me ;).

[Kary English]

No gala email for me. *sniff*

I was ogling the Duotrope listings just a moment ago (imagine that!), and they look a little... skimpy. Unless there's another wave today, hopefully chock full of HMs, this will be the smallest wave so far. Maybe we're closer to the end than I thought?

[Martin L. Shoemaker]

No gala email for me. *sniff*

I was ogling the Duotrope listings just a moment ago (imagine that!), and they look a little... skimpy. Unless there's another wave today, hopefully chock full of HMs, this will be the smallest wave so far. Maybe we're closer to the end than I thought?

Or maybe, what with an awards gala and a book to edit and produce, they're moving more slowly this quarter...

[AMcCarter]

Martin, that is far more likely than anything else. I know K.D. is up to her eyeballs right now.

I, personally, am hoping Annie makes finalist this go round, considering it is her last chance.

[Strycher]

I, personally, am hoping Annie makes finalist this go round, considering it is her last chance.

Completely plausible!

[izanobu]

It ain't gonna happen, folks. Don't get your hopes up.

(no, I haven't heard anything. But I don't expect to since I'm 99% sure I'll get an HM or Silver HM and I haven't seen any of those responses going out yet)

[Strycher]

That's true. We haven't seen any HMs or SHMs. But your story could still place Finalist. And we're allowed to be obnoxiously optimistic about it.

[AMcCarter]

It ain't gonna happen, folks. Don't get your hopes up.

(no, I haven't heard anything. But I don't expect to since I'm 99% sure I'll get an HM or Silver HM and I haven't seen any of those responses going out yet)

What you don't want to duke it out for first?

[joshpotter]

No gala email for me. *sniff*

I was ogling the Duotrope listings just a moment ago (imagine that!), and they look a little... skimpy. Unless there's another wave today, hopefully chock full of HMs, this will be the smallest wave so far. Maybe we're closer to the end than I thought?

Or maybe, what with an awards gala and a book to edit and produce, they're moving more slowly this quarter...

Good heavens man, don't introduce logic into this scene! Leave us our moments of desperate self-delusion.

I'm with you, Kary. Focusing on an imminent finish line, probable or not, is all that's keeping me from freaking out about everything else going on in my life (med school interview Monday, boss getting fired under mysterious circumstances last week, and, perhaps most importantly, my stalled first novel) and gives me a reason to anxiously check my email in the middle of the night when I'm feeding my one and a half month old daughter. Cause, you know, I need a reason.

Oh, look-tequila and brownies!

Munch, munch, munch,
shot, shot, shot.

[Ember]

Wow! I woke up this morning and found email from WizeHive (regarding the awards show); and I thought sure it would've caused panic on this thread from people who saw the sender and assumed it was a results notice.

But not a single panic response here. Not one.

Excellent work, all. Thank you for exceeding my expectations!

Patience... Patience... Patience... Patience... Patience...

Ahh, irony!

I read your post Martin and it went something like this: Hey, I didn't get one of those emails... <mild panic> maybe my submission didn't go through properly or something...
Better go and check that 'submission received' email.
Yep, definitely got that one. Probably not everyone got the gala thing, or they presumed Australians wouldn't make the trip haha.
Wait a minute. It looks like I submitted on the 28th December, NOT the 12 December which is what I had entered in duotrope. (Must have been that whole backwards-dates thing.)
Oh yeah, I do remember submitting at the last minute now I come to think of it.
But this means... instead of all that happy duotropy I had been doing where I watched all of the current responses go out at dates submitted AFTER mine (thinking, this is good right? Right?) I realise that K.D just hasn't READ THESE STORIES YET. I am now back exactly where I started - which is predicting a R this quarter as I really don't believe the story "fits" the contest too well.
I feel like I've lost something. Blissful optimism, that'd be it!
Panic! Panic! Panic! Panic!

Sir! Night is quiet in the trenches, will be going over the top on the morrow.

[francisbruno]

I didn't get the invite either and I got the confirm. It must be the finalists didn;t get the invite and I'm one of them :D OK. Reading too much into it. Need to focus on my Q2 story so I can submit at the last minute like I did for Q4 and Q1 ;)

I don't think it matters when you entered. It's either random when they read or their are buckets as I predicted before. A guy entered the day after me and was rejected immediately due to not being sci-fi enough up front. I'm still in the running. Same happened last quarter.

[Kary English]

Oh, look-tequila and brownies!

Munch, munch, munch,
shot, shot, shot.

Careful with those brownies, man. St. Martin's Press was having a four-twenty sale on them and, silly me, I just thought it was publisher-speak for two dozen.

Then again, I guess those would make damn fine +3 Brownies of Consolation.

[morshana]

Oh, look-tequila and brownies!

Munch, munch, munch,
shot, shot, shot.

Careful with those brownies, man. St. Martin's Press was having a four-twenty sale on them and, silly me, I just thought it was publisher-speak for two dozen.

Then again, I guess those would make damn fine +3 Brownies of Consolation.

LOL I wasn't going to say anything about the brownies. Driving a little slow on the road? Lost your car in the parking lot? Happened to my grandfather a very long time ago, when he ate some from the four-twenty sale bowl and thought they were just chocolate.

[Kary English]

LOL I wasn't going to say anything about the brownies. Driving a little slow on the road? Lost your car in the parking lot? Happened to my grandfather a very long time ago, when he ate some from the four-twenty sale bowl and thought they were just chocolate.

Yeah, happened to my Gramma, too. My bro had a graduation party after he graduated from Humboldt State (for those who know Nor. Cal agriculture). There was a blue haze hanging low in the room. Then my sister came looking for the rest of us, saying. "Um, guys? Gramma's in the kitchen eating the brownies." And we were all, "Ok, cool. No problem, then." See, Gramma was a Southern Baptist, and we worried she'd have a problem with the alcohol being consumed. So then my sister says, "No, you don't understand. Gramma's in the kitchen eating the *brownies*."

[Kary English]

Well, my friends, we've finally done it: We've broken the WOTF feed on Duotrope. *blushing*

Is it coming up blank for anyone else?

[dantzel]

I still see it.

[joshpotter]

Well, my friends, we've finally done it: We've broken the WOTF feed on Duotrope. *blushing*

Is it coming up blank for anyone else?

Totally blank. I knew I shouldn't have touched that button.

[joshpotter]

Well, my friends, we've finally done it: We've broken the WOTF feed on Duotrope. *blushing*

Is it coming up blank for anyone else?

Totally blank. I knew I shouldn't have touched that button.

And now I can.

[Kary English]

Ok, it's back for me. Must have been a glitch in the Matrix.

[Martin L. Shoemaker]

Well, my friends, we've finally done it: We've broken the WOTF feed on Duotrope. *blushing*

Is it coming up blank for anyone else?

Oh, no! She broke the Internet!

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(Curse you, Kary! Now I'm gonna spend all weekend watching The IT Crowd...)

[Strycher]

But this means... instead of all that happy duotropy I had been doing where I watched all of the current responses go out at dates submitted AFTER mine (thinking, this is good right? Right?) I realise that K.D just hasn't READ THESE STORIES YET.

I know that was probably frustrating and I shouldn't find it funny. But I do. Go write something! It'll be weeks before all the results are in.