How bizarre is that? A year ago, we pushed our first issue out on a raft made of bamboo into the hurricane that is publishing, and the darn thing didn't sink! In fact, that raft is still going, gradually strengthening along with the changes and additions we've made to the magazine, and now we have hundreds of you on board as well.
That definitely makes the journey more pleasant, as it should. When a magazine gains an audience, a dedicated readership, it's much easier to determine what types of stories they like.
So to me it only seems fair that you, the Penumbra reader, gets to toss us your two cents' worth on this, our first anniversary. If you could take a minute to answer the poll we've posted on this page, it will assist us as we continue to build Penumbra into the type of speculative fiction magazine that you want to read.
It is our greatest hope as we continue our mission to meet the needs of the readers who have been stranded after the demise of some of our long-time favorite sf/f magazines. We want to continue to grow and develop with our readership—a readership that multiplied swiftly after we offered to fulfill the contracts with the Realms of Fantasy subscribers. After we assumed those subscriptions, everything at Penumbra suddenly seemed more real…more pertinent.
With today's release of our Edgar Allan Poe issue, we've come to the next step for Penumbra. We will seek recognition from Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America and other spec fic organizations. We will strive to publish stories both from familiar names and debut authors. We will seek additional markets, reviewers, and awards recognition for our authors and their stories. We will continue to offer industry master classes to the authors, staff, and interns of Penumbra and its parent company, Musa Publishing, in the hopes of better equipping writers for careers as professional writers.
But above all, we will continue to offer you, the reader, the best examples of short fiction possible in every issue.
As an editor, I have to tell you that this year has been an absolute pleasure for me. I've enjoyed reading every submission, every story. I've been honored to work with a pair of amazing columnists, Lori Basiewicz and Richard C. White, who I think are among the best spec fic columnists out there right now. And then our staff: Alisha, who does layout and design; Brandie, who keeps me running on time; Dianna, who started with us at seventeen, continues to do a grown-up job at her internship; Sarah, who's not only the first set of eyes on Penumbra submissions but also does our monthly book reviews; Jane and Jude, our newly arrived interns; Cory, who has worked with me from the beginning to create the internal aesthetic and catch all those pesky comma mistakes; and, of course, my partner in crime Kelly Shorten, who creates the most visually stunning covers I've ever seen for a digital-only magazine.
Thank you for being a part of the Penumbra experience. We look forward to seeing you every month, right here, with a new issue for you to enjoy.
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