Well, I hope you’ve enjoyed the three parts of The Basics so far, and the future ones, hopefully.

It’s been a while since I’ve updated here, and things have kind of changed. First, for perhaps the first time since I started this PhD, I can say that work is going, well, ok. Even a glimpse of The End; even a glimpse of a publication? Seriously – my supervisor even left me a note saying “THAT’S WHAT I LIKE TOO [sic] SEE!” in response to some fiiine data I got on Saturday. A note! On standard lab filter paper nonetheless, but a note! I could even use it to dab away the tears…

In other news, data aside, I was hoping that today would be a Big Day. Why? Because today was the day that Manchester-based magazine “Transmission” would select short stories for it’s 7th issue – and I had submitted two back in August. They said they’d contact me if I got chosen but so far it doesn’t look good, especially with their notice now reading “We are looking for short stories on the theme of ‘Time'”, which was something not particularly clear when I submitted. Still, we’ll wait and see. At least they invited me to their party…

I’ll tell you, it sure knocks the wind out of you. You start trying to get your work published, and before you know it, you’re waist-deep into rejection slips that read something like this:

“Thank you for letting us see your material, which we have now read and considered. Unfortunately, it is not something we feel that we could successfully represent. However, this is a personal reaction and we wish you luck elsewhere.”

In short, “You Suck.”

…and it starts getting to you. Now, I know that “all writers have faced rejections”, but I’m pretty sure that, before they got published, they seriously doubted it would ever happen for them. And that’s where I am right now…

At least the PhD is doing better…

Notes of consolation to the usual address.

In case you were wondering, the New Yorker just replied to my submission of Open Doors:

We regret that we are unable to use the enclosed material. Thank you for giving us the opportunity to consider it.-The Editors

Also see: “You suck”.

I just wanted to give you a little first-hand taste of the killing fields that is the literary publishing world. Ah, well. Stat rosa pristina nomine.

After spending a whole day in the lab, on Saturday I dared the unthinkable: I SUBMITTED A SHORT STORY TO THE NEW YORKER! Yeah, I thought for once I’d start at the top. You know, have a rejection from the top of the food chain.

And although I’ve been advised against such negative thinking, I’m not exactly keeping my hopes up. I mean, they take like 8 weeks to reply; besides, I’m not even American, so I don’t know how keen they’ll be to publish a story written by a Greek who lives in England. And in Bradford, of all places. We’ll see. In the meantime, you can read the short story I submitted here. I’ll be submitting this and other stories to various literary magazines, so if you know any good ones (if they pay too, that’d be great), and if you think my writing’s any good, please email me or leave me a comment (they’ll both reach my Inbox).

In other news, I’m still working my donkey off. This PhD doesn’t want to finish, let me tell you…

Oh, something interesting: Last night I watched Michael Moore’s documentary

Bowling for Columbine, which, apart from being hugely informative and entertaining, also shed some light as to why it is that North Americans (is that the PC way of saying it? US people) have such a tremendous tendency to turn into murderous, gun-toting maniacs. Moore suggests that it’s not the violent history (Germany anyone?), the unemployment rate (Canada anyone?), or the video games (Japan anyone?). According to Moore, the basis of horrible events like the Columbine massacre appears to be the culture of fear that the US has been increasngly subjected to (9/11 anyone?). In fact, I never thought I’d say this, but I found myself agreeing with interviewee Marilyn Manson, who said that the US media feed their audiences with a constant barrage of fear and consumption. Hand them enough guns, and boom! Columbine.

It does also include a fantastic short animation entitled A brief history of America – funny, and sadly accurate in the same time. You can watch it, and other clips from the documentary here.

Well, I don’t know if all this is true – Man’s corrupt nature easily lends itself to violence, just like any other kind of
indulgence. And maybe loose gun control regulations are also to blame – after all, like my weapons instructor in the Army used to say, you can’t shoot someone without a bullet. But I do know of a solution that does work, and it does so effectively, because it changes Man’s nature, from the inside. What is it?

The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it? – Jeremiah 17:9

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. – 2 Corinthians 5:17

Well, I’ve broken the record: It’s been eight days without a single entry, although I had much to write. And today I was all keyed up to put something in, but I just received the 16th rejection of my novel, but it was the second time an agent actually read the entire manuscript (usually they reject a sample you send to them initially).

This time, the agent said that it was “interesting to read” but “didn’t find it irresistible enough”. The rest of the letter is the usual stuff about full client lists and difficult markets.

I know that this is the deal, but man, it stings the same every time…

In short, I’ve kind of lost the mood for an entry today. Just wanted to let you all know that I’m still alive, and I’ll be getting back on soon.

Huh boy… today I got The Urge to do The Forbidden Thing: Writing. Must have been that funny-smelling coffee I had this afternoon.

The reason writing is Forbidden, is simply that by next October I have to have completed a PhD thesis, ready to go. And starting another novel would NOT be exactly the way to do that.

But it’s killing me. I have always been writing something since 2000, when I finally took pen and paper and answered my life-long exortation. Even during my Masters in Southampton, I wrote. Even in the Army, I wrote. But having completed my last novel (and still in the process of trying to get it out there) this is now the first period in five years when I’m not seriously writing anything (I occasionally write short stories for fun, but no more than 1000 words…).

Problem is, when The Urge becomes too strong, I have to write something or I start having nightmares about Dan Brown pointing at me and laughing (in real life it’s the other way ’round), or the other one with the Harry Potter-headed monster that I have to kill with Tom Clancy books. Or the worse nightmare of all, where I’m locked in a tiny room that plays nothing but PD James audiobooks on the speakers. All day.

It’s enough to drive you crazy. Or get you writing. You ‘ll be surprised how often the two coincide.

I guess starting this blog was part of the withdrawal syndrome. A substitute, perhaps, but still good fun. And, plus, I get to communicate with all my lovely friends… wait a minute – IS ANYONE READING THIS? HELLO? HELLO?