'Twas a Good Week, yes?

Last week was one of those weeks writers like to write about, not because they suck but because they bring with them pleasant surprise and increased self-validation. Permit me to explain:

Way the Hell back in May, I submitted a recently completed, edited and abandoned short story called "Outside the Box" to a certain science fiction magazine for their consideration. Said magazine advises writers of their "up to 70 days" response time. I sent my story knowing this, but I also thought they might respond much sooner, since many publications make similar claims to cover their heineys.

Flash forward two months later and their website still showed the story as "under consideration," another way of saying it had made it past the initial round of editors. I had high hopes for that story making it into their magazine. With one exception, I have yet to truly penetrate the science fiction market.

Apparently, that tradition remains very much alive. On the 64th day, they rejected the story. Undeterred, I sent it right back out to an anthology of short horror stories and an online horror magazine. My faith in the story was such that I figured hedging my bets would pay off.

It did.

The anthology accepted it within 48 hours, prompting me to have to write to the other magazine to tell them it was no longer available. Here's what they wrote back to me:

Hi Christopher,

I have changed your submission status on "Outside the Box" to "Withdrawn By Author". Congratulations on your acceptance!

Best

(Name omitted)

Editor

That made two stories accepted by the same publisher in the same week.