Penumbra Submissions

I think they do three waves now, the first being form rejections.
Our stories go through three rounds of adjudication. The longer that you don't hear from us, the further in the selection process you have gone. Please don't send us status requests on submissions prior to that six week range
So, I guess we all survived the first wave of painful form rejections? I'm still in last I checked. (hold on a sec) Yep, still in!
Good luck, all!

Ahh, okay.

Shows how long it's been since I last subbed to this market, huh?

I think I've read on another forum, though, that Damien is reading all the submissions for this issue herself. So seems like it might be a little different to the normal method, in any case.

Ahh, okay.

Shows how long it's been since I last subbed to this market, huh?

I think I've read on another forum, though, that Damien is reading all the submissions for this issue herself. So seems like it might be a little different to the normal method, in any case.

Oh Dammit - Damien Walters is a woman? I put 'dear Mr Walters' on my cover letter. Bloody hell.

I think they do three waves now, the first being form rejections.
Our stories go through three rounds of adjudication. The longer that you don't hear from us, the further in the selection process you have gone. Please don't send us status requests on submissions prior to that six week range
So, I guess we all survived the first wave of painful form rejections? I'm still in last I checked. (hold on a sec) Yep, still in!
Good luck, all!

Nope, I got my form last night.
Not a great surprise, it wasn't one of my best stories to start with and I probably made it worse trying to tweak it painfully to fit the "pain" theme.

And my cover letter began: "Dear Ms. Summers..."

Stupid, stupid, human.
Sigh...

Got my form rejection today too. Not quite what they're looking for apparently. Good luck to all remaining. I'm on to the next theme.

Boo for rejections!

I'm still hanging in there, but I have no idea if the kind of pain I submitted is the kind of pain they're looking for.

Just got this rejection:

"Your story is well-written and while I enjoyed reading it, I’m afraid it’s not quite what I’m looking for. Best of luck to you in placing this elsewhere, and I hope you’ll consider submitting something else to us for future issues."

I'm on another forum where Damien is a member, and she shared these details about the "Pain" issue that I thought you all might find interesting:

I received 264 submissions for the issue. I've since whittled the slush pile down to 106. (I started reading before the submission window closed.) 73 stories are still unread, and I have 33 in my second read pile so far. Depending on the word counts, the issue will have 5 or 6 stories. (I have a firm word count limit for the issue entire so that adds a layer of trickiness to the mix.)

She also noted that she didn't read in chronological order, for anyone still waiting.

Did you guys see the tweet from June 6:

Finding *that* story in the slush pile. The one that hits every button, the one that you're going to build the rest of the issue around.

I'm taking bets as to whose story she's referring. Best odds are on Rebecca.

"The Filigreed Cage" || "Bitter Remedy" || "Heartless" || "The Newsboy's Last Stand" || "Planar Ghosts"

 

I haven't received any info from Penumbra about my pain sub.

I would be happy to be one of the stories surrounding the best one.

Did you guys see the tweet from June 6:

Finding *that* story in the slush pile. The one that hits every button, the one that you're going to build the rest of the issue around.

I'm taking bets as to whose story she's referring. Best odds are on Rebecca.

Huh, what?

While I'm still in the pile, and I certainly love my story very much, I'm afraid they might have to be pretty flexy on their interpretation of the theme. I appreciate your confidence, but would be very surprised to be *that* story. Cool, though, that someone is!

Also--YAY! It's Strycher! *glomps Strycher* Good to see you back around here!

Rebecca Birch
Finalist - 2, SF - 1, SHM - 1, HM - 18, R - 6
Words of Birch
Short Story Collection--Life Out of Harmony and Other Tales of Wonder

 

Just got my form rejection a second ago. Fingers crossed for those of you still in!

Now I'm out. Just got my rejectemail. Best of luck to the survivors.

Well, I've gone down the rabbit-hole and submitted for the Lewis Carroll-themed issue. It was kind of a tough theme, but I'm pleased with the story and eager to see if it can survive the winnowing!
Good luck all. Still plenty of time to lay down 3500 words and submit.

Anyone else still in for Pain? A bunch of Rs have gone out today, and I won't be surprised to see still more. Getting nail-bitey around here.

I don't want to jinx myself, but I haven't heard anything on my pain sub yet. Also in for Paranormal. Not sure about LC though. I seem to be hitting every other theme this year.

I don't want to jinx myself, but I haven't heard anything on my pain sub yet. Also in for Paranormal. Not sure about LC though. I seem to be hitting every other theme this year.

Good luck!

Good luck HL & Rebecca. It sounds like at the very least you've made the final round! Of course, you're both a veterans with this magazine, so I'm not the least bit surprised.

I don't want to jinx myself, but I haven't heard anything on my pain sub yet. Also in for Paranormal. Not sure about LC though. I seem to be hitting every other theme this year.

Good luck!

I haven't gotten a rejection from the Pain issue yet either. ::meep:: >.>

I don't want to jinx myself, but I haven't heard anything on my pain sub yet. Also in for Paranormal. Not sure about LC though. I seem to be hitting every other theme this year.

Good luck!

I haven't gotten a rejection from the Pain issue yet either. ::meep:: >.>

I have an idea, let's ALL be in it! Because that would be awesome.

I don't want to jinx myself, but I haven't heard anything on my pain sub yet. Also in for Paranormal. Not sure about LC though. I seem to be hitting every other theme this year.

I haven't gotten a rejection from the Pain issue yet either. ::meep:: >.>

I have an idea, let's ALL be in it! Because that would be awesome.

TOC mates forever!

Anyone want to swap Lewis Carroll stories? Mine's about 1900 words--and dark.

Anyone want to swap Lewis Carroll stories? Mine's about 1900 words--and dark.

I don't have one for that call, but I'm happy to read yours. (I think I may need some crit credit if I ever finish my WIP. )

Here is the news. I had not written a new story for a couple of months but I had done a lot of revision and for the first time ever achieved twenty plus stories out on submission simultaneously. I was feeling kind of Stewartish - you know, wondering how I could possibly write some new fiction - and then I saw the news. And I thought nothing could be more Lewis Carroll than what's on the news, so I just wrote it down the way I saw it. 2300 words in well under 24 hours later and I have a story for Penumbra.

The problem is I had to write it in English and it might be just be one of those whines that doesn't travel well.

Eh bien. On va voir, as they say in Margate.

Seems like we should be hearing back on the Pain issue, like, last week. *twitch*

Good luck to everyone in for Lewis Carroll. That one just did not gel into anything for me.

I have a story in the second round at another market that, if it comes back, will be perfect for the Paranormal Adventures. Except that it's 600 words too long. That'll be one heck of a hack job, if it comes down to it.

And I'm out in the final round for Pain. Dangit.

And I'm out in the final round for Pain. Dangit.

Me too, alas.

Fun sidebar. Mine had a note suggesting that the story might place quickly at another market, which is encouraging, though amusing since this was the story's 14th rejection.

. . . this was the story's 14th rejection.

Hey, wow, mine too! I've sold stories that have had more rejections than that, though. For now, I've suppressed my natural tendency to avoid postal submissions and sent mine off to Gordon at F&SF. I hear he does't get as many sci-fi stories as he'd like. I shall attempt to even the balance.

. . . this was the story's 14th rejection.

Hey, wow, mine too! I've sold stories that have had more rejections than that, though. For now, I've suppressed my natural tendency to avoid postal submissions and sent mine off to Gordon at F&SF. I hear he does't get as many sci-fi stories as he'd like. I shall attempt to even the balance.

Wow that's a weird coincidence. The most rejections I've gotten for a story that then sold was 13, I think, on a story that got an HM in WotF and eventually was accepted at Plasma Frequency Magazine. Good luck at F&FS! I sent mine to IGMS.

Sorry to hear about the rejections, but making the final round ain't too shabby. Interesting how stories can be rejected so many times and then sell. My record is seven. But I currently have a story I'm confident will eventually sell that has been rejected 15 times. Why do I think it will sell? It almost always gets a very nice personal rejection, and has made it several times to the final round. Alas, this story also takes nearly twice as long for a response as the ones that get straight rejected. FYI, it earned an HM too.
Never give up! <img src="