Smoke this ....

Publish it here.
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westcoast
Posts: 798
Joined: March 8th, 2008, 5:53 pm

Smoke this ....

Post by westcoast » March 8th, 2008, 10:07 pm

I don't quite know what came over me, but the following rejection of a rejection occurred recently over my piece titled: AHMED. I sent it to the Smokelong Quarterly that features flash fiction. I thought it was a sure thing to be published as it is much better than 95% of what the quarterly publishes. At least the issue I examined. Another "business" decision taking precedent I guess ;)

AHMED

Everyone was there at the start of the experiment. The Chinese. The Russians. The Arabs.

Ahmed infected me with a long slow kiss. Lips of honey and pomegranates. Lingering. Tangerine breath. He protected me. Stroked my trembling thighs with his warm brown hands. Put a strawberry inside for later. “Now,” he would say as I produced it for his soft lips.

A dog growls then whimpers. I find him in the hallway licking a severed paw. I grab a piece of cloth to tie the beast to a door knob. He will taste good later. Let him die on his own. I can’t kill anymore. I go out into the street to see if it is night or day. Then I know. This is Prague. Ahmed said we would come to his favourite city to drink and listen to Beethoven. He said he would marry me and there would be no more Jihad.

The world is beautiful and dead. Ahmed is dead. The Chinese, Russians and Arabs are all dead.

Soon, I may have to cut off my breasts to make soup. I would give myself to a man for protection but there are none. There is nothing left in the world but a dying dog and a sad woman crying in the street.


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

>From: Dave Clapper <dclapper>
24-Jan-08, at 3:21 PM, Dave Clapper wrote:

Dear Janet,

Thank you for your submission of "Ahmed" to SmokeLong Quarterly.
Unfortunately, we are going to pass on this story.

Best,
Dave Clapper
SmokeLong Quarterly


>Subject: Thank you for your rejection!
January 25, 2008 01:40:40 AM PST
To: Dave Clapper <dclapper>

Thanks, Dave! I'm actually relieved to hear that. After further examination it is obvious your publication sucks the big one and is
definitely not up to my standards.

Cheerio dude.
Janet


>From: Dave Clapper <dclapper>
Subject: Re: Thank you for your rejection!
Date: January 25, 2008 12:53:31 PM PST

You're welcome.

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Doreen Peri
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Post by Doreen Peri » March 8th, 2008, 10:27 pm

Thanks, Dave! I'm actually relieved to hear that. After further examination it is obvious your publication sucks the big one and is
definitely not up to my standards.

Cheerio dude.
Janet


>From: Dave Clapper <dclapper>
Subject: Re: Thank you for your rejection!
Date: January 25, 2008 12:53:31 PM PST

You're welcome.
LOL! I love it!

(glad you published it here! It's a good piece! your images are tantalizing and your writing is intriguing! I like the piece a lot)

westcoast
Posts: 798
Joined: March 8th, 2008, 5:53 pm

Post by westcoast » March 8th, 2008, 10:33 pm

*snort*

it was a satisfying exhange i had with the mr. clapper.

thanks doreen ! i'm thrilled you enjoyed this piece in particular.

janet

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stilltrucking
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Joined: October 24th, 2004, 12:29 pm
Location: Oz or somepLace like Kansas

Post by stilltrucking » March 9th, 2008, 8:36 pm

I wish I could write like that

westcoast
Posts: 798
Joined: March 8th, 2008, 5:53 pm

Post by westcoast » March 9th, 2008, 10:29 pm

Like Mr. Clapper? LOL !!!!!

You are much too kind friend :)

I love your writing!

Thank you so much.

~westcoast

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