Danse Macabre - Rejection

Rejection is a harsh word. My idea didn't quite fit into Nancy Kilpatrick's anthology.

Here it is...

Mark Drake, a retired 1980s tech entrepreneur, struggling with his thanatophobia, devotes his entire fortune and energies to eluding death. His tenacity pays off and he’s granted immortality, youth, and health. Every ten years Death revisits their arrangement. Drake refuses Death’s embrace despite watching his loved ones die of old age. Again, he declines Death's offer despite having to fake his death and create a new identity. Embittered and fueled by pride, he continues to refuse Death, until he rediscovers the simple joys of existence and a meaningful life through a terminally ill woman and decides to cross over with her.

And Nancy's kind words from her email:

I do hope you'll write it anyway because there's nothing wrong with this idea, it's just a non-fit here, but there are other markets.

Which brings me to another topic, professionalism. Although this wasn't a rejection, it's always important to reply to the rejection email. Just a polite thank you and wishing them luck on the anthology is usually all it takes to put a smile on the editor's face. And get you remembered for the next time they put out a call for submissions.