A Word from the Editor
I’m hardly the first person to suggest that 2016 was a difficult year. Thing is, it was also Kaleidotrope‘s tenth anniversary.
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I launched this zine, not entirely sure what I was doing, back in October of 2006. My intentions were perhaps hazy, but they were also noble — or at least I like to think that they weren’t ignoble. (Nefarious machinations have always seemed like a lot of work. And zine publishing hardly seems like the appropriate first step.)
I drew inspiration from great (i.e., better) zines like Lady Churchill’s Rosebud Wristlet and Electric Velocipede, but I also wanted to stake out something a little different, what I described in my guidelines (and still do) as “strange visions of distant shores.” I wanted some small voice in this genre that I love, but also the opportunity to share other voices with the rest of the world. I’m not sure how much I’ve ever succeeded at that, but I do know that Kaleidotrope has published some really great work from some great voices. You only have to look as far as this list of stories (or this list of poems) for proof of that. |
And Kaleidotrope isn’t slowing down just yet. This issue alone has five great new stories from Michael McGlade, Julie C. Day, David Stevens, Lisa Bergin, and Joshua Kamin — along with some great poetry by Holly Lyn Walrath, Kathrin Köhler, and Gwynne Garfinkle. There’s also returning artist Cesar Valtierra, whose artwork first appeared in the Summer 2016 issue, and the…well, let’s for the sake of argument call it “triumphant” return of the horoscopes, a feature near and dear, presumably, to somebody’s heart.
I may be biased, but I really think you’re going to enjoy this issue.
I’m also launching a new Patreon, an experiment in crowdfunding that might or not be successful. Every little bit helps, and every little bit goes to the writers and artists who make these issues what they are. There are even a few rewards on offer. So if you enjoy this issue, or you’ve enjoyed Kaleidotrope in the past, I hope you’ll consider becoming a patron.
And finally, the the zine opens to submissions again on January 1 — meaning you could be one of those new voices that Kaleidotrope gets to share with the world. It’s a short submissions window, closing again after March 31, so check out the guidelines and send me your work!
Ten years is a long time, but it’s also the blink of an eye. It’s been an interesting ride, and I look forward to seeing where it takes me from here. And it’s because of all my past contributors — and because of you, the reader — that Kaleidotrope continues to exist. So thank you, most sincerely, and here’s to a better 2017!
– Fred Coppersmith
Editor, Kaleidotrope
December 31, 2016