Shimmer Magazine
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Shimmer Magazine, or Shimmerzine, is a quarterly magazine which publishes speculative fiction, with a focus on material that is dark, funny or strange. Established in June of 2005, Shimmer is published in digest format and Portable Document Format (PDF) and is edited by Beth Wodzinski. Shimmer has featured stories from award-winning authors Jay Lake and Ken Scholes; comic book artist Karl Kesel has also contributed artwork.
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[edit] History
In mid-April 2005, Beth Wodzinski began having "vague thoughts" about starting an on-line, downloadable zine. While worried that she wouldn't have much time to devote to such a project, she wanted to support authors who wrote the kind of stories she liked, and to reject authors who used "alright" instead of "all right" in their stories. About a month later, Beth came up with the ideal name for her zine: "Shimmer."
Now that she had a name, she recruited a few on-line friends to help develop the magazine. J.L. Radley, Jon Willesen, and Chris Hansen came onboard, and Shimmer moved from its conception phase to its development and business model phase. Rather quickly, it became evident that more help would be needed, and Mary Robinette Kowal joined the Shimmery Staff as Art Director. Barely a few weeks into development, a conversation on an on-line message board for writers precipitated a major discussion among the Shimmery Staff that changed how Shimmer would be delivered to its readers. Shimmer, it was decided, would be a printed magazine. Though risky and requiring some more capital than initially planned for, Shimmer debuted as a digest-sized printed magazine with a glossy, color cover. Shimmer has been well-received by readers and critics; and esteemed Editor Ellen Datlow (whose interview appears in the Winter 2006 issue) wrote that Shimmer is "worthwhile" in the summary section of 2005 Year’s Best Fantasy and Horror anthology [source from Shimmer's website, news posting 2nd September].
[edit] Contributor Payment
For the debut issue, Autumn 2005 Vol. 1 Issue 1, contributors received five U.S. Dollars ($5.00) as payment for their stories or artwork, which is considered a token payment in the fiction market and falls well below what is considered a professional paid sale--usually five cents ($0.05) per word and higher. This token payment put Shimmer into the "paying market" category, but a 3000-word story at this rate would equate to $0.0017 or one-sixth of one cent. Following that, contributors for the next two issues were paid ten U.S. Dollars ($10.00) for their accepted submissions $0.0033 (one-third of one cent). Beginning with the first anniversary issue Autumn 2006, Shimmer announced (in July 2006) that authors and artists will be paid $0.01 per word for a minimum of $10.00 to a maximum of $30.00. This payment scheme places Shimmer Magazine firmly in the "small press" category. Shimmer's staff has repeatedly mentioned on various writers' websites and message boards that the goal for Shimmer is to pay its contributing authors professional rates, and it is believed that until that time comes the Shimmery Staff works for free.
[edit] Circulation
To date, no mention of Shimmer's circulation totals, either print or electronic, appear on the official website or elsewhere on the Internet. There are, however, two "news" posts on the Shimmer site which claim Shimmer has placed fifth on Clarkesworld Books Bestseller List (magazines), one in April and another in June.
[edit] Other
All story and artwork submissions are received electronically via e-mail. Shimmer's Submissions Wrangler removes all personally-identifiable information from a manuscript and then forwards the story to one of Shimmer's editors, who read the story "blind." This, Shimmer claims in its submission guidelines, allows for editors to judge whether a story merits acceptance based solely on the story and not which author submitted it. There are other publications which use a similar acceptance and rejection process. All stories that are not accepted receive personal rejection letters and feedback from the editor(s).
One story from each issue is selected for an audio recording, sometimes read by the author who wrote the story.
There is (or was) another "Shimmer Magazine" published in Australia, with content geared towards women's fashion, but it is unclear if the Australian Shimmer is still in publication; this uncertainty is based on its website, which does not appear to have been updated since 2004.
[edit] Staff
[edit] Current staff
- Beth Wodzinski, Editor-in-Chief, May 2005-present
- Mary Robinette Kowal, Art Director, June 2005-present
- David Edwards, Associate Editor, September 2005-present
- Catherine Knutsson, Associate Editor, June 2006-present
- Lisa Mantchev, Associate Editor, June 2006-present
- E. Catherine Tobler,Editor, June 2006-present
- Cheryl Walton, Copy Editor, November 2005-present
- Christina Crooks, Copy Editor, ?? -present
- Sunil Sebastian, Layout and Editorial Assistant, ??-present
[edit] Former staff
- J.L. Radley, Editor, May 2005-February 2006
- Chris Hansen, Copy Editor, May 2005-November 2005
- Jon Willesen, Editor, May 2005-July 2005
- Joy Marchand, Editor, January 2006-May 2006
- S. K. Randall, Editorial Assistant, August 2005-December 2006
[edit] External links
[edit] The Issues
[edit] Autumn 2005 Vol. 1 Issue 1
[edit] Stories and Authors
- Sour Hands - Kuzhali Manickavel
- Nobody's Fool - Edward Cox
- White Burn - Stephen M. Dare
- Valley of the Shadow (cover) - Dario Ciriello
- Book Review: The Traveler - John Joseph Adams
- An Interrupted Nap - Richard S. Crawford
- Finders Keepers - J. Albert Bell
- The Shoppers - Michael Mathews
- And Death Will Seize the Doctor, Too - Jeremiah Swanson
- A Convocation of Clowns - Mel Cameron
[edit] Artists & Illustrations
- Cover: Act of Love - Sam Tsohonis
- p.6: Ezhil's mangoes - Mary Robinette Kowal (staff)
- p.16: Lucy - Chrissy Ellsworth
- p.23: The Wheels on the Bus - Chrissy Ellsworth
- p.29: Portrait of Kim - Stephanie Rodriguez
- p.39: Memories of Edgar - Stephanie Rodriguez
- p.55: Outside Woolworth's - Mary Robinette Kowal (staff)
[edit] Winter 2006 Vol. 1 Issue 2
[edit] Stories and Authors
- Action Team-Ups Number Thirty-Seven - Ken Scholes
- Sell Your Soul to the Devil Blues - Tom Pendergrass
- Route Nine - Samantha Henderson
- The Goldsmith - Ian Creasey
- Music in D Minor - Erynn Miles
- Interview with Ellen Datlow
- Neighbor - Jason A.D. MacDonald
- The Persian Box - Gerald Costlow
- One-Leaf-Two - Edo Mor
- The Black Back-Lands (cover) - Jay Lake
[edit] Artists & Illustrations
- Cover: It's Not Easy Being Evil - Chrissy Ellsworth
- p.8: Action Team-up Number Thirty-Seven - Karl Kesel
- p.15: Sell Your Soul to the Devil Blues - Stephen R. Stanley
- p.24: Route Nine - Chrissy Ellsworth
- p.28: Goldsmith - Mary Robinette Kowal (staff)
- p.35: The City - Liz Clarke
- p.59: The Persian Box - Unknown Persian Artist
[edit] Spring 2006 Vol. 1 Issue 3
[edit] Stories and Authors
- Dog Thinks Ahead - Clifford Royal Johns
- Drevka’s Rain - Marina T. Stern
- The Dealer's Hands - Paul Abbamondi
- Melancholix - Joseph Remy
- Litany - John Mantooth
- Book Review: The Draco Tavern - John Joseph Adams
- Rubber Boots, Mr. President - Bruce K. Derksen
- Paper Man - Darby Harn
- A Warrior's Death (cover) - Aliette de Bodard
- The Little Match Girl - Angela Slatter
[edit] Artists & Illustrations
- Cover: Wheel of Six Realms of Rebirth - David Ho
- p.7: Drevka’s Rain - Joy Marchand (staff)
- p.22: Melancholix - Joseph Remy
- p.28: Litany - Frank Harper
- p.34: Electric Man 1 - Paul Guinan
- p.61: A Warrior’s Death - Stephen R. Stanley
- Back cover: The Difference - David Ho
[edit] Summer 2006 Vol. 1 Issue 4
[edit] Stories and Authors
- The Crow's Caw - Amal El-Mohtar
- Oscar's Temple - Stephen L. Moss
- Always Greener - Paul Abbamondi
- Bluebeard (cover) - Angela Slatter
- Interview with Kevin J. Anderson and Rebecca Moesta - Ken Scholes and Jen West
- Gnome Season - Michael Livingston
- On the Edge of the World - Marina T. Stern
- Urban Renewal - Tom Pendergrass
- A Fish Tale - Beverly Jackson
[edit] Artists and Illustrations
- Cover: Little Pearl - Chrissy Ellsworth
- p.19: Oscar's Temple - Stephen Stanley
- p.25: Lucy and the Centaur - Chrissy Ellsworth
- p.33: Breath Like Champagne - Chrissy Ellsworth
- p.49: Gnome Season - Mary Robinette Kowal (staff)
- p.63: On the Edge of the World - Sandro Castelli
- Back Cover: Bluebeard - Lucy Ellsworth (sic; presumably Chrissy Ellsworth)
