Flashing Swords (magazine)

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This article is about the Sword and Sorcery magazine. For information on the Lin Carter anthologies, see Flashing Swords!.

Flashing Swords magazine, is a quarterly zine publishing short works of Heroic Adventure fiction, poetry and art. The genres of Heroic Adventure include: Sword and Sorcery, Sword & Planet, Swashbuckling Adventure, Heroic Fantasty, Historical Adventure, and Epic Fantasy. Each issue carries six or more stories by both established and novice writers, as well as occasional reprints. In addition, it regularly features articles and interviews related to these genres. Each issue also contains a number of illustrations by various artists.

Originally only an ezine, Flashing Swords magazine is now available in print and in multiple electronic versions. Started in Winter of 2004 by Managing Editor Howard Andrew Jones (now Managing Editor at Black Gate magazine), the magazine was first published by Pitch-Black Press, which was also responsible for publishing the S&S anthologies Lords of Swords and Sages of Swords. In Summer of 2007, new management assumed control, and Flashing Swords magazine became part of Flashing Swords Press, an imprint of Cyberwizard Productionsowned by current Managing Editor Crystalwizard.

In February 2006, Flashing Swords magazine was ranked in the Preditors and Editors Reader's Poll Top 10, with featured piece, "The Marsh God" by Bruce Durham, winning first place in the "Science Fiction Short Story" category. Flashing Swords magazine again ranked as a Top 10 finalist in the 2007 Preditors and Editors Reader's Poll, with featured story "Stand, Stand Shall They Cry!" by Michael Ehart also placing in the Top 10 of the "Science Fiction Short Story" category.

Flashing Swords magazine is the proponent of the "New Edge" movement, and actively campaigns for the return of classic adventure tales with an emphasis upon S&S. Flashing Swords Press recently released The Return of the Sword: An Anthology of Heroic Adventure, and seeks to become the publisher for heroic adventure fiction.

Flashing Swords magazine has four editors: Crystalwizard, Jason M. Waltz, Michael Turner and David Pitchford, as well as a team of 11 first readers who deal with submissions and return detailed comments to the submitting authors.

The Flashing Swords mission is three-fold:

Provide enjoyable, high-quality entertainment for the readers.
Bring Sword and Sorcery and pulp adventure fiction into the mainstream of literature.
Provide a place for new writers to polish their skills and become published authors.