Item #1: I learned that I had a very positive review of my story, “The Negative Impact of Climate Change on the Unusual Beasts of the World.” The story appeared in the July/August issue of Analog. The review appeared in Tangent Online. Here is what the reviewer had to say about my (short) story:
Jamie Todd Rubin contributes “The Negative Impact of Climate Change on the Unusual Beasts of the World,” a Probability Zero that lists a few incidents showing the death of mythical creatures due to climate change. The story is almost entirely description, which is strongly written and generates a surprising amount of impact. There is a message here, and Rubin makes it without being didactic.
Item #2: I am reading Stephen King’s On Writing for a third time. I do this when I am feeling like I need a little extra motivation. I’m not sure how I missed this in the previous readings, but it seems that Stephen King’s first “personal” rejection slip came from Algis Budrys. As it happens, not my first1, but my second personal rejection slip came from Algis Budrys. I just thought it was kind of cool to share that early-rejection kinship with King. I wonder how many others Budrys gave an early personal rejection to?
- It was Kristine Kathryn Rusch, then editing F&SF, who gave me my first personal rejection slip. ↩
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That’s cool about the rejection slips. I too read On Writing when I need an extra motivational boost. If that book doesn’t get you to your keyboard, nothing will!