Buddy Rovit Page
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Earl Rovit signed.jpg Player King.png Earl Rovit Buddy Rovit.png Earnest Hemingway.jpg
Hi Tom,
Just wanted to thank you for the wonderful web page about my cousin Earl Rovit.
Buddy was the son of my grandmother’s sister; I didn’t meet him until I was in my 20s, attending Columbia J-School. He lived just a few blocks from me in an apartment near the Flatiron Building. Had me over for brunch one morning and introduced me to croissants from the local patisserie. I think he was a bit sad that I was studying for a career in journalism.
I kept in touch with him over the years and he was encouraging of my work as a humor columnist and a science fiction writer (though my bread and butter remained journalism and technology writing). I have to admit, what I loved most about him was the way his elegant use of language puzzled my mother.
What a life he lived! Thank you for posting his letters.
All the best,
Karen
***
Karen,
It was with some grateful relief that I read your letter. You see, after I posted that link on the site, I wondered whether it was the kind of thing that was appropriate. I feared it might be perceived as a little too much about me for good taste. I thought then, “Oh, well. The people on the site will better know what’s fitting to post. And it was an interesting story."
Anyhow, thank you so much.
It’s good to see you’re carrying on his literary tradition at least with regard to the fiction. It’s funny that his manner of expression confused your mom.
I, too, am a science fiction writer of sorts; my work has been rejected by some of the biggest and most prestigious magazines and publishing houses in the nation. I have right now an SF story newly submitted for publication called "The Sluggards." It's on its fourteenth trip out, but I still wax optimistic. One day...
I think the letter I wrote to Buddy shows the good vibes he left that lasted 60 plus years.
At any rate, I really appreciate your contacting me.
Yours,
Tom
***Tom,
Please keep in touch around the SF. I’d love to see where you get the story published. I’m just starting to edge out of the semi-pro into the pro markets, but haven’t sold to Asimov’s, S&SF or Analog yet. I have a story coming out in Galaxy’s Edge (Mike Resnick’s magazine) sometime in the next six months. Seattle, where I’ve been for the past 30 years, is a real hotbed of speculative fiction.
Cheers,
Karen
My reply:
You bet.
Karen,
It occurred to me that in mentioning semi-pro and so on that you possibly might have missed my joke. I proudly said I had been REJECTED by the biggest and best. Har.I’m writing my fourteenth book, but only three have been professionally published—grammar books all by Prentice Hall and University of Michigan press and still in print.Nobody buys my fiction. I vanity press with CreateSpace for fun. Mostly essays and memoir. It’s a hobby.
I mention this is case you’re disappointed when you don’t get news of my big sale with Analog or something.
If you got the joke, please disregard.
Yours,
Tom
In order to get accepted, you have to get rejected. I am running 1 sale to 8 rejections! Joke, yes, but black humor!
Sent from Karen's iPhone206.669.5042
I have one paper rejection (the New Yorker); I didn’t start publishing fiction until I was 60, and now it’s all email. Late bloomer.
Sent from Karen's iPhone206.669.5042I have a rejection slip page. I also have my first rejection slip. I was 14 or 15. Here it is.I have the story too and a chapter in a memoir of mine tells about the story and the rejection.1 to 8 sounds pretty good to me!
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