Great Man/Nightmare Contract Signed and Sent

Ah, the writing life. We may recall a headline around a month and a half back: ­Nightmare Abbey/Great Man Reprint First Sale for 2023 (cf. January 30). The story, “The Great Man,” a reprint first published in THE STRAND MAGAZINE, Spring-Summer 1999. And now accepted by Editor/Publisher Tom English for the third issue of NIGHTMARE ABBEY.

But it’s never just that, the publishing game — acceptance today, magazine or book in hand next Tuesday. Tomorrow. Whenever. It has its own rhythm, this writing life does: acceptance, agreement, editing, proofreading. . . .

And so, another step advanced today. Late yesterday evening the contract arrived, dated for today, Monday, March 13, for the literary work entitled: “The Great Man.” These things work their own ways, mine for this a trip to the public library and their equipment — more than I have at home — to download, print, physically sign the contract, FAX the result to my own email, then attach and send that back to the sender. Another day in the Writing Life.

Then to look ahead, a new day will bring an edited copy, a round of proofreading . . . eventually the completed magazine, for all of which keep posted here.