Thanks for sending me your story “Regression", unfortunately it is not quite right for Kzine.
The story is very well written and the "rebirth” scenario innovative. However I found Benton frustratingly obtuse. I understand you wanted love to overcome sense but he had lost his wife, why did he think she would want him back even in a new, differently coloured, body? The “Clarence" angel-like being giving him info did not quite fit, for me. Personally I might have liked him to work out what had happened and see it as a fresh start, but when he had started his new life thoughts of winning back his first live might surface... Sorry.
Please bear in mind that this is only my opinion. I hope the comments help, if not there are many other editors with different opinions and tastes.
I wish you all success in placing your story elsewhere.
From another editor:
I greatly enjoyed Regression, and under different circumstances would love
to accept it for a 9Tales release. Unfortunately, at this point there are
no plans to release a non-horror anthology in 2015 and we do no accept any
story that we cannot publish within the next 6 months. We may welcome
science fiction submissions again in 2016, but I think you should be able
to find a home for this story by then. Thank you again for submitting I
enjoyed your style and look forward to checking out more of your work, if
any is available please send me a link.
All the best,
From Spark Creative Anthology, slushpile readers' comments.
• I understand that the narrator is not human here, but I felt that certain passages read very awkwardly and could use an edit. The story takes a long time to get into gear, and when it does, I think that the past memories of the Bentons are engaging, and for the first time, I was pulled into the story. (This may be because the narrator is effectively silent for this part.) The message on the final pages, though a good one, feels a little heavy-handed though, and I think more work is needed to develop it so it feels less 'telling'.
• This sci-fi story's spiritual theme and supernatural narrator drew me in and kept me interested through a series of shifts in a compelling plot. The metafictional exploration of Michael's memories is the strongest part of the story. Admittedly, the narrator seems far more human than alien—the interest in human emotions, behavior, and their personal lives gives this impression. But as a whole, the story was thought out and executed well.
• I really like the concept of this story. The writing in the sections where 'Dr. Blue' is accessing Benton's memories is beautiful, but the writing in the other sections could use some polishing.
• For the first half I wasn't really hooked. This idea isn't a new one and I was waiting for an original angle. I also thought the memory replay wasn't executed as well as it could've been.
Have you gotten conflicting rejections?
The story is very well written and the "rebirth” scenario innovative. However I found Benton frustratingly obtuse. I understand you wanted love to overcome sense but he had lost his wife, why did he think she would want him back even in a new, differently coloured, body? The “Clarence" angel-like being giving him info did not quite fit, for me. Personally I might have liked him to work out what had happened and see it as a fresh start, but when he had started his new life thoughts of winning back his first live might surface... Sorry.
Please bear in mind that this is only my opinion. I hope the comments help, if not there are many other editors with different opinions and tastes.
I wish you all success in placing your story elsewhere.
From another editor:
I greatly enjoyed Regression, and under different circumstances would love
to accept it for a 9Tales release. Unfortunately, at this point there are
no plans to release a non-horror anthology in 2015 and we do no accept any
story that we cannot publish within the next 6 months. We may welcome
science fiction submissions again in 2016, but I think you should be able
to find a home for this story by then. Thank you again for submitting I
enjoyed your style and look forward to checking out more of your work, if
any is available please send me a link.
All the best,
From Spark Creative Anthology, slushpile readers' comments.
• I understand that the narrator is not human here, but I felt that certain passages read very awkwardly and could use an edit. The story takes a long time to get into gear, and when it does, I think that the past memories of the Bentons are engaging, and for the first time, I was pulled into the story. (This may be because the narrator is effectively silent for this part.) The message on the final pages, though a good one, feels a little heavy-handed though, and I think more work is needed to develop it so it feels less 'telling'.
• This sci-fi story's spiritual theme and supernatural narrator drew me in and kept me interested through a series of shifts in a compelling plot. The metafictional exploration of Michael's memories is the strongest part of the story. Admittedly, the narrator seems far more human than alien—the interest in human emotions, behavior, and their personal lives gives this impression. But as a whole, the story was thought out and executed well.
• I really like the concept of this story. The writing in the sections where 'Dr. Blue' is accessing Benton's memories is beautiful, but the writing in the other sections could use some polishing.
• For the first half I wasn't really hooked. This idea isn't a new one and I was waiting for an original angle. I also thought the memory replay wasn't executed as well as it could've been.
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