Slings and Arrows and Fucking Off

The following is an interesting e-mail exchange that kinda sorta spiralled out of control. Maybe I was a bit premature with the person who was going to be Tessa and make the final decisions with her counterpart Rockefeller on the capital to be published at TQR [who I've renamed Madame X here to protect the no contested]. But I was tired of sitting around waiting for her to do what she'd volunteered to do, and, with a deadline looming, took matters into my own hands. I wasn't positive it would end so badly, but I wasn't surprised when it did either. So...fye (for your entertainment).


Sent by me:
Due to your mitigating cirumcstances, I'm going to take the pressure of you this quarter. I've read the work and will send off rejection letters before I go to negotiate with Rokky. I hope you two have more time next quarter to do your thing.
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hey!
I wasn't ready to back out just yet! I was pulling over the [John Doe] and [John Doe2] as contenders. what do yo think? maybe we could do this quarter together a bit?

xx Madame X
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Me
I just sent [John Doe2] a rejection notice. [John Doe] is my favorite story so far. So we're batting .500.

I just figured I better take over this quarter since you said you couldn't get to it until this weekend, and the deadline is Friday or Saturday at the latest. Like I said, bad timing. You're trip to the [Lower Slobovia] set us back two weeks to begin with, and then once you got back, you've had other commitments to attend to. I understand how real life intrudes and don't hold it against you. I just had to step in this time to make good on the deadline. So forget about this quarter, and here's to a better one next time around.
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Madame X
can I add that I was told [Jane Doe] was genre - it's sf and she's publishing it under her [pseudonese] whatist name? Pretty important to get that right i think

I think in the light of this I'd better formally withdraw completely. you seem to have it in hand
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Me
Yeah, you seem very busy, what with teaching and writing and everything. Thanks.
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Madame X
well you've hardly given us much time for this. plus [theo] this doesn't address this question of whose [Jane Doe] should have been and what she is publishing under. on the site you have it wrong.

and please so{sic} not get snotty with me
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Me
I know. There have been some mix ups with the stories. I take responsibility for that. Sorry. [Jane Doe's] story could be called literary though, too, I think. Anyhow. I'm not getting snotty. I'm just tired of waiting. I realize you were in ... and would be back Jan 3. So. I waited patiently all that week [Jan4-10]for something to get started. Nothing happened. I sent out cajoling gmails and the like. I'm sorry it didn't work out. You're very busy and I realize that this TQR non-paying gig is not a priority for you. That's very understandable. Let's just call it a wash.
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Madame X
jesus [theo]. i'd been sitting on my arse waiting for months . you say i set you back 2 weeks - it WAS FUCKING CHRISTMAS! I'm supposed to jump when you say so! and when I returned I was FUCKING ILL! I still am!

I am sorry my priorities like working and having a phd paper due in otherwise I'd lose my funding bothers you.

just fuck off and do not bother me again. Just fuck off
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The only thing that confuses me is why she didn't end this last missive with 'xx'? Just kidding. As the saying goes, "Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned." And there can be no better example than experiencing it for yourself.

Because the sky is blue, it makes me cry...

The Executive Suite negotiations have crawled to a start, with much posturing and feeling out, although brass tacks are nowhere in sight. Five days to go before zero hour. I've got two department heads overly concerned with editing, when they ought to be hammering out some kind of settlement ratio of capital gain. And I think, with a nudge here and a tuck there, they will come to some finalization of this first ever tqr process. It's been bumpy and slow at times, but with the right assets in place, it just might work.