Ummm....

[jon_chaisson]

So on the way back from our little jaunt to the Union Street shopping area (which is wedged between Pacific Heights, Cow Hollow and the Marina), we decide that it's still a nice day, so I suggest we go to the local Barnes & Noble up the street. I find a few things to buy, as does Emm, and on the way back down to the first floor I say "oh, I just want to take a quick look around down here." After a quick search, I go over to the magazine section and look at the writer's magazines.

This is where I find the latest copy of ZYZZYVA, the short story/poetry/art journal that comes out three times a year. I've been meaning to pick this title up for a while, as it's a pretty decent magazine that caters specifically to west coast writers. It kind of reminds me of Ploughshares, the journal that Emerson puts out. From what I've seen, I'm pretty impressed by it. Eventually when I have a decent short story I'll submit it to them.

So on a whim I open it, and within the first few pages I notice a testimonial written by a LJ poster called jonowriter. I think, Hey! That guy has one letter off from my LJ name! What are the chances?

That is, until I actually read the testimonial, with Emm looking over my shoulder. The both of us at the same time go "Hey, wait a minute..."

It's the first paragraph of this.

A post I wrote from January 18 of this year.

It's ME.

BUH...???

Umm...so, uh, now I have two questions:

1) Can I say that I've been published in a major fiction journal now?
2) When am I getting paid for it?? :p

I swear, not a day goes by in this city without something weird happening to me...

Comments

[juniperblue.livejournal.com]

That is so weird! You'd think they'd have at least posted to your journal regarding using something of yours! But, hey, you are now a published commentator! :D

[joncwriter.livejournal.com]

Hee! Yeah, I'm not bothered by it at all, just pleasantly surprised. I did end up emailing the editor (he's got a great sense of humor and most of the LttE's are quite amusing) saying thanks for unofficially being the first magazine to publish me... :p

[dasmarzipan.livejournal.com]

Yeah, it's a wee bit disturbing that they didn't inform you. If you have a LiveJournal account, email is tied to that. They could have informed you. What are the chances that you picked up this particular magazine?

I'm LESS bemused and more pissed.

[emmalyon.livejournal.com]

We're thinking they may have tried to email, but since there was a misspelling it might have gone astray...
In any case, I agree that someone less good-natured might be very upset indeed. Esp since material published on the web IS subject to US copyright law (I checked).

[dasmarzipan.livejournal.com]

They could have easily posted a question on LJ, too. What is wrong with them?

Am still pissed.

[emmalyon.livejournal.com]

It is rather weird. There's another quote from someone else's blog there which mentions the name of the magazine in it's actual context (it's a scientific term), I assume that person would not have any idea at all.