First and Second Acceptances
The morning of Sunday, October 5, I was having breakfast with a dear friend under a yellowing oak tree. We talked about risk-taking, relationships, and letting go, even when it's painful. I sighed at the end, because I was demoralized about submitting, about the unending grind of it. And she assured me (again) that it's "not if, but when." Said she'd take that bet in a heartbeat.
Later that day, I opened a submission response email. "I love this story," it began, and I rushed along, searching for the usual ending: "but I won't be accepting it for publication." This had happened countless times since I began regularly submitting at the end of 2024, sometimes twice a day.
But it didn't come. Instead: "I would be delighted to accept it for publication in the issue." I blinked and re-read the message. This was an acceptance. It happened. And it happened with a story that essentially flew out of me and required almost no revision. I was stunned.
Four days later, another sale. "Thanks for sending this fascinating and unique story our way! We'd love to accept it for publication."
I was with my toddler and mom, which was bittersweet. My toddler, of course, has no meaningful way to engage with such a win. And my mother had been, in years past, my strongest detractor, particularly around writing. I held the news inside like a precious ember.
The first sale was semi-pro (under $0.08/word). But the second was SFWA pro-rate, which means I'll be eligible to join neo-pro writing groups like CODEX. They offer structure, critique opportunities, prompts, and a sense of community in an otherwise isolating endeavor.
It took 9 months (eerie, fitting) and dozens of rejections, but it happened. The dusty door swung open. The work stepped forward. I savored it. I still am.
With contracts signed, I'm thrilled to share two stories that will be out in 2026.
Root Words (bewildering / linguistic / cosmic horror) is forthcoming in Saros SF Issue #5 on the theme of Sound/Silence, edited by Ariel Marken Jack.
The Araki-Jones Sequence (dystopian / surveillance state / babies) is forthcoming in If There's Anyone Left Volume 6, co-edited by Jason P. Burnham and C. M. Fields.
These are very different stories whose origin stories warrant their own posts, so I won't add much else here. As a poet friend said to me after I shared the happy news, "the work continues!"
Onward.