Two of my essays were published in March. Both were lessons in perseverance:
Alias Disclosure appeared in “Does It Have Pockets.” 35 editors declined this essay. So it was a lovely surprise when these editors were so enthusiastic about it! What a great lit mag to work with.
Saddle Up, Age On is in the magazine “Ink in Thirds.” This piece was submitted 24 times in various forms: short nonfiction, then flash, with lots of variations. The publication is available for print or digital purchase - with gorgeous artwork.
True, but as a lifelong scientist, I am constantly surprised/disappointed by the arbitrariness of the literary world. Oh well, or as some friends would say "get real" <g>
I really liked these pieces and wouldn’t give up on them. For other pieces, even I don’t like them after awhile and when that happens I think it’s time to quit trying.
Nancy, from beginning to end, your Alias Disclosure made me smile. It made me think of nicknames given to me and others in my life over 7 decades--a favorite one for me bestowed by my best buds is one I won't even mention here!
I hope you read my spoof of the word "elon" as seen from the year 2260. I think it will tickle your funny bone.
In March, I had two stories published: one in the LA Times about completing my quest to play every public tennis court in Los Angeles County, and the other in The Sun about attempting to clone an apple tree in anticipation of becoming a grandfather. The Sun story also included an interview between editor Finn Cohen and me about parenting, teaching, and everything I hold dear.
These pieces benefited from astute editing and umpteen revisions. I had published several features in the LA Times and three previous essays in The Sun, but it had been a while in both, and reconnecting gives me a very satisfying feeling of having both feet on the ground.
Keep at it! It took me several rejections and a near-miss before I first got published there. The editors are warm and caring and on the writers’ side.
I liked the tennis piece especially - I’m part of a family of athletes, some of them tennis players. I can also relate to reconnecting with an editor or magazine. Those relationships are valuable. And often they lead to an acceptance that a cold call submission might not.
Mark, As someone who this year broke through to his eighth decade (and with only a few broken parts), I fell in love with your essay about the wattle fence. Such a fluid style, which belies the "umpteen" revisions it went through.
I mostly write fiction now that I'm retired, but I may scrape together a handful of hours to work on essays again. (Yours will be among my references for quality.) In particular, I'm thinking about a series written as "Letters to my Grandson," with subjects that vary as he grows. If you ever want a reader for your essays, I'm available. pat.partridge124@gmail.com.
I can't decide if my humorous piece on the future definition of "elon" from the perspective of 2260 is fiction or non-fiction!
I hope you write those letters to your grandson. Do you think you might send them in the mail with a standout commemorative stamp. Stamps really deliver on gravitas and style.
Just today I sent a written letter to my 5 yo grandson along with a few small gifts. Later, I'll introduce "topics" but I didn't on this one. Earlier, I mentioned to his dad, my son, that I was going to do it and asked him to find something like a small plastic box to store them. I like your idea of stamped envelopes.
A year ago, two poems were accepted for publication by The Argyle Literary Magazine. However, I was never notified and, on my own, I was unable to find them anywhere online.
I emailed the editor in June asking if I’d missed them somehow.
Fast forward to yesterday morning when I discovered a response in my Inbox. Apparently, the editor’s home had been leveled in a tornado and the journal has been on “indefinite hiatus” since then. I don’t know what its future plans are at this time.
The editor told me he’s catching up on emails and my poems, imploring the hills to sing and sages astride 12 harlequin bicycles, were published in the March 2024 issue.
OK, "leveled in a tornado" is an acceptable excuse for your lit-mag being on "indefinite hiatus" but your comment triggered a memory. . . . . In those pre-Internet days, when all correspondence with lit-mags was done via postal mail, I received a thick envelope from an insurance company. Junk mail? But, naturally, I opened it. Lo and behold! The lit-mag's offices were destroyed by fire. This fire insurance company was returning whatever property it could salvage to the authors. My singed manuscript + the editorial team's hand-written notes + my battered SASE were dutifully returned with an apology.
No, Greg. And the "contents" in the envelope stunk of smoke, as though Persephone had dragged it into the Underworld. I wrote to the editor, via USPS, offering to send her $100 to help the journal restart - - but I never heard back.
Thrilled for the New England Review to publish a 10-minute audio excerpt from my essay, "False Cognates," which appeared in a special folio for the 30th anniversary of Wong Kar Wai's film Chungking Express: https://nereview.com/audio/ner-out-loud-false-cognates/ (Thanks so much to LitArts RI in Providence where I recorded the segment!) I found the experience quite revealing around the differences that can surface in how we read vs. how we listen to the same work.
I also had the chance to interview Stephen Brodsky of the band Cave In for our local alt-monthly, in which we took a little literary detour: "Poetry is a big one for writing lyrics. If I’m working on something and get hung up on a spot that’s feeling bland or lacking depth, I can usually count on Emily Dickinson or Sylvia Plath to get me seeing things in a new way. Maybe it’s something to do with them also having a New England connection. Some modern writing inspirations would be Melissa Brodeur, Sadie Dupuis, B.R. Yeager, and Sam Pink." https://motifri.com/laying-the-groundwork-a-conversation-with-stephen-brodsky-of-cave-in/
"The Bodega Was the Only Thing Left Standing" appeared in Door is a Jar the beginning of the month.
"Wrong Turn on Versailles" appeared in Iron Horse Literary Review's Unlawful Acts issue at the end of the month. I'm so glad to see this one finally out. The guys at IHLR had one disaster after another over the past year and it delayed and delayed publication. This story was rejected 56 times, so don't give up if you believe in a story.
I particularly admire "The Most Beautiful Things Sting." A rich, frightening, original take on poisonous beauty. Congrats on your glorious month! Oh, and my copy of Iron Horse just arrived, so I'll see you there soon.
Congratulations. I remember how excited I was to be included in Molotov Cocktail’s “Close but No Cigar” list a number of years ago. Now if I could be accepted that would be fantastic. Congratulations on your recent successes. Door is a Jar is also a cool magazine. Wow. Kudos to you for not giving up on “Wrong Turn on Versailles”
Thank you! Jill has had her hands full in the past months, so it's impressive that that whole staff's dedication made the Unlawful Acts issue come out.
'Something from Montreal' is a nice piece - great first story! My late Mum was a city slicker from Montréal (I was born there too) so your tale had added resonance for me.
Thanks, Debbie. This one came very fast, I think in one sitting, as I recall, so I have to let my subconscious take the responsibility for that choice. lol
Congrats on a great month and some great placements. Enjoyed the "Something from Montreal" tale, and always love when people's older work(s) find new readers.
one thing i wonder about while i was reading was how gendered these things can be. how careful women have to be when asking for things. smile, give a compliment first, be nice, be likeable. and how men and womens' "complaining" can be perceived differently. i felt sad for you when you said you'd "try not to make too many requests," as though you have to tiptoe and not take up too much space. finesse is one thing but i felt like there might have been more at play here.
Many bad leaders don't want to hear what an employee has to say even when asked politely, "May I make a comment/suggestion?" Once a person gets tagged as a gadfly, the giant corporate flyswatter often comes out. It's really too bad because the company may lose insights that might be very helpful to the enterprise.
but this wasn't even a corporate thing. this was someone paying to be part of a workshop and entitled to ask questions and make suggestions. i think the whole chain of events, including the conclusion the writer seems to have come to that she deserved this, is just really unfortunate. not to mention the reactions of many people who don't see anything problematic here.
True. Sorry. I was reflecting on my own unfortunate circumstances in the corporate world. I also had trouble in academia once for asking too many questions about sources of information. I guess the instructor thought I was challenging her authority ... I just wanted to know more. No matter how hard some people work to seem harmless and interested, they raise someone's hackles...
A flash story I finished more than two years ago recently came out in the most recent issue of Willow Springs (called “A Sketch”). I am super proud of it, but despite a bunch of tiered rejections, I just couldn’t place it for a long time. It all worked out though and was worth the wait!
Can’t wait to read all your published work later today (after a Kathy Fish workshop and some grueling yard work). As always, thank you to Becky for making this space available to us. Hope everyone has a blessed weekend!
March has been a busy month for me with nine pieces published.
The Longest Winter in Scribeworth’s inaugural issue. The editors were great to work with.
An Apology to the Drive Thru Bank Teller I Robbed Accidentally in Frazzled Lit. I highly recommend working with these editors. They promote their contributors.
You are on fire, Tracie! I may have to come back to the brevity post a few times as I am so much more comfortable with fiction and you are so great at CNF!
I am struggling to write quality fiction. SmokeLong Fitness is stretching me, but CNF will always be my happy place. I admire those on the other side whose imaginations are wild. 🥰
The first short story I ever wrote—after nearly two years of bouncing around, accumulating encouraging rejections and near-acceptances with nothing to show for it—has finally found a home!
When I first transitioned from screenwriting to fiction, I was overwhelmed by this new world. But this community helped me find my footing, and I’m so grateful for that. Thank you all!
A piece of mine that I drafted in Smokelong Fitness went live in Pithead Chapel this month so I’m thrilled about that! And I had two acceptances — one in The Disappointed Housewife and one in Cowboy Jamboree. I’m dropping the link for the one that’s out. https://pitheadchapel.com/rehab-take-three/
- I had a story published at Bull: "Back Seat Surprise" - https://mrbullbull.com/newbull/fiction/back-seat-surprise/ - there's a kerfuffle right now between Bull and Submittable about the 'style' of their rejections. I can assure you they are very nice people! (I'm sure I'll have a rejection some time, lol).
- I was also guest editor at Punk Noir Magazine. Amazed by the submissions. 11 stories made it to the publishing stage (yes, I send very nice rejections!). You can catch up on all of them here, the theme was "Windmills" - https://punknoirmagazine.wordpress.com/punk-noir-magazine-3/
- The retro-noir novel I co-authored also went on pre-order. But I'll brag about "Bop City Swing" when it comes out April 22.
Yeah, it's eyebrow-raising, but it seems appropriate for the magazine and makes it stand out from others. The profanity is self-directed and not at the submitter, so the people who complained to Submittable seem a bit whiny to me. Or else not close readers?
Yes, with both of my rejections, Ben always gave me a detailed reason why he wasn't taking my submission. I appreciate it enormously, and it's exactly what people are normally asking for, which is the "why not?" If that comes with some down-and-dirty language, so be it.
Ha ha ha, yes, I saw Ben's post about the kerfuffle. I've gotten those rejection letters from him and I appreciated the unique voice and his detailed comments about what wasn't working for him. I have to say the rejection paled in comparison to his acceptance's language, but I'm all for enthusiasm. He's SO supportive and enthusiastic.
“Thank you, Coco Chanel” was a Finalist in Cleaver’s 2024 Short CNF Contest. Eight months between acceptance and publication; editors were communicative and flexible. The vibe is community-oriented with craft essays (including some by our fellow litmaggers, Elizabeth Bird and Nancy Jorgensen) and—yes!—contributor readings. I’m thrilled to be there.
Kelsay Books: The Night Watch, a collection of ekphrastic poetry. Exclusive submission. Due out late 2025/early 2026.
The Jewish Writing Project: “Collecting Languages,” an ekphrastic poem written in response to Lee Krasner (Krasner on Krasner). Submitted four times: two rejections, one acceptance, one lost in space. Scheduled for November publication.
Down in the Dirt: Hermit crab essay, “Teaching the Holocaust: An Eight-Exercise Prep Guide.” Scheduled for June publication. This was a tough one to place and with help from the SubmitIt team, I transformed a straightforward essay about my first experience teaching the Holocaust to undergrads. In its first iteration, it garnered twelve rejections, and in the second, two rejections.
Last Stanza Poetry Journal: “The Danish Queen of Hearts,” an ekphrastic poem written in response to Gerda Wegener. First and only submission to the ‘Games” themed issue.
The Ekphrastic Review: “Coney Island Kaleidoscope.” Flash fiction written in response to Joseph Stella. Won first place in the “Send in the Clowns” contest for flash fiction.
Paterson Literary Review: “Neon Celebration on Coney Island Avenue, February 1958.” A poem written in response to 8mm film featuring my grandparents on their fortieth wedding anniversary. Scheduled for 2026.
Published:
MacQueen’s Quinterly (for those new to the lit mag), three ekphrastic poems. “An Insomniac’s Horn of Plenty” and “Look at Me: Lena, Lenore, Lee” after Lee Krasner, and “Dollar Princess on the Palazzo” after Frederick Leighton. “Insomniac’s Horn” submitted to four lit mags; rejected by two. The other two, exclusive. Received acceptance within 24 hours. http://www.macqueensquinterly.com/MacQ27/Contents-MacQ27.aspx#Ekphrastic
Rivanna Review: essay, “The Unwritten Chapter: Imagining Eva’s Kozlov”. This is a chapter of my WIP genealogical memoir, imagining my grandmother’s hometown now in Ukraine (but was Austria when she was born). Submitted to eleven journals through the SubmitIt service. Rejected by four. Withdrawn from the others except the accepting journal.
Yes, this is my second book with Kelsay. They published a chapbook of mine in 2018. I'm happy to work with them again. Oh, and they stay true to their promised two-week response time, even on weekends.
My essay, "On War, Love, and Loss: A Life in Three Acts," was published in "Biostories" this week. It had previously been rejected twice, but was a good fit for this magazine. The editor, Mark Leichliter, is great to work with - he made some very helpful and encouraging suggestions to strengthen the piece. Another essay, "Interlude: 1941," which was originally published in Under the Sun," was re-published in "Sugarsugarsalt" -- nice to have it out again: https://sugarsugarsalt.org/2025/03/02/interlude-1941-by-elizabeth-bird/
Congratulations on your second publication of "Interlude: 1941"! SugarSugarSalt is one of my favorites. Any idea what's happening there? Its submissions page says subs are permanently closed.
Two of my essays were published in March. Both were lessons in perseverance:
Alias Disclosure appeared in “Does It Have Pockets.” 35 editors declined this essay. So it was a lovely surprise when these editors were so enthusiastic about it! What a great lit mag to work with.
https://www.doesithavepockets.com/cnf/nancy-jorgensen
Saddle Up, Age On is in the magazine “Ink in Thirds.” This piece was submitted 24 times in various forms: short nonfiction, then flash, with lots of variations. The publication is available for print or digital purchase - with gorgeous artwork.
I love to hear success stories like this. Bravo for your persistence
With an unusual format it’s just finding the right editor at the right magazine at the right time. It can take a while!
I feel like it's really the same for any work—right editor, right magazine, right time.
You are absolutely right!
True, but as a lifelong scientist, I am constantly surprised/disappointed by the arbitrariness of the literary world. Oh well, or as some friends would say "get real" <g>
Who was that brilliant writer who said a rejection is just a piece sent to the wrong address? Glad you persevered.
I really liked these pieces and wouldn’t give up on them. For other pieces, even I don’t like them after awhile and when that happens I think it’s time to quit trying.
Mazel tov! I enjoyed your "Alias Disclosure."
Thanks for the positive response!
Hello Nancy. "Alias Disclosure" is completely wild. I love it and am so glad you persevered in getting it out there and to us.
Thanks Mark. The idea for the container came after several attempts to place the essay and even then it took many tries to find its current home.
Nancy, from beginning to end, your Alias Disclosure made me smile. It made me think of nicknames given to me and others in my life over 7 decades--a favorite one for me bestowed by my best buds is one I won't even mention here!
I hope you read my spoof of the word "elon" as seen from the year 2260. I think it will tickle your funny bone.
https://medium.com/the-haven/word-of-the-day-elon-aadf191db4d8
What a great match--the piece and publication. Congratulations!
That lit mag was a great find!
Congratulations Nancy.
Thank you!
Nancy, Alias Disclosure is amazing!
Thanks so much!
Yes to persistence and I love your titles!
I’ve been trying to improve my titles lately so thank you!
This is so funny! it brought back all the horrors of junior high especially.
And its backstory inspires me. I have a story that's been rejected 21 times. I'll keep trying.
That's a great win. Persistence!
Persistence certainly pays!
I absolutely adored your alias disclosure! What a fresh piece of writing.
Thanks for reading!
Two excellent magazines! So excited for you. Congrats, Nancy!
Thank you Tracie.
Clever idea, well executed. A very enjoyable read.
Thank you Michael. And thanks for reading!
What a fun piece, Nanc. I really enjoy Does It Have Pockets.
Thank you! And me too 😊
In March, I had two stories published: one in the LA Times about completing my quest to play every public tennis court in Los Angeles County, and the other in The Sun about attempting to clone an apple tree in anticipation of becoming a grandfather. The Sun story also included an interview between editor Finn Cohen and me about parenting, teaching, and everything I hold dear.
These pieces benefited from astute editing and umpteen revisions. I had published several features in the LA Times and three previous essays in The Sun, but it had been a while in both, and reconnecting gives me a very satisfying feeling of having both feet on the ground.
LA Times -- https://www.latimes.com/lifestyle/list/best-tennis-courts-los-angeles-county
The Sun --
Story: https://www.thesunmagazine.org/articles/591-wattle
Interview: https://www.thesunmagazine.org/articles/like-flying-a-kite
Congrats. The Sun is an aspirational journal for me
Keep at it! It took me several rejections and a near-miss before I first got published there. The editors are warm and caring and on the writers’ side.
Me, too! Like Ploughshares: such a longshot. But I keep at it.
Wow. The Sun AND LA Times. Great stuff.
I liked the tennis piece especially - I’m part of a family of athletes, some of them tennis players. I can also relate to reconnecting with an editor or magazine. Those relationships are valuable. And often they lead to an acceptance that a cold call submission might not.
Congrats on completing your quest and your Sun pub.
Mark, As someone who this year broke through to his eighth decade (and with only a few broken parts), I fell in love with your essay about the wattle fence. Such a fluid style, which belies the "umpteen" revisions it went through.
I mostly write fiction now that I'm retired, but I may scrape together a handful of hours to work on essays again. (Yours will be among my references for quality.) In particular, I'm thinking about a series written as "Letters to my Grandson," with subjects that vary as he grows. If you ever want a reader for your essays, I'm available. pat.partridge124@gmail.com.
I can't decide if my humorous piece on the future definition of "elon" from the perspective of 2260 is fiction or non-fiction!
Thanks Patrick.
The earlier versions were decidedly less fluid.
I hope you write those letters to your grandson. Do you think you might send them in the mail with a standout commemorative stamp. Stamps really deliver on gravitas and style.
Just today I sent a written letter to my 5 yo grandson along with a few small gifts. Later, I'll introduce "topics" but I didn't on this one. Earlier, I mentioned to his dad, my son, that I was going to do it and asked him to find something like a small plastic box to store them. I like your idea of stamped envelopes.
Congratulations! I am doing similar road trip/lists here in Oregon. I never thought to write about it. Thank you for the inspiration!
Very awesome. Congratulations!
Congratulations. I just shared your LA Times piece with my husband who has been an avid tennis player for decades.
A year ago, two poems were accepted for publication by The Argyle Literary Magazine. However, I was never notified and, on my own, I was unable to find them anywhere online.
I emailed the editor in June asking if I’d missed them somehow.
Fast forward to yesterday morning when I discovered a response in my Inbox. Apparently, the editor’s home had been leveled in a tornado and the journal has been on “indefinite hiatus” since then. I don’t know what its future plans are at this time.
The editor told me he’s catching up on emails and my poems, imploring the hills to sing and sages astride 12 harlequin bicycles, were published in the March 2024 issue.
So. A bit of better late than never!
https://www.theargylelitmag.com/poetry/julie-allyn-johnson
OK, "leveled in a tornado" is an acceptable excuse for your lit-mag being on "indefinite hiatus" but your comment triggered a memory. . . . . In those pre-Internet days, when all correspondence with lit-mags was done via postal mail, I received a thick envelope from an insurance company. Junk mail? But, naturally, I opened it. Lo and behold! The lit-mag's offices were destroyed by fire. This fire insurance company was returning whatever property it could salvage to the authors. My singed manuscript + the editorial team's hand-written notes + my battered SASE were dutifully returned with an apology.
Uffda. Now that's a story!!
Did the lit mag concerned ever publish again?
No, Greg. And the "contents" in the envelope stunk of smoke, as though Persephone had dragged it into the Underworld. I wrote to the editor, via USPS, offering to send her $100 to help the journal restart - - but I never heard back.
That's a pity, but the damage to the office sounds like it was devastating, so maybe it's no wonder they didn't take up your offer.
Those are lovely!
Thank you!!
Wow! Glad the editor is okay and here's to humans (writers and editors) persevering!
Just keep swimming!
That’s a story in itself. Congratulations!
Thank you, Tracie!
sages astride 12 harlequin bicycles -- what a vision!
Thank you, Karen. It was a fun piece to write!
Congratulations. Wonderful poems.
Carla, thank you. Glad you liked them.
Thrilled for the New England Review to publish a 10-minute audio excerpt from my essay, "False Cognates," which appeared in a special folio for the 30th anniversary of Wong Kar Wai's film Chungking Express: https://nereview.com/audio/ner-out-loud-false-cognates/ (Thanks so much to LitArts RI in Providence where I recorded the segment!) I found the experience quite revealing around the differences that can surface in how we read vs. how we listen to the same work.
I also had the chance to interview Stephen Brodsky of the band Cave In for our local alt-monthly, in which we took a little literary detour: "Poetry is a big one for writing lyrics. If I’m working on something and get hung up on a spot that’s feeling bland or lacking depth, I can usually count on Emily Dickinson or Sylvia Plath to get me seeing things in a new way. Maybe it’s something to do with them also having a New England connection. Some modern writing inspirations would be Melissa Brodeur, Sadie Dupuis, B.R. Yeager, and Sam Pink." https://motifri.com/laying-the-groundwork-a-conversation-with-stephen-brodsky-of-cave-in/
Congratulations! I love that "detour!"
Ireland and Hong Kong as 'false cognates' - interesting piece and nicely read!
Congrats, Sean!
I saw things out in the wild from many of you here! It was exciting to recognize your names and see all your success.
I had a number of things published this month. Most were accepted last year and are just seeing daylight now.
"Something from Montreal" in Literally Stories (I LOVE their curation of stories.) This is a reprint of the very first story I ever had published, like, twenty years ago, so I feel fond of it. https://literallystories2014.com/2025/03/19/something-from-montreal-by-elizabeth-rosen/
"The Most Beautiful Things Sting" appeared in The Molotov Cocktail. https://themolotovcocktail.com/vol-15/vol-15-issue-6/beautiful-things-sting/
"Golden Child" appeared in Gone, Lawn. This one was the result of a prompt in last summer's Smokelong Quarterly Summer Fitness workshop. https://gonelawn.net/journal/issue59/Rosen.php
"All the Things My Dead Husband Did" just went live in BULL.
https://mrbullbull.com/newbull/flash-fiction/all-the-things-my-dead-husband-did/
Two stories also appeared in print.
"The Bodega Was the Only Thing Left Standing" appeared in Door is a Jar the beginning of the month.
"Wrong Turn on Versailles" appeared in Iron Horse Literary Review's Unlawful Acts issue at the end of the month. I'm so glad to see this one finally out. The guys at IHLR had one disaster after another over the past year and it delayed and delayed publication. This story was rejected 56 times, so don't give up if you believe in a story.
I particularly admire "The Most Beautiful Things Sting." A rich, frightening, original take on poisonous beauty. Congrats on your glorious month! Oh, and my copy of Iron Horse just arrived, so I'll see you there soon.
Thanks, Lisa!
Congratulations. I remember how excited I was to be included in Molotov Cocktail’s “Close but No Cigar” list a number of years ago. Now if I could be accepted that would be fantastic. Congratulations on your recent successes. Door is a Jar is also a cool magazine. Wow. Kudos to you for not giving up on “Wrong Turn on Versailles”
I love Iron Horse. I particularly love the passion and dedication that their editor, Jill Patterson has. So congratulations!!
Thank you! Jill has had her hands full in the past months, so it's impressive that that whole staff's dedication made the Unlawful Acts issue come out.
Congrats, lots of aspirational pubs for me (Gone Lawn and Bull).
Thanks, Gary!
Liz, I very much liked All the Things my Dead Husband Did, but I have to confess the twist at the end was hard to read. A good sign, I think.
Thanks for reading!
Wow--you crushed it recently! Good on you!
Thank you!
'Something from Montreal' is a nice piece - great first story! My late Mum was a city slicker from Montréal (I was born there too) so your tale had added resonance for me.
I'm glad. I think. LOL
Your piece in BULL was very powerful. The framework of the storytelling was surprising in the best possible way!
Super-impressed with this piece!
Thanks, Debbie. This one came very fast, I think in one sitting, as I recall, so I have to let my subconscious take the responsibility for that choice. lol
Congrats on a great month and some great placements. Enjoyed the "Something from Montreal" tale, and always love when people's older work(s) find new readers.
Thanks, Jon.
Outstanding! Huge congrats for such a successful month. 🎊
Thank you!
I had my story ‘Now I Turn Myself Into Origami published by Okay Donkey last week and had two stories published by Boudin this week.
Love Okay Donkey and I ADORE your title!
Thank you!
Whoa--as I read your story I was holding my breath. So exciting! I love Okay Donkey!!
Congrats, Susan!
Thank you so much!!!!
My big publication this month was in Next Avenue, where I wrote about what I learned after I was kicked out of a year-long writing workshop:
https://www.nextavenue.org/who-me-a-complainer/
one thing i wonder about while i was reading was how gendered these things can be. how careful women have to be when asking for things. smile, give a compliment first, be nice, be likeable. and how men and womens' "complaining" can be perceived differently. i felt sad for you when you said you'd "try not to make too many requests," as though you have to tiptoe and not take up too much space. finesse is one thing but i felt like there might have been more at play here.
Many bad leaders don't want to hear what an employee has to say even when asked politely, "May I make a comment/suggestion?" Once a person gets tagged as a gadfly, the giant corporate flyswatter often comes out. It's really too bad because the company may lose insights that might be very helpful to the enterprise.
but this wasn't even a corporate thing. this was someone paying to be part of a workshop and entitled to ask questions and make suggestions. i think the whole chain of events, including the conclusion the writer seems to have come to that she deserved this, is just really unfortunate. not to mention the reactions of many people who don't see anything problematic here.
True. Sorry. I was reflecting on my own unfortunate circumstances in the corporate world. I also had trouble in academia once for asking too many questions about sources of information. I guess the instructor thought I was challenging her authority ... I just wanted to know more. No matter how hard some people work to seem harmless and interested, they raise someone's hackles...
"compliments are like Teflon, but criticisms are like Velcro," very true.
You definitely made lemonade!
Communication can be puzzling even for us wordsmiths. Glad you wrote about this experience. Congratulations on the publication!
Interesting!
Awesome
I love this! Really funny and informative.
A flash story I finished more than two years ago recently came out in the most recent issue of Willow Springs (called “A Sketch”). I am super proud of it, but despite a bunch of tiered rejections, I just couldn’t place it for a long time. It all worked out though and was worth the wait!
Congrats! Willow Springs is a great journal!
Thank you!
Can’t wait to read all your published work later today (after a Kathy Fish workshop and some grueling yard work). As always, thank you to Becky for making this space available to us. Hope everyone has a blessed weekend!
March has been a busy month for me with nine pieces published.
The Longest Winter in Scribeworth’s inaugural issue. The editors were great to work with.
https://open.substack.com/pub/tracieadams/p/the-longest-winter?r=lmr4b&utm_medium=ios
My Bridesmaids Wear Pink in Written Tales Magazine
https://open.substack.com/pub/writtentales/p/my-bridesmaids-wear-pink?r=lmr4b&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false
Summer Camp Love on a Mudslide in Bodega (so sad to say goodbye to this awesome mag).
http://www.bodegamag.com/articles/807-summer-camp-love-on-a-mudslide
The View from the Window in Mauthausen was a finalist in the flash contest, published in Apple in the Dark
https://appleinthedark.com/fiction-by-tracie-adams/
If You Can Tell It, You Can Write It Craft essay published in Brevity Blog
https://brevity.wordpress.com/2025/03/07/roar/
The Man Who Wanted to Live Forever Died Today published in Underbelly Press. Gorgeous issue with phenomenal art. Love these editors so much!
https://heyzine.com/flip-book/7daedcc218.html. Pg 48
An Apology to the Drive Thru Bank Teller I Robbed Accidentally in Frazzled Lit. I highly recommend working with these editors. They promote their contributors.
https://www.frazzledlit.com/p/an-apology-to-the-drive-thru-bank?utm_medium=email
You are Here also in Frazzled Lit.
https://www.frazzledlit.com/p/you-are-here?utm_medium=email
This Much I Know in Livina Press’s Motherhood issue (print). This is another awesome editor who I thoroughly enjoyed working with.
https://open.substack.com/pub/tracieadams/p/this-much-i-know-in-the-womanhood?r=lmr4b&utm_medium=ios
So amazing! Congrats on a stellar month, Tracie!
Thanks, David. 😊
The Longest Winter is lovely. Well done!
Thanks, Nancy.😍
Wow--another writer crushing it this month! Yea!
🥰
Amazing! Congratulations! Looking forward to reading!
Thank you!
Nine stories out in one month is fantastic! Is that a regular occurrence?
I wish! No usually about three on average, so this was an anomaly (a good one). ☺️
It's certainly a nice anomaly to have! :)
Nine pieces! Wow. Look forward to reading them.
Thanks so much!🌹
Very impressive.
Thank you, Ann!😊
That's wonderful. Great job.
Thanks, Liz!🩷
You are on fire, Tracie! I may have to come back to the brevity post a few times as I am so much more comfortable with fiction and you are so great at CNF!
I am struggling to write quality fiction. SmokeLong Fitness is stretching me, but CNF will always be my happy place. I admire those on the other side whose imaginations are wild. 🥰
I’ve been enjoying your fiction drafts— Smokelong is so great!
What a successful month - congratulations!
The first short story I ever wrote—after nearly two years of bouncing around, accumulating encouraging rejections and near-acceptances with nothing to show for it—has finally found a home!
https://apricitymagazine.com/portfolio/here-among-the-gods/
Also, a dream come true, I’ll be teaching a course at Write or Die. It's on how screenwriting techniques can sharpen fiction writing.
https://writeordiemag.com/workshops/p/reel-to-real
When I first transitioned from screenwriting to fiction, I was overwhelmed by this new world. But this community helped me find my footing, and I’m so grateful for that. Thank you all!
Congratulations!
wow
Inspiring! Congrats, Mike!🙌🏼
Yay! Let's hear for it perseverance. Good job!
A piece of mine that I drafted in Smokelong Fitness went live in Pithead Chapel this month so I’m thrilled about that! And I had two acceptances — one in The Disappointed Housewife and one in Cowboy Jamboree. I’m dropping the link for the one that’s out. https://pitheadchapel.com/rehab-take-three/
Aw, “Rehab, Take Three” is powerful storytelling.
Thank you, Ann!
Congrats, Angela!! Told the rehab take so well!!
Thank you so much!
Congrats on getting into Pithead Chapel!!
Congratulations!
Thank you!
Thank you!
Yay! All great places. Kim is a dream to work with at Pithead Chapel. So supportive.
I was so honoured she picked my story as I had admired her writing for a long time and she was so good to work with for the edits!
Wow! All of these are on my bucket list. So excited for you! 🌟
Thank you! Your month too—-🔥🔥🔥
March went by in a flash...
- I had a story published at Bull: "Back Seat Surprise" - https://mrbullbull.com/newbull/fiction/back-seat-surprise/ - there's a kerfuffle right now between Bull and Submittable about the 'style' of their rejections. I can assure you they are very nice people! (I'm sure I'll have a rejection some time, lol).
- I was also guest editor at Punk Noir Magazine. Amazed by the submissions. 11 stories made it to the publishing stage (yes, I send very nice rejections!). You can catch up on all of them here, the theme was "Windmills" - https://punknoirmagazine.wordpress.com/punk-noir-magazine-3/
- The retro-noir novel I co-authored also went on pre-order. But I'll brag about "Bop City Swing" when it comes out April 22.
Yes, the rejection from Bull is very profane and very funny! And even so, it did turn me off a little bit. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Yeah, it's eyebrow-raising, but it seems appropriate for the magazine and makes it stand out from others. The profanity is self-directed and not at the submitter, so the people who complained to Submittable seem a bit whiny to me. Or else not close readers?
Yes, agreed--totally on brand. Re-reading, my rejection was actually tiered, which I'd forgotten!
Yes, with both of my rejections, Ben always gave me a detailed reason why he wasn't taking my submission. I appreciate it enormously, and it's exactly what people are normally asking for, which is the "why not?" If that comes with some down-and-dirty language, so be it.
Thank you, all, for filling in about the rejections.
Ha ha ha, yes, I saw Ben's post about the kerfuffle. I've gotten those rejection letters from him and I appreciated the unique voice and his detailed comments about what wasn't working for him. I have to say the rejection paled in comparison to his acceptance's language, but I'm all for enthusiasm. He's SO supportive and enthusiastic.
I wish I had something to send right now... looking forward to the comments!
What a lovely read Back Seat Surprise was!
Thank you for reading! I'm so glad Bull took it, I wasn't sure it was their kind of thing.
I got two poems in my fav journal New World Writing! https://newworldwriting.net/julie-benesh-two-poems-2/
I pretty much wrote those poems with the journal in mind.
I also got seven acceptances—9 if I count the redundant ones! So that made me happy as well. Something to look forward to in the next brag.
So fun! I love the meta-ness and I also enjoy writing about writing in my poems. Kudos!
Friggin’ awesome.
Congratulations!
Congratulations!
“Thank you, Coco Chanel” was a Finalist in Cleaver’s 2024 Short CNF Contest. Eight months between acceptance and publication; editors were communicative and flexible. The vibe is community-oriented with craft essays (including some by our fellow litmaggers, Elizabeth Bird and Nancy Jorgensen) and—yes!—contributor readings. I’m thrilled to be there.
https://www.cleavermagazine.com/thank-you-coco-chanel-by-lisa-k-buchanan/?mc_cid=16e6171916&mc_eid=3d2ccb8f48
I love the California-ness of your piece -- and I didn't suspect where you'd end!
Thank you, Nancy! I appreciate your comment.
It's a beautiful piece!
Thank you, Debbie!
Lisa, congrats on the Cleaver contest and publication. I love working with them. They are so contributor-friendly. Well done!
Thank you, Tracie!
Congratulations, Lisa. This is a lovely piece - so bright and carefree, and then that dark kicker at the end! Gave me shivers
Thank you, Elizabeth! Glad you enjoyed the shiver.
Congrats, Lisa! So happy to read your work. I like the turn at the end and how the last line resonated.
Thank you, Dave! Glad it resonated with you.
Love this piece, leading us to the inevitable end. But such a fun ride there!
Thank you, Nancy! Appreciate your comment.
Cleaver is a great journal! Congratulations!
Thank you, Christine!
Accepted:
Kelsay Books: The Night Watch, a collection of ekphrastic poetry. Exclusive submission. Due out late 2025/early 2026.
The Jewish Writing Project: “Collecting Languages,” an ekphrastic poem written in response to Lee Krasner (Krasner on Krasner). Submitted four times: two rejections, one acceptance, one lost in space. Scheduled for November publication.
Down in the Dirt: Hermit crab essay, “Teaching the Holocaust: An Eight-Exercise Prep Guide.” Scheduled for June publication. This was a tough one to place and with help from the SubmitIt team, I transformed a straightforward essay about my first experience teaching the Holocaust to undergrads. In its first iteration, it garnered twelve rejections, and in the second, two rejections.
Last Stanza Poetry Journal: “The Danish Queen of Hearts,” an ekphrastic poem written in response to Gerda Wegener. First and only submission to the ‘Games” themed issue.
The Ekphrastic Review: “Coney Island Kaleidoscope.” Flash fiction written in response to Joseph Stella. Won first place in the “Send in the Clowns” contest for flash fiction.
Paterson Literary Review: “Neon Celebration on Coney Island Avenue, February 1958.” A poem written in response to 8mm film featuring my grandparents on their fortieth wedding anniversary. Scheduled for 2026.
Published:
MacQueen’s Quinterly (for those new to the lit mag), three ekphrastic poems. “An Insomniac’s Horn of Plenty” and “Look at Me: Lena, Lenore, Lee” after Lee Krasner, and “Dollar Princess on the Palazzo” after Frederick Leighton. “Insomniac’s Horn” submitted to four lit mags; rejected by two. The other two, exclusive. Received acceptance within 24 hours. http://www.macqueensquinterly.com/MacQ27/Contents-MacQ27.aspx#Ekphrastic
Rivanna Review: essay, “The Unwritten Chapter: Imagining Eva’s Kozlov”. This is a chapter of my WIP genealogical memoir, imagining my grandmother’s hometown now in Ukraine (but was Austria when she was born). Submitted to eleven journals through the SubmitIt service. Rejected by four. Withdrawn from the others except the accepting journal.
The Ekphrastic Review: “Coney Island Kaleidoscope.” Flash fiction written in response to Joseph Stella. Won first place in the “Send in the Clowns” contest for flash fiction. You may have to scroll a bit: https://www.ekphrastic.net/the-ekphrastic-review/send-in-the-clowns-the-ekphrastic-circus-contest-selections
Great job! You had a fantastic month!
I have just been looking at Kelsay Books for poetry manuscripts. Was your experience a positive one?
Yes, this is my second book with Kelsay. They published a chapbook of mine in 2018. I'm happy to work with them again. Oh, and they stay true to their promised two-week response time, even on weekends.
Good to know! Thanks!
Wonderful! Congratulations, Barbara!
Great month. Congratulations!
You've got big fans at The Ekphrastic Review!
Thanks so much! It's my happy place, and writing to art has been a big part of my healing from the confluence of chronic diseases the last six months.
Mazel tov! I have great admiration for how prolific you are!
Congrats! Awesome month!
Congrats Barbara
Another person with a lot of stuff out this month! Congrats!
My essay, "On War, Love, and Loss: A Life in Three Acts," was published in "Biostories" this week. It had previously been rejected twice, but was a good fit for this magazine. The editor, Mark Leichliter, is great to work with - he made some very helpful and encouraging suggestions to strengthen the piece. Another essay, "Interlude: 1941," which was originally published in Under the Sun," was re-published in "Sugarsugarsalt" -- nice to have it out again: https://sugarsugarsalt.org/2025/03/02/interlude-1941-by-elizabeth-bird/
Congratulations! Well done!
Congratulations on your second publication of "Interlude: 1941"! SugarSugarSalt is one of my favorites. Any idea what's happening there? Its submissions page says subs are permanently closed.
Hmmn - that's new. It doesn't sound good, though. I may contact them and ask, and will let you know if I hear anything.
Congratulations! I love bioStories!
thanks, Barbara!
Great job! Congrats!