a few years ago now (!), when i started writing Yet Again, i had an early boost with a story called “Clotho.” it was one of a couple pieces i pulled out of the drawer from Last Time; i typed it all in again to make it fresh, i did some fiddling, and then i sent it to a call for submissions that it seemed perfectly suited for. i had done no market research; the last time i had submitted anything anywhere was at least four years prior; i just sent it in.
and it got accepted, almost right away. i like Signs very much; i took this as a Sign, and i kept going.
about six months later, the publishing company for the anthology folded, and they deleted the anthology from all bookstores. it was, electronically speaking, pulped.
i have what might seem an odd relationship to my stories, especially the longer ones. moreso than payment (although money is very nice, and is becoming more of, ahem, a factor) i worry about how they will go out into the world, what kind of homes they end up in. i had liked the editors for the anthology very much, i felt like they were very nice to “Clotho” and she was in good company. but now she was homeless; more to the point, she was a homeless reprint, and that, i quickly learned, is a very difficult thing to be.
(now whether or not “Clotho” was, in fact, a reprint, depends on who you talk to. the anthology probably did not crack 3 digits in terms of copies sold, the file was completely unavailable and had only been out for a couple months. some of the other authors, i know, thought themselves back at square one, with a New Story to submit. but every editor i asked said no way, it’s a Reprint. considering that reviews are still available, even if the anthology is not, i felt compelled to agree.)
anyway. fast-forward many months: i was looking around at other markets, because now i do research, i read and i double-check, i can finally claim that at least some of my submissions are careful, informed decisions. i was thinking about one in the abstract, perhaps that idea i had for x might suit this venue down the line—
and then i did a double-take at the Reprints box, which was indeed checked.
and it looks like we shall see “Clotho” back in the world again, at the wonderful Niteblade. many thanks to Rhonda Parrish for opening her doors to my lost Fates!