Very superstitious

Have I said this before? I'm extremely superstitious. My favorite expression is "Knock Wood, Throw Salt," and I do both regularly. (In fact, I throw salt not only when I spill the tiny white grains, but whenever I tip the shaker.) That's just one of my little character traits. One of those things that I can't remember how I started, but I cannot seem to stop.

So while I had an extremely productive meeting yesterday, I won't reveal all of my new projects until I hammer out dates and sign on the X. I will say this, though. I'm fucking thrilled. The new books on the menu look delicious, and I can't wait to get started.

I'm not the only one I know who won't walk under a ladder. Or who only picks up pennies when they're right-side up.

Recently, I ran into another superstitious writer. Donna said she doesn't ever tell people that she's in anthology until she's holding the book in her hands. I told her that I was the exact same way—for the most part, I try not to crow about being in a collection until the book is printed and on my shelf. I've been cut so many times.

She was sweetly disbelieving. "You? Get rejected?"

And I just laughed and laughed. My stories get cut all the time. I don't tend to discuss rejections in the brilliant way that Dayle and Shanna do. They both openly share just what being a writer is all about: the champagne-happy acceptances, and the mailbox filled with pink slips. But in this past year I was cut from a handful of anthologies, dropped from a magazine, and rejected for a sequel to a book I edited for Plume. I really wanted to be in one of those collections, too. I mean, really. And when I see the cover, I have that J is for Jealousy feeling towards all of the writers in the book.

Why am I telling you this? Because I do know that reading about other writers' ups and downs can be helpful. Why don't I normally share? Because I don't like to dwell on the rejections any longer. I used to have a file folder filled with my reject letters. At some point, I recycled the whole package. But I want to be clear. I never believe I am going to be in a book. I don't, as Sommer likes to say, "Buy my own hype." Books come together for a variety of reasons. The stories all have to agree with one another. The length has to work. The different styles must behave. I know all about weaving a book together, and I understand why my stories sometimes don't make the grade. (Like the time I forgot to put sex in.)

That doesn't mean I like rejections any more than the next writer.
I just knock wood and throw salt... and move onto the next project.

XXX,
Alison

P.S. This amazing ring is from Loving Anvil.