It's a full life, if a trifle banal

Yes, some people are determined to get the wrong end of the stick! I don't mind rejection; what I do mind is editors or publishers taking months to respond and not at least sending a form ack slip saying "we have received your MS". I know they're busy. I'm busy, every bugger's busy; it isn't an excuse for being inefficient and uncivil, which it is, not to acknowledge correspondence