Shimmer Magazine
Encyclopedia
Shimmer Magazine, or Shimmerzine, is a quarterly magazine
which publishes speculative fiction
, with a focus on material that is dark, humorous or strange. Established in June 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.
later, Beth came up with the ideal name for her zine
: "Shimmer."
Beth then 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. Beth, Mary Robinette, and J.L. Radley all met on-line at Orson Scott Card
's Hatrack River Writers Workshop forum.
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, Beth 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 perfect-bound glossy, color cover. Shimmer has since 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.
John Joseph Adams
, a.k.a. "The Slush God," assistant editor of Fantasy and Science Fiction, edited Shimmer's special Pirate issue in Summer 2007.
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.
Magazine
Magazines, periodicals, glossies or serials are publications, generally published on a regular schedule, containing a variety of articles. They are generally financed by advertising, by a purchase price, by pre-paid magazine subscriptions, or all three...
which publishes speculative fiction
Speculative fiction
Speculative fiction is an umbrella term encompassing the more fantastical fiction genres, specifically science fiction, fantasy, horror, supernatural fiction, superhero fiction, utopian and dystopian fiction, apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic fiction, and alternate history in literature as well as...
, with a focus on material that is dark, humorous or strange. Established in June 2005, Shimmer is published in digest format
Digest size
Digest size is a magazine size, smaller than a conventional or "journal size" magazine but larger than a standard paperback book, approximately 5½ x 8¼ inches, but can also be 5⅜ x 8⅜ inches and 5½ x 7½ inches. These sizes have evolved from the printing press operation end...
and Portable Document Format
Portable Document Format
Portable Document Format is an open standard for document exchange. This file format, created by Adobe Systems in 1993, is used for representing documents in a manner independent of application software, hardware, and operating systems....
(PDF) and is edited by Beth Wodzinski. Shimmer has featured stories from award-winning authors Jay Lake and Ken Scholes
Ken Scholes
Ken Scholes is a science fiction and fantasy writer living in St. Helens, Oregon. He refers to himself as "trailer boy", a reference to his childhood home....
; comic book artist Karl Kesel
Karl Kesel
Karl Kesel is an American comics writer and inker whose works have primarily been under contract for DC Comics...
has also contributed artwork.
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 wrote "alright" instead of "all right." About a monthMonth
A month is a unit of time, used with calendars, which was first used and invented in Mesopotamia, as a natural period related to the motion of the Moon; month and Moon are cognates. The traditional concept arose with the cycle of moon phases; such months are synodic months and last approximately...
later, Beth came up with the ideal name for her zine
Zine
A zine is most commonly a small circulation publication of original or appropriated texts and images. More broadly, the term encompasses any self-published work of minority interest usually reproduced via photocopier....
: "Shimmer."
Beth then 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
Mary Robinette Kowal
Mary Robinette Kowal is an American author and puppeteer. She also served as art director for Shimmer Magazine and in 2010 was named art director for Weird Tales...
joined the Shimmery Staff as Art Director. Beth, Mary Robinette, and J.L. Radley all met on-line at Orson Scott Card
Orson Scott Card
Orson Scott Card is an American author, critic, public speaker, essayist, columnist, and political activist. He writes in several genres, but is primarily known for his science fiction. His novel Ender's Game and its sequel Speaker for the Dead both won Hugo and Nebula Awards, making Card the...
's Hatrack River Writers Workshop forum.
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, Beth 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 perfect-bound glossy, color cover. Shimmer has since 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.
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 per word. 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.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.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).John Joseph Adams
John Joseph Adams
John Joseph Adams is an American science fiction and fantasy editor and critic. He is the editor of the anthologies Federations , The Living Dead , The Living Dead 2 , Seeds of Change , Wastelands: Stories of the Apocalypse John Joseph Adams (born 1976) is an American science fiction and fantasy...
, a.k.a. "The Slush God," assistant editor of Fantasy and Science Fiction, edited Shimmer's special Pirate issue in Summer 2007.
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.
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, November 2006-present
- Christie Skipper Ritchotte, Associate Editor, October 2007-present
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
Stories and Authors
- Sour Hands - Kuzhali ManickavelKuzhali ManickavelKuzhali Manickavel is an Indian writer who writes in English. She was born in Winnipeg, Canada and moved to India when she was thirteen. She currently lives in Chidambaram, Tamil Nadu. Her first book - Insects Are Just Like You And Me Except Some Of Them Have Wings was published by Blaft...
- Nobody's Fool - Edward Cox
- White Burn - Stephen M. Dare
- Valley of the Shadow (cover) - Dario Ciriello
- Book Review: The Traveler - John Joseph AdamsJohn Joseph AdamsJohn Joseph Adams is an American science fiction and fantasy editor and critic. He is the editor of the anthologies Federations , The Living Dead , The Living Dead 2 , Seeds of Change , Wastelands: Stories of the Apocalypse John Joseph Adams (born 1976) is an American science fiction and fantasy...
- 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
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)
Stories and Authors
- Action Team-Ups Number Thirty-Seven - Ken ScholesKen ScholesKen Scholes is a science fiction and fantasy writer living in St. Helens, Oregon. He refers to himself as "trailer boy", a reference to his childhood home....
- 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 DatlowEllen DatlowEllen Datlow is an American science fiction, fantasy, and horror editor and anthologist.-Biography:Datlow was the fiction editor of Omni magazine and Omni Online from 1981 through 1998, and edited the ten associated Omni anthologies...
- Neighbor - Jason A.D. MacDonald
- The Persian Box - Gerald Costlow
- One-Leaf-Two - Edo Mor
- The Black Back-Lands (cover) - Jay LakeJay LakeJoseph E. Lake, Jr. is a science fiction and fantasy writer. In 2003 he was a quarterly first place winner in the Writers of the Future contest. In 2004 he won the John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer in Science Fiction. He lives in Portland, Oregon and currently works as a product manager...
Artists & Illustrations
- Cover: It's Not Easy Being Evil - Chrissy Ellsworth
- p.8: Action Team-up Number Thirty-Seven - Karl KeselKarl KeselKarl Kesel is an American comics writer and inker whose works have primarily been under contract for DC Comics...
- 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 ArtistArtistAn artist is a person engaged in one or more of any of a broad spectrum of activities related to creating art, practicing the arts and/or demonstrating an art. The common usage in both everyday speech and academic discourse is a practitioner in the visual arts only...
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 AdamsJohn Joseph AdamsJohn Joseph Adams is an American science fiction and fantasy editor and critic. He is the editor of the anthologies Federations , The Living Dead , The Living Dead 2 , Seeds of Change , Wastelands: Stories of the Apocalypse John Joseph Adams (born 1976) is an American science fiction and fantasy...
- 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
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
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 ScholesKen ScholesKen Scholes is a science fiction and fantasy writer living in St. Helens, Oregon. He refers to himself as "trailer boy", a reference to his childhood home....
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
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)
Stories and Authors
- "Blue Joe" - Stephanie Burgis
- "The Carnivale of Abandoned Tales" - Caitlyn Paxson
- "A Painter, A Sheep, and a Boa Constrictor" - Nir YanivNir YanivNir Yaniv is an Israeli musician, author and editor. In 2000 he founded the webzine of the Israeli Society for Science Fiction and Fantasy, and was its chief editor for seven years. In 2007 he became chief editor of Chalomot Be'aspamia, Israel's only professional printed SF&F magazine.- Books :*...
(Translated from the Hebrew by Lavie Tidhar) - "One for Sorrow" - Shweta Narayan
- "The Bride Price" - Richard S. Crawford
- "Jaguar Woman" - Silvia Moreno-Garcia
- "Firefly Igloo" - Caroline M. Yoachim
- "The Fox and the King’s Beard" - Jessica Paige Wick
- "Interview with Cory Doctorow" - Jen West
- "River Water" - Becca De La Rosa
- "What to Do with the Dead" - Claude LalumièreClaude LalumièreClaude Lalumière is an author, book reviewer and has edited numerous anthologies. A resident of Montreal, he writes the Montreal Gazette's Fantastic Fiction column. He also owned and operated two independent book stores in Montreal. He and Rupert Bottenberg are co-creators of...
- "The Spoils of Springfield" - Alex Wilson
- "Counting Down to the End of the Universe" - Sara Genge
See also
- Science fiction magazineScience fiction magazineA science fiction magazine is a publication that offers primarily science fiction, either in a hard copy periodical format or on the Internet....
- Fantasy fiction magazine
- Horror fiction magazineHorror fiction magazineA horror fiction magazine is a magazine that publishes primarily horror fiction with the main purpose of scaring or frightening the reader. Horror magazines can be in print, on the internet, or both.-Defunct magazines:*The Arkham Collector...