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Amazed and Astonished

edited August 2012 in - Writing Tales
I sent a story to The Weekly News on 20th July. I got a failed delivery notice in response to my e-mail, so I sent it again to Jill's home e-mail. As I received no response I wasn't even sure she got it. Image my surprise (and delight) when I picked up this week's TWN and found my story in it!!!!!
I still haven't heard from Jill that it's been accepted although I have e-mailed her again today. I'm still in shock.

Comments

  • Well done, Casey.
  • Gosh! Well done!
  • Wow that makes it more special just finding it like that! Well done!
  • Well done!
  • Congratulations! Well done casey.
  • Bwilliant,

    Hurray for Casey.
  • Wow, well done casey, seems a bit strange they haven't told you though!
  • Well done, Casey!
  • Super! Imagine if you'd never picked up the mag. You may never have known!
  • Well done, casey. But if they haven't bothered to contact you about this, are they going to bother to pay you?
  • [quote=tunna]But if they haven't bothered to contact you about this, are they going to bother to pay you?[/quote]

    I have e-mailed to ask the same question (put more tactfully I hope) :-)
  • [quote=casey]put more tactfully I hope[/quote]

    ... sure - just amazed this can happen!
  • [quote=tunna]just amazed this can happen![/quote]

    Me too
  • Well done. Yes, let's hope you will get your payment sorted. Seems strange that they published the story without letting you know. But must've been a nice surprise.
  • Congratulations!

    I've had the same thing happen to me - three times (twice with TWN) I got paid each time.
  • Brilliant, well done.
  • [quote=Phots Moll]I've had the same thing happen to me - three times (twice with TWN) I got paid each time.[/quote]

    Oooh, well that sunds more hopeful, hooray!
  • I suspect that sometimes the mag has to withdraw a story for some reason and then there's a mad panic to find one the right length to fill the gap - and maybe to match an illustration they have in stock. In the rush they may forget to contact the author.

    That doesn't mean Casey was extra lucky to have it used (as they wouldn't pick something they considered sub standard) just lucky to have it appear so soon.
  • As I had so much trouble sending it and finally sent to Jill Finlay's home e-mail, I did wonder whether they had computer problems and mine was the only story received that week. :-) No - perhaps not.
    I felt lucky seeing it anyway. It was only by chance that I looked in the Weekly News. I was in W H Smith's for a competely different reason and, seeing the paper thought I would just look to see who was in this week (nosy cow that I am). I could hardly believe it when I found it was me.
  • Must have been a brilliant feeling, casey, having a nosey at the newstands and seeing your story there :) (after the initial bemusement that is)
  • [quote=casey](put more tactfully I hope) [/quote]

    So you didn't just say "Gimme!"?
  • [quote=Lizy]So you didn't just say "Gimme!"?[/quote]

    Not yet - but there is time...
  • Oh, how exciting Casey - and how lucky you picked it up!
  • Well done Casey!
  • [quote=casey]I was in W H Smith's for a competely different reason and, seeing the paper thought I would just look to see who was in this week (nosy cow that I am). I could hardly believe it when I found it was me. [/quote]

    I hope you stood at the till with the page folded back and held the mag as head height to make the real you and your photo more easy to compare? Or, you could have waited at the Weekly News pile, pen in hand, and offered autographs to potential customers.
  • What a lovely surprise! Congratulations!
  • Brilliant news!
  • Great news, Casey, but somewhat remiss of them! What is happening to the editors these days? after that coccup with the My Weekly (also DCThomson by the way!) and now this, do you think they need some help up there ... and who's offering!?
    Well done!
  • Thanks everyone. I've now received an e-mail from Jill. Apparently I'm not the only one who didn't get an acceptance e-mail. Something to do with August hols. Anyway, all's well now.

    [quote=Tiny Nell]I hope you stood at the till with the page folded back [/quote]

    Actually I bought two copies and the check-out girl thought I'd picked up two by mistake and had only charged for one. Of course I had to explain to her the reason I'd bought two. I also had to show it everyone at the gym when they asked why I was sitting in the changing room reading the newspaper. Got a buzz though.
  • edited August 2012
    Congratulations, Casey! What a lovely surprise.

    It does seem strange that magazines don't have at least an automatic email set up to notify their authors - as you've shown, it guarantees a few extra sales and promotion on sites like this. If you hadn't happened to pick up the magazine, you wouldn't have known about it until it was gone from the shops, potentially.
  • edited August 2012
    Well done, casey.

    This seems to happen quite a lot with the Weekly News - it's happened to me twice (not recently unfortunately!!). They are also particularly bad at returning stories. Although Jill always says she's sent emails out they rarely seem to arrive.

    On another forum I 'attend' we have a Weekly-News-story-spotter who lists each week's authors so that we don't miss our stories. I'll try to let you know if I spot any of you there, in case you didn't know (unless people would rather I didn't.) I did see your name casey, but as I was on holiday you already knew by the time I did!
  • Well done! Once happened to me with Yours magazine, I only found out when a friend emailed to tell me she'd seen my name.
  • Might be useful to let other TB's know if they turn up in a magazine and they haven't mentioned it themselves.
    I would hate to not say anything to someone and they missed their story being in print.
  • That is excellent - what a lovely surprise you must have had!
  • Great news, Casey - well done.
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