Okay, all you writers out there, share your tales of Summer woe.

It's that time of year again. It's as regular as clockwork, it seems, that two, maybe three times a year you can count on an editorial log-jam within your submissions folder. I have approximately fifteen subs out there for which I could receive responses at ANY MOMENT. But I'm not holding my breath.

One anthology has had a story of mine for almost a year, but that one was expected. Another major market has its editorial staff arguing over whether they're buying my story or not, but it's probably going to be at least another two weeks before they decide. With Worldcon, other markets that would have responded by now are running behind schedule. A very high quality small press mag is holding yet another story at least two months longer than they normally do, but once again, there are good reasons for that as well.

I just forsee an explosion (or implosion, depending upon how you see it) of responses right after Worldcon and you know, a string of acceptances can invigorate you like nothing else, while a string of rejections . . . There just comes this overwhelming sense of doom when you know that you're about to get bombarded with responses.

So, for now, I just keep writing new stories and keep my helmet on just in case. Please feel free to share your stories of trepidation in the comments section should you so wish. (Just one rule: NO MARKET NAMES!)

Well, back to the waiting.

And waiting.

And . . .

Joseph Haines, signing off from The Edge of The Abyss.