I recall as a young adult, a long time ago now, wanting desperately to get one thing, just one thing, published. It didn't matter what it was, I just wanted to see my work in print. I didn't know what that would prove, but it would mean something to me. So I tried and tried and tried again, dutifully mailing in short stories, articles, essays, poetry, jokes, original cartoons, and so on to different publications. Only to have them repeatedly returned,...