“Occupation” is turning out to be one of those stories that, like “Genderbending,” I didn’t realize anybody actually liked, read, or cared about until a year after it was published.
Now Occupation’s on a “notable stories of 2006” list and reprinted in a Year’s Best SF.
And, to be honest, of the three stories I wrote at about the same time that covered similiar themes, this was actually the one I felt had the least chance at getting published and getting any attention.
Goes to show how much writers know…
I’m starting to get that’s just how it goes. Once something’s out there, it really does sink or swim on its own. It sort of stops being yours.