The Rejections Are Getting Nicer

My short "Haudego" got a lovely rejection from Abyss and Apex Speculative Fiction yesterday. (Yes, those folks were working on a holiday. )

Dear :ME:

Thank you for submitting "Haudego" to ABYSS & APEX. It was well received here, but after some thought we have decided not to accept it for publication.

I hope you'll consider us again, and I wish you the best success in placing this story elsewhere.

Best Regards,
:THEM:

I'm not sure what 'well-received' actually means in lit journal speak, but I'm taking it to mean more than just a nicer way of saying No. I'm thinking perhaps the story wasn't speculative enough.

Haudego is an experimental piece for me. It's told almost entirely in the form of entries from the digital voice diary of a scholar/scientist looking for a cure to something he believes is man's worst malady, and what happens when he finds it. It's along the lines of 'be careful what you wish for' and 'things aren't always what they seem'.

I'd tell you more about it, but then what would be the point? Someday, if I discover I can't sell it, I'll post it here, but that day's far off and I can be awfully stubborn about recognizing when something won't sell.