Shaking My Head

I got another rejection today. A form letter rejection. But for some reason, this one struck me as funny. I had only sent a query to this pub. My query letter has 6 very concise paragraphs about the content of my book and then the other required things. The 6 paragraphs barely take up half the letter.

Anyway, on the basis of reading those 6 paragraphs, an editorial assistant said (in her form letter), when describing why she was passing on my book: either the story doesn't fit the personality of ___ (insert publisher name); the story/writing/characters lean more towards series romance than mainstream women's fiction or chick lit; it resembles too closely a title we've already published or are in the process of publishing; the characters/situations are too cliche; the project is not at all suitable for ___ .

Well, I thought it did fit the personality of ___. That's why I sent the query. Series romance? Nothing in my query gives that impression. My book is clearly mainstream women's fiction. Now perhaps they just did publish a book about a psychologist and vampires. I know there's at least one other book floating out there, but I was pretty sure Penguin has it. Characters/situations too cliche. Naw. Don't think so. Not at all suitable? Well, since that is so vague, it's hard to have any coherent thoughts about it.

But, in any case, the 6 paragraphs clearly didn't excite this editorial assistant. But I'll bet if an agent pitched that same house and someone actually read even a partial of my book, they'd have a different opinion. But, that may or may not ever happen. Who knew going to the mailbox every day could be so much fun?