The Rejection Garden Tree/Story 15 DUCK, DUCK, FROG

             The Rejection Garden is less about rejection and more about creativity, persistence, and joy. 

Over the next month, I am going to share one Tree or Manuscript with you, not in its entirety, instead, 

I’ll post a synopsis, how many times it has been rejected, and then, 

I’ll finish with my favorite line and include a picture of the tree and name tag.

"Was I bitter? Absolutely. Hurt? You bet your sweet ass I was hurt. 

Who doesn’t feel a part of their heartbreak at rejection? 

You ask yourself every question you can think of, 

what, 

why, 

how come, 

and then your sadness turns to anger. 

That’s my favorite part. 

It drives me, feeds me, and makes one hell of a story.” 

-Jennifer Salaiz 

10 submissions, 10 rejections

A really fun POV from that of a rubber bath toy, playing out the consequences of humanity on the vast, wild ocean.

The word of the day in this story, GYRE- a large system of rotating ocean currents.

The theme(s) of the story- hope, perseverance, friendship, exploration.

Pitch: An unfortunate adventure unfolds for three bath toy friends after a catastrophic storm capsizes a container ship. Soon separated Duck, Duck & Frog find themselves in a historic whale of a tale illuminating the power of the ocean, humanity, friendship & perseverance.

Favorite Line:                                                          "I am cozy.

Never stuck,

or cold.

Never lost,

or alone.

And with bubbles, swimming with sharks…

         …is fun."

An update on the current state of rejection. Just yesterday I received yet another, "Beautiful story, but it's a NO for us," for my manuscript CROWNS.  Onward.