“Home and Home Again” rejected by Literary Mama and Four Volts

After this story was rejected by Bewildering Stories on August 28th, I sent it to The Pedestal on July 31st. Twenty-eight days later I got my rejection letter:

[quote]
Thank you for submitting your work to The Pedestal Magazine. We enjoyed reading it but regret that we cannot use it at this time.

We wish you the best of luck in placing your work elsewhere and sincerely hope that you will submit other writing to us in the future.

Best,
The Editors
The Pedestal Magazine
http://www.thepedestalmagazine.com
[end quote]

I then sent my story to Literary Mama on August 29, 2006. It was turned 64 days later with a rejection.

[quote]
I deeply apologize for the "impersonal" nature of this email. As writers
ourselves, we know how brutal it can feel to have excellent work get a
seemingly indifferent response. Please know that your story was read
carefully, and enjoyed, but the current volume of submissions prohibits
us from commenting on each piece. Many times we turn down excellent pieces simply because they don't fit with the developing tone of an issue in progress. Other times, they just don't fit our guidelines.
(http://www.literarymama.com/submissions.html)

I invite you to submit work for consideration for future issues.
Literary Mama publishes new fiction every month, and we are continually seeking new pieces for publication.

Best,
Suzanne Kamata
Literary Mama
www.literarymama.com
[end quote]

The next stop for “Home and Home Again” was out of country. As it visited a UK magazine, Four Volts. Eight days later I got my answer—no.

[quote]
Thanks for submitting to the magazine.

I'm sorry but we would not like to publish your story. Though it was
solidly written, we found the outcome too obvious from the start, and the ideas explored a little too ordinary.

Best wishes with your future work,

Krishan Coupland
www.fourvolts.co.uk
[end quote]

That makes 10 rejections for this story.