Do you remember the first story you had accepted in a literary magazine? Which literary magazine was it?

The first acceptance was in THE ANTIOCH REVIEW, and I think it was spring of 1987, or thereabouts.

What was the feeling of your first story acceptance like?

Totally delightful. Looking back, it seems to me a very bad story and I was lucky to get in there. Those first few publications were hard won. But I kept trying. I am not a person with native talent. I am more a person with persistence.

Did any editors help shape your stories before publication? How did you learn from the process?

Not too many editors helped me until much later. That's probably why the early stories are not so hot. The only one that survived into book form is "Twister," in RING OF BRIGHTEST ANGELS, my first collection. That was in THE PARIS REVIEW in 1988 or so.

Do you have any stories that were rejected many times, to go on to be accepted somewhere?

I think every story that got published before my first novel (in 1992) was rejected other places first. Some of them many, many times.

Were you an avid lit-mag submitter, or have you been primarily focused on novel writing?

I sent stuff around some. I knew how to stuff and 8/12 x 11 envelope. I used to save rejection letters, too, but then there were just too many of them, and so I stopped. Once I became better known for novels I didn't send out to literary magazines as often, but I still do, now and then.

What do you think is a major reason people don't read literary magazines?

The time commitment. I subscribe to seven or eight and are comped on a few others, and it's really hard for me to get to all of them. I dip in, and am delighted to do so, but it's a lot trying to keep up with them. I'm glad they're THERE, of course, I just have to content myself with an appetizer in most cases, not an entree, as far as the meal of small press periodicals goes.

Is there one lit mag that you would still really like to be published in? (Or does that need go away, once you publish novels, get film options, etc.)

Never been in THE GETTYSBURG REVIEW, and I think it's pretty excellent. Maybe someday.

Are there any lit mags out there that you really admire?

Lots of 'em! Some of these I contribute to, but still: CONJUNCTIONS, AGNI, PLOUGHSHARES, GETTYSBURG, TIN HOUSE, SONORA REVIEW, GREEN MOUNTAINS REVIEW, NOON, GOLDEN HANDCUFFS REVIEW, FENCE, etc. That's just off the top of my head. There are many more I like.