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Another rejection letter for a short story.  That makes seven for this year, three on this story alone.  Perhaps, I need to see about making some improvements…

I finally finished Old Man Goriot by Balsac.  It reminds me of a French version of Dickens, maybe with a bit of Three Musketeers added in.  A sad book ultimately, but a social book, like Dickens might write, and a stirring one as well.  I’d give more of a book summary, since it’s not the best known book these days, but it’s a tough plotline to pin down.  A dozen odd lodgers live in the same boarding house.  A social climber named Rastignac has a number of adventures therein involving a mysterious criminal, a forgotten heiress, and a broken old vermicelli maker.  The closest plot I might link it to would be King Lear, but I’m not sure that’s the best comparison to make either.  It’s quite the read,  also short.  Worth finding on the shelf.

My own short story is almost finished.  I’ve got a finished draft that I’m trying to polish.  It’s still drifting between 10 and 11 thousand words.  I was hoping to chop it down to the mid 7s, but I don’t think it’s going to happen.  SO far, I’ve got an intro that comes together rather well and the ending seems pretty tied up, but the middle has it’s guts to the wind.  It needs a lot of polished, probably a few more weeks, and then I get it sent out.  Sigh.  It’s all very time-consuming.

I don’t think I’ve mentioned previously, but http://www.duotrope.com is  the best resource I’ve found for looking up publishers especially for short stories.  I can’t say I’ve had any particular success with any of my would be printers, but the search functionality at Duotrope has at least given me a shot.  Absolutely invaluable.

Since I’m in something of a hurry I’ll end this right here.  One last item because I’m a sucker for graphs:   Is it better to rent or buy, a calculator.  Enjoy!