[stylist] A Haiku I Wrote This Morning

Tue Oct 18 15:01:02 UTC 2011

Here's a little story, about 650 words, that I plan to read at the state convention talent show.  I trust it will fit the Halloween theme.

Shawn

The Fear of Rejection
by Shawn Jacobson

I looked down over the balcony railing at the hotel's swimming pool.  Drained and deserted in the October chill, its tiled surface collected the light from the full moon.  The editor pulled my thoughts back to the business at hand.
"You'd be surprised how many stories we reject are for very basic reasons obvious lapses in science, inconsistent characters, poor grammar, things like that.  The form rejection letter actually covers most reasons for rejecting a story yours included"
I looked at the form letter for my latest story, but any of the myriad such letters I'd received would have done.  "I'm not sure what basic think I missed though.   Is it that the story has been done many times before?"
"Well" said the editor "we do see a lot of stories about aliens in human form that eat people, but you had some interesting twists, the one about the aliens breathing fire like dragons to cook their food was a nice point.  Even man-eating reptile-looking aliens don't want to mess with food poisoning.  In fact, the scene where the alien bad guy lures people out on the hotel balcony to be eaten was rather well done.  You do look cold, are you OK?"
"Yes" I replied "just a little chilly, but the cold doesn't bother me much".  In fact, I would rather have been in the hospitality suite where it was warm grazing off the snack table and doing damage to my diet, but the chance to talk to the famous editor about my work was just too good an opportunity to pass up.
I continued looking down the bullets of the form letter by the ghostly lunar light.  "I know you like happy endings in the stories you publish and the story ends happily for the hero even if a lot of the other characters get lunched."
"Nothing wrong with the ending either" the editor said "in fact a lot of the aliens had a happy ending to.  It was nice that you pointed that out.  Most authors I run into wouldn't have bothered with what happened to the aliens; you kind of stand out that way.  In fact, it's one reason I'm talking to you and not all the other folks whose stories I reject.  You'd be surprised how voracious a reader you have to be in my job.  You also need a cast-iron stomach to deal with the stories that are hard to swallow."
"And I read that you want strong characters and extraordinary challenges; I thought my characters were strong and quite interesting."
"Yes, yes," the editor continued, and the challenges were difficult to surmount.' Meanwhile someone in the room said "gee it's getting chilly in here, how about I shut the balcony door;" as the door slid shut, the raucous conversation from within was muted.  "As I said, the characters were great, delectable as a matter of fact; it's just that one basic thing that makes your story wrong for us."
"What could that be?" I asked as a cloud scudded across the moon darkening the scene.  Across the way, another couple returned to the warmth of their room leaving us alone in the night.  Suddenly, the stars seemed somehow closer than they really were.
"I thank there's one bullet on the letter you haven't discussed; in fact, it's the first bullet if I'm not mistaken."
I looked down trying to read the letter in the uncertain light from within the hotel room, a light repeatedly blocked by conventioneers moving about.  My bafflement  grew as I strove to read threw the shadows.  How could my story, the precious work of my imagination, have failed this test.  As I was about to vent my frustration, I heard a ripping sound and looked up.
"You see" said the editor as he pealed the skin from his face "we only publish science fiction."

-----Original Message-----
From: Jacobson, Shawn D 
Sent: Monday, October 17, 2011 1:19 PM
To: 'newmanrl at cox.net'; 'Writer's Division Mailing List'
Subject: RE: [stylist] A Haiku I Wrote This Morning

Robert

Thanks for asking, but I think I need to take care of this myself.

I'm getting ready to perform my treasurer duties at State convention (October 28th through 30th in Ocean City); I've also been asked to do a short reading during the Friday evening talent show/story telling contest.

I took my son to the local science fiction convention over the weekend but had to leave early Saturday to help at the scholarship fundraiser that evening.  And around all that I had to work laundry, mowing the lawn etc.

Anyway, I hope to get more active (with a story or two) once the smoke clears.

Shawn

-----Original Message-----
From: stylist-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:stylist-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Robert Leslie Newman
Sent: Monday, October 17, 2011 11:02 AM
To: 'Writer's Division Mailing List'
Subject: Re: [stylist] A Haiku I Wrote This Morning

Gee, Shawn! Anything we can help with?

(Good poem, I could follow it.)

-----Original Message-----
From: stylist-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:stylist-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
Behalf Of Jacobson, Shawn D
Sent: Monday, October 17, 2011 9:16 AM
To: 'Writer's Division Mailing List'
Subject: Re: [stylist] A Haiku I Wrote This Morning

And here's a haiku that kind-of explains my absence from the list of late.

Mighty flood of life
That sweeps me to the future
In vain I struggle.

Shawn

-----Original Message-----
From: stylist-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:stylist-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
Behalf Of Homme, James
Sent: Friday, October 14, 2011 4:03 PM
To: Homme, James
Subject: [stylist] A Haiku I Wrote This Morning

Harvest

How many layers
in my onion? pealing prompts
pain, pleasure, my core.

Jim

Jim Homme,
Usability Services,
Phone: 412-544-1810.

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