Finally got enough of a break here at work I can try answering this...Was I vicious as an editor, or here in the forum? I don't think I was vicious in replying to any of your submissions (not that there were that many even BEFORE the big Fracas in the Forum)... And here I thought you were just being vewwy vewwy quiet, or submitting to even more challenging markets (which you have been anyway, Baen's Universe, WOTF, etc.) rather than swimmin' in our little pond (or my part of it, anyway). Strangely (or perhaps not strangely), you and Mark both got me going for similar reasons -- an insistence that you were right about something (in your case, the definition of Story), whereas obviously I am right, at all times, thanks to my Dan-given Editorial Powers (the Doctrine of Editorial Infallibility, aka the "It's all about ME" rule). Was that thunder I heard just now? 'Scuse me, I have to make sure my lightning rod is grounded properly...
RM
PS If you are afraid that I will not judge your (Nate's) work fairly, maybe we can arrange for your submissions to be handled by Dan or McCamy, regardless of length / content (i.e., non-Mare). It seems like a shame for Aphelion to NOT get a shot at running your work, and for you to miss the chance for Forum feedback.
It's a little bit editorship, rest personality conflict. I had some pretty wounded pride over Alligator Tears not making any best of list in '05, even though honestly Another Sarah is mentioned more. I hadn't sent anything to you since then. The "spat" didn't help matters much. There were some low blows that hit much harder than you probably expected.
BTW-You react strongly to a certain kind of response. (Which, no, is not just insisting I'm right about something--it's a kind of arguing stance that drives you bonkers.) From what I saw, Mark did the exact same thing to you, and it set you off. I did it to you for years.
I don't want to sidetrack this topic totally, but no, I don't have anything out there. Being strung along by Baen's Universe by for a whole year, after all the revisions, with their readers and editorial board all telling me it's good until Mike Resnick finally read it, who really didn't seem to like it and rejected it--took a lot out of my self esteem. Especially after almost making it past Eric Flint at Baen with a previous story in the same universe. I haven't been able to force myself to send another one to a paying market since (I'm not good at selling myself, which is sad, since I've been trying for a big sale since 1985?). I stopped writing for over half a year, until Rob approved the Flash Challenges. That forced me to write something every month. Thankfully.
Since I think I only have one unpublished story in your word count range left, and it's a moldy oldie, I don't think I need any special handling.
Nate