The Limit

I just got an e-mail from a good and true friend. She says, and I quote "I really like your blog, but why do you use so many exclamation points? Are you really that ecstatic over things?"

Well, the true, K, is that , no, I am rarely, if ever, ecstatic over anything. But, regarding the exclamation points, well.

I just can't help it!!!!!!!!!!!

New Year's Eve

Yeah.

WHERE DOES THE WORK GO, FOR HEAVEN'S SAKE?

I use Duotrope to manage my literary submissions. It is like having an online secretary. I love it. Well, I don't want to "out" a certain publication, but I sent this pub a submission a LONG time ago. There average turnaround time is 90 days. In fact, they have one of those curt little messages that all lit zines have reminding the writer not to "inquire about the status of your submission unitl 90 days have passed. Or until the next Presidential election. Or until hell freezes over." This leaves the writer precious little recourse over the work, especially if they do not allow simultaneous submissions. Well , Duotrope popped up with a RED message saying that it was now "appropriate" (oh, how GRAAAHND) to inquire about the status of my submission. Well, I did that , a week ago, when they were then 60 days beyond when they should have responded! NOW WHAT????? I can't inquire again, on the off chance of totally infuriating some editor who will, in no time flat, jump to another publication that I will be grovelling to be published in. This is only the second time that this has happened to me, but I know other writers to whom it has happened even more times. I mean, where does the work GO? Into some black hole? In my case, I even received an acknowledgement that they had the work for their consideration. Well, what did they do with it???

I have decided to totally skew their stats on Duotrope. I am going to withdraw the submission citing "no response." That'll teach 'em. But maybe I'll wait another month. Or two.

Let Me Explain

In my life hestitation = non-action. And I am all about forward motion. After so many years of friends and co-workers telling me to apply to library school, I finally did it. Literally, I woke up one morning and decided to go for it. In record time I had gotten the package of paperwork together, mailed it in and was accepted 5 days later. My friend John (a Librarian) has been urging me to do this for the better part of 12 years. I am even surprised myself, that I didn't do it earlier. In any case when I found out I'd been accepted, I called my friend Melissa who was accepted the very same day and we did a little virtual dance together over the phone! Mine, performed behind the dubiously private work cubicle was akin to the dance that Charlie Brown does when he is blissful , which, admittedly, doesn't happen often. I imagine that Melissa did something appropriately Russian or , at the very least, Eastern European. Yep, we squealed a little, did the girl thing, you know : "ohmygodohmyGOD!" Then peals of girly laughter and more dancing. You'd think we won the lottery!!!! Well, you have to really love libraries to react that way.

Let me explain why libraries have been so important to me for my entire life:

• I got my first public library card at age 7 . The library was a place of knowledge , comfort and thousands of different worlds at my fingertips. (yes, I was a lonely, pale, bookish nerd, o.k?)


• While other students snuck cigarettes and God knows whatever on lunch break, in high school I could be found with Sister Consolata Maria in the school library. "My God, Michelle," she told me one day "Go out and get some SUN on your face!" (This, sadly, is a true story.)


• When my marriage fell apart, I looked, once again , to the library for solace. The job I got at that library is one I still work at part time! (EP is such a beloved place to me)


• While working at EP I met my current husband ! (One of the best things to ever happen to me!)


• Left EP full time to go and work at the library of the same university where I earned my BA and MA. (Wonderful institution, great co-workers, cool boss)


• Fulfilling the dream of library school!

And writing? I am as ardent and as dedicated to the craft as ever. Maybe even more so if that is even possible!

Post Christmas

Still here, still reading , still loving Charlie Brown.