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Rich Horton's Market Summaries:
Summary: Some More Small Press Magazines, 2005
Here are quick descriptions of five more small press magazines of which I saw one issue each in 2005.
1. Journal of Pulse Pounding Narratives, Second and Final Issue
This issue is copyright 2004, but I didn't see a copy until the middle of 2005. It may be that I simply wasn't paying attention. But I'll cover here regardless of whether or not it's really a 2005 'zine. The goal of the JPPN is, as far as I can tell, to publish stories that celebrated old-fashioned narrative drive either by reproducing it or by making affectionate fun of same. The first issue, back in 2003 as I recall (or maybe 2002) was quite fun, and the editors (Alex Irvine and T. Davidsohn) decided to do another, though they say this one is definitely the last.
This time around there were 11 stories, all short though all at least 1500 words, for a total of 50,000 words of fiction. I thought this issue very enjoyable as well. My favorite stories were the first and last: Scott Edelmann's "This is Where the Title Goes", clever metafiction that really works; and Jeffrey Ford's "Giant Land", about a woman who escapes from giants and who travels extensively and -- well, read the story.
2. Black Satellite #6
Another issue dated 2004, Fall 2004, but I also didn't see it until the middle of 2005 and I suspect it didn't come out until perhaps May (based on a date at an online vendor, which may to be sure not be accurate). Black Satellite is a rather low end SF/Horror 'zine, that I haven't much liked in the past. I actually enjoyed this issue more than most Black Satellites I've seen, though I still wouldn't call it great. 6 stories, all short, no short-shorts, perhaps 22,000 words of fiction. Best were probably Andy Owens's "Lifer", about a new criminal rehab program; and Darrell Pitts's "Afterlife", about investigating crimes in the afterlife.
3. Here & Now, #5 and 6
Here and Now is a British magazine. This was one issue, a double issue, quite a long magazine. 27 stories, mostly fairly short, for an impressive total of more than 90,000 words of fiction. Oddly, only one story was a short-short. For the most part I wasn't terribly impressed. The best stories may have been "Guitar Heroes" by Simon Kewin, about, well, a rock band battling evil, and "Fear of Fitness" by John Llewellyn Probert, about supernatural goings-on at a fitness center.
4. Farthing #1
I saw the first issue of this new Wales-based magazine, dated July 2005. Quarterly publication was planned, but according to the website, editor Wendy Bradley broke her arm so the next issue has been delayed. The first issue showed some promise. It's rather nice-looking presentation (though, like Here & Now for that matter, they use a san-serif font -- is this a UK thing?) There were 9 stories, one a short novelette, four short-shorts, plus three "drabbles" (100 word stories). A bit more than 26,000 words. I liked Karen M. Roberts's "Good-Bye Paradise", about trees deciding to leave L. A., and Sheila Crosby's "Scream Quietly", about a woman with an abusive husband who gets help from time travelers, with a curious surprise in the ending.
5. sf-envision.com #1
Despite the title this was a print magazine. It's from Australia and it consists of contributions from attendees of two EnVision writers workshops in Brisbane. The contributions are divided between novel excerpts (that don't read well on as independent stories -- and, it should be said, are not presented as independent stories) and short stories. I would have to say the stories read like beginners' work, like work aspiring writers might bring to a workshop. There were 7 stories (not counting the novel excerpts), 28,000 words of fiction. As I said, not terribly interesting stuff. Best perhaps was "The Memory Thief" by Chris McMahon.
