Tagline: Rob's aunt told him about her neighbor Molly. Molly's neighbor told her about her nephew Rob. And that was that...In a Nutshell: Molly's driveway is blocked by a tree that fell due to a storm. Annabelle's nephew has been helping Annabelle with clean up and comes over to offer his help to Molly as well. They hit it off, and guess what! Annabelle has been trying to introduce them to each other for a long time.
Observations: This is one of those stories that might have evolved from a real life experience. Sometimes when I need inspiration for a WW story, I just think about what's going on in my life at the moment. Basing your stories in real life can establish a commonality between you/the characters and the readers. They might say to themselves, "Oh, we have storms like that around here."
Something I noticed in this story that I don't often see is the hero being--well, to me--sexy. The guy is all sweaty in her front yard with a power tool! And yet, he still has that aw, shucks boy-next-door quality to him.
This matchmaker story was solid.
Photo by nikoretro (cc)
34 comments:
Kate,
Although I thought this story was cute and liked it, it was missing the sizzle that Johnene always says she is looking for. It seemed like a nice, friendly story about a couple who will grow to love each other rather than any attraction.
Great blog. I enjoy these mini-tales, and love your personal take on them.
This is such a great site, Kate. I have no idea why it's taken me so long to discover it. I'm interested in getting your advice. I submitted a story to WW in October of 2012. I haven't heard anything and I know it the guidelines it says you can resubmit. What is your opinion on this and how much longer should I wait. If it's still "under review" I don't want to do anything to jeopardize my chances of getting published. Thanks!
The opening of this story is so similar to my November submission that I thought for a second I was reading my own story! Of course, my heart sank. In mine, the heroine falls for the guy who sells her a new tree. You're right, though, Kate, a sweaty guy with a power tool is sexier!
So why doesn't Johnene just send my rejection and get it over with?
I haven't seen this story yet (anyone feel like scanning it for me, pleeease??) but a sweaty guy with a power tool sounds pretty sizzling to me.
I agree, Kate, real life is a great source of ideas for fiction. Many of the stories I've sold have been based on incidents that happened either to me or to people I know. It definitely helps with making a connection.
Jill, I've also had a story with WW since October. It was a resubmission of one sent at the start of last year, but I've still heard nothing back. Trouble is, our British Post Office decided to stop doing IRCs, so there's no way I can pay the return postage now. I keep explaining it every time I submit a new story, and I supply my email address instead, but I get the feeling WW just don't like that method of response. (You're right about this website - it's brilliant).
I appreciate your comment, Chris. How long did you wait to resubmit the first time?
Chris, I sent you this story! I'll re-send if you didn't get it. And Jill, waits of 6 months or even more are becoming quite common for WW. I'd wait at LEAST 6 before resubmitting.
Thanks, Betsi!
Betsi, I'm an idiot! I've downloaded your second set of scans and will read them once I've finished this.
Jill, I only resubmitted after emailing the WW helpline and explaining that I hadn't had a response after six months. They said I should have heard back by then and to resubmit it with a note explaining that I'd sent the story six months before and also why I couldn't send IRCs any more. They said I would get an email answer for sure this time, but six months on again I'm still none the wiser.
Like you, I don't like to 'hassle' them and query it again, so now I'm just waiting and sending a new submission every few weeks. I haven't yet managed to get a story accepted by them but the ladies on this site are so helpful. Really. They have a wealth of experience between them and are happy to share it. Keep coming back.
Thank you for taking the time to answer my question, Chris. Oh no doubt, I'll definitely keep coming back. :)
I swear there is nothing new under the sun. Johnene turned down my "tree across the driveway" story early last year. She sent a note, but I don't recall what it said. Probably "this just didn't work for me". I suspect she didn't like my description of the man:
If you didn't know, he could appear menacing, especially as he was now. A mountain of a man in a red and black checked coat and a chain saw dangling from one huge gloved hand.
Deena saw only a knight in shining armor.
The Annabelle story is nice, but of course I liked my story better. My idea sprang right out of the TV. Every time there is a wind storm they show pictures of fallen trees.
And, Betsi, you said you were on the same wave length, too. Ah, synchronicity is a killer.
If someone has Chris's snail mailing address, can't you just exchange postage stamps for your SASE's?
Well, of course, I liked my story better too . . . and I can only wonder, did Johnene like this one better, or did she just read it first? Mine had a theme -- the heroine is a Southerner who is trying to decide if she wants to stay in this place where it can snow in May. Meeting the hero is one of the things that helps her decide to stick it out. The thing is, we want to write about more than two people finding each other attractive as they pick up branches together -- but Johnene seems to consider that enough.
Chris,
What is an IRC? You can't just put postage stamps on the SASE?
Jody
Another, thought, Chris. I don't know the ins and outs of it, but can you just print out U.S. postage from your computer? Does it get too complicated?
Jody, IRCs were International Reply Coupons. US stamps only cover the cost of posting stuff from America, not from outside it, just as the ones we buy in England are only valid for mail sent from here. IRCs were introduced to be enclosed with self-addressed envelopes to cover the cost of return postage from another country, a sort of traveller's cheque for letters. But now we have email, skype, Facebook and so on, there's been such a decline in demand that they've been discontinued in the UK.
I heard from another American friend this week that you can no longer buy them in America either. However, she said they've introduced an alternative 'international' stamp that CAN be used from any country. I'm going to find out if we have anything similar here because not being able to cover postage costs is proving a real problem. Failing that, we're going to exchange books of stamps as Mary Jo suggested, although it's going to be a bit hit and miss getting the rate right.
Mary Jo, I spent ages going through the American postal rates the other day, hoping I might find a way around this, but there was no mention of any way of buying American postage online. Good idea, tho'!
Chris, the envelope that you will get back from Johnene has 3 pages in it... a congrats letter, a contract, and your story's first page. So one of us can tell you what the postage would be for 3 pages in a standard business size letter from the US to the UK. We'll just have to go to the post office and ask them to weight the envelope will 3 pages in it. You can then get from one of us the US postage stamps to put on your SASEs. I'm going to the post office today, I'll get the rate for you. The rates don't change that often. Once or twice a year.
Jody
Chris, your first sale will also have a W9 tax form. So I'll also get a 4-page rate for you. Don't know if you have to pay taxes being out of the country but I'll get the rate anyway. Better safe than sorry.
Jody
Jody, that's fantastic of you. I'll find out the same thing for you from our post office. There are several mags here that you could try, though, so it'll be a guesstimate. British mags often don't bother with contracts, more likely you'll just get a letter, either of acceptance or refusal, and possibly a cheque or a request for banking details for electronic transfer.
I hope all the WW bloggers and their families are okay over there. Been thinking of you all a lot this week, given the awful events in Boston and Texas. Even as I'm writing this I'm watching events unfold on BBC News as the police continue to search for 'suspect two'. Stay safe everyone.
The return envelope from Johnene does not weigh over an ounce. I really don't get the USPS website, though. It informs the public of everything under the sun about mailings, domestic and international, except for one crucial thing--the postage rates. I think you have to be a great detective to discover that information.
Chris, I went to PO today and had them weigh an envelope with 3 sheets and and then 4 sheets of paper...both were under an ounce. So the postal rate would be $1.10 from the US to the UK. Let me know if you want me to buy some stamps. We could exchange stamps.
Jody
Or go straight to the Post Office for the information. Good for you, Jody. By the way, how much does it cost to mail a story to the UK?
Mary Jo, depends on the weight and size. I haven't done it yet. I did send Chris 4 full magazines and it cost me $9.70, so I think the cost won't be too high for a story. She sent me a bunch of UK mags in return. It was very interesting to see the differences and the things that are basically the same between the two countries in their woman's and writing mags.
So does everyone use one stamp for their SASE(within US)? That's what I do. I haven't gotten a response from a story sent last August, and I started wondering if I put enough postage on the envelope.
Can't answer the one-stamp question Tracie, but even by WW's standards eight months seems a long time. Maybe it's time to query? When I'm submitting stuff here in the UK I only use one first class stamp on the reply envelope (we have first and second class post, for speedy and not so speedy delivery!). In my cover letter I always ask the editor not to return the story, just their reply, as I'm worried the wodge of paper would put the weight over the limit.
Tracie, I always use one stamp -- but I make sure it's a forever stamp, so it's not a problem if the rates change before the reply comes. However, I know people have received their replies in WW envelopes with metered postage.
Chris is right, it's time to query or to resubmit. I've made a sale after 7 months, but that's the longest it's ever taken for a reply and I've sent close to 40 stories.
@ Betsi. Wow, 40 stories. You're my hero. um...heroine.
@ Tracie B
I too use a Forever stamp. The SASE for my very first sale got lost. When I checked my mail that day there was an envelope from WW with their red/white logo on it. I thought WW must be trying to sell me a subscription and I put it aside and didn't open it until much later in the night. What a surprise to find a contract inside with a note from Johnene saying they had lost my SASE. So if they really want your story, don't worry, they'll get back to you. Your stamp or lack of won't stop them.
@ Chris. Love the word 'wodge'. lol.
Jody, at the rate you're sending stories, you should top that number THIS YEAR, lol! I sent my first one in 2006. And, funny story, Chris said she has the issue with that story in it, in England! I would have bet that I had the only copy still in existence . . .
Grrr....
For some reason, my first message didn't post.
I really liked this story, and enjoyed the characters. It was a good nice.
Kate, congratulations on your submission with Carina Press. I've heard wonderful things about them. I'm sure you're over the mooon right now! Good luck :)
Best wishes,
Tressa
P.S. Sorry for typos! I meant: It was a good read.
Can you tell I've been going off little sleep the past week? lol
Finally managed to find out about the postal rates for letters coming from the UK to America. For a letter up to 20g the cost is £1.28 (this would be for one or possibly two sheets of paper). To be on the safe side, I got her to weigh an envelope with four pages and that came into the next category, 40g, which would cost £1.88 to post (just under three dollars). They don't come in books of stamps, unfortunately, so I got sixteen singles. I know Jody wants to swap some with me but if anyone else would like to swap stamps of around the same value, let me know. Also picked up some Air Mail stickers to go on the envelopes.
I thought everything went by airmail. There isn't an extra charge for airmail is there? After all, it would take forever to go by ship. Just curious.
The alternative to airmail is surface mail, Mary Jo. I have sent things to India by this method, simply because the airmail cost of sending a few magazines to a writer friend there was so horrendous. You're right about the speed - they took about six weeks to arrive.
Hey, Kate, these letters are READABLE this time. I'm not a robot!
Everyone, I’m sorry I’ve been awol for so many days. I am out of the state at a conference with my husband. But my regulars seem to be answering questions just fine. I should pay them for maintaining the site while I’m away. LOL
Thanks, Jill, Louisa. I appreciate it.
Jill, as soon as six months passes, I usually resubmit with a cover letter that explains what I’m doing. Even if your other story is still under review, there’s no downside. They can just toss the resubmission.
Tracie, I just use a Forever stamp for my SASEs.
Chris, I don’t say anything about not returning the story in my cover letters. They have only ever sent the first page of the story, I assume so I can figure out which one was rejected. And I guess my human-detecting robot is getting smarter. I’ll have to give him a raise.
Betsi, I don't have the whole magazine, but I'll bet you 2006 story is in my pile of WW romances filed by date.
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