First Submissions

Well, I did it. I sent in my first submission. April 20, 2005 I sent a story to Woman's World. Whether or not someone will even read it is another story. :-)
I will keep posts on how long it takes to hear back from them, so come back in about six months, LOL.
I'm eating pizza while typing, so when I finish it I suppose I'll give a tell all account on mailing my submission. ;-)

Okay here goes, I'm a night person so while hubby sleeps, I put on the finishing touches on my query and ms short story, fill out addresses and so forth, then place the huge envelope by the alarm clock to make sure hubby remembers to take it with him to the post office for stamps and mailing. I finally go to bed, then when I wake up to three demanding children the next morning what do I see? A big white envelope! Ok no sweat. It's just a few hours, no big deal.
Hubby gets home quite early from work, and after I tweak the ms and query/cover letter some more (why waste a good opportunity?) I give in and bite the bullet. We load the kids up, and drive out to the post office.

Hubby being the good hubby he is, goes in and has it weighed and all that. He comes back to the car and gets in. So there, it's mailed. I'm nervous, but I believe myself to be fine. After all, it's paper and ink. It may not be the grandest words ever written, but people use words everyday. Nothing to get excited over.

"Go back and get it!" I laugh and cry, as panic takes over. "I can't let someone read that!"
Hubby is busy laughing at his now hysterical wife.
"I can't. It's now federal property. I'd be breaking the law."
He is enjoying my torcher. I see that through my dewy eyes. My face is wet with emotions that I'm not sure are good or bad. But very emotional.
he breaks into my personal thoughts of stupidity at crying. "Why don't you want anyone to read it?"
"Because," I sputter, "it came out of my head and it's stupid!"
"No, it's not." he says in a surprisingly gentle way. "Your writing is very good."
I groan at this. He is king of one liners. "I think it's very good." Top on his list to use when he has nothing else to say.
I'm still wiping tears that are streaming down my face uncontrollably and we're both still laughing. (Did I forget to mention I never shut up with the nervous laughter.)
He sees someone he knows as he pulls into a grocery parking lot, pretending like he's going to hit the guy. I start swatting his arm, both for pretending to hit a person with the car, and for drawing attention to us with my face streaked with fresh tears. The nerve of that man! LOL

We soon came home where I instantly logged in to Romance Divas and reread the kind words from the girls there. I came back to earth on a feather pillow, because I've discovered that's what they do. Supply you with a soft landing on planet earth. You're not on a pedistal, you're on earth to face the trials here in the publishing world, but at least it's a soft, safe landing. Thanks, gals.

So even when I get the rejection letter I'm sure will follow, it will be okay. Just the first I hope, may not be the last, but there's no way to become published without a rejection or acceptance. 50 -50. But unless we send in a request for one or the other it's a 100% garantee we will not be published. I'll take my chances. :-)

Happy Writing!