For the Jane Lumley prize, not general publication:
“We always look forward to reading literature that moves us, excites our aesthetic sensibilities, and inspires our imagination to explore realms that are unique and enthusiastic. And there was much to admire in your work as it presented to us a narrative landscape stunningly wrought with haunting imagery and beautifully crafted language.”
Some article that was sort of like “25 things about how literary publishing really works” (I don’t have the link, it’s bookmarked on my disabled laptop until I fix it…) said that a personlized note of rejection means that you were thiiiss close to getting in. Made me think differently of the note for the [2007] drawings I sent to POETRY Magazine last year (visual poetry category) that said: “While we couldn’t use your drawings this time, we did really enjoy passing them around the office.” That was about all it said. This was more like a form letter with a couple sentences changed or added, but the same principle applies. Keep on truckin’ I suppose…
[ [ [ image: ‘A Dream of Apples” by Charles Vess from “Drawing Down the Moon” : https://nonsensicalwords.blogspot.com/2010/09/drawing-down-moon.html ] ] ]
Lost in Mist 