It’s a funny thing, publishing a magazine in book form. You get all the deadlines of a magazine and a book rolled into one. You get to deal with everything in multiples: editors (at least two), writers (a handful or more—and yes, that pun was intended), copy editors, narrators (because we do an audio version, too), and more. And you have a hard and fast publication schedule, which means hard and fast deadlines. But as it’s a book, it never goes out of print.
But when you start a project like that, you’ve got a heck of a ramp-up period. For example, just this past week, I was working on five different volumes all at the same time. Confusing? Um, yes. Exhilarating? Of course.
But it makes one get a little silly. WMG editor and author Kristine Kathryn Rusch talks about getting lost in a book she’s writing and not knowing what month or year or even decade it is sometimes. (She just finished the next Smokey Dalton novel, Street Justice—which comes out in March 2014—and has finally returned to us from 1970.) I understand that kind of disorientation. Working on issues with publication dates ranging from this week to next spring at the same time causes a bit of vertigo. You’re never quite sure what month you’re thinking in.
But this week, I’m rooting myself firmly in the now. And the now is How to Save the World, the second volume of our Fiction River Original Anthology Magazine series. It is already live in ebook and trade paperback and in the hands of most, if not all, of our subscribers. The audiobook version is on its way to sale, as well (Little happy dance.) You can even listen to a sneak preview of the audiobook, Dean Wesley Smith’s I’m-not-ashamed-to-admit-it-made-me-cry story Neighborhoods during our premiere of Podcast Thursdays this week, hosted by yours truly.
How to Save the World brings together eleven of today’s brightest authors, presenting their answers to solve a pressing problem facing the human race. From the growing energy crisis to women’s rights to overpopulation to the survival of humanity in the future, the stories in this anthology examine the issues facing our planet today—and offer hope for our survival tomorrow.
The guest editor for this volume, John Helfers, is an author and editor currently living in Green Bay, Wisconsin. During his sixteen years working at Tekno Books, he edited more than fifteen short fiction anthologies for DAW, as well as numerous ones for other publishers in all genres. He’s worked with bestselling authors and co-editors such as Lawrence Block, Charlaine Harris, John Jakes, Anne Perry, Jeffery Deaver, Mercedes Lackey, Margaret Weis, and Kevin J. Anderson. The Vorkosigan Companion, a guide to the SF world of Lois McMaster Bujold co-edited with Lillian Stewart Carl, was nominated for the 2009 Hugo Award in the Best Related Book category. He also edited the Shadowrun™ anthology Spells & Chrome, which won the 2011 Origins Award for Best Related Book. Besides his Fiction River anthology, he’s currently working on several other editorial projects through his editorial and consulting company, Stonehenge Art & Word.
This is a great volume with a very different voice than its predecessor. And once again, thank yous go to:
The WMG staff, including WMG Managing Editor Jerimy Colbert, WMG Audio Director Jane Kennedy, and proofreader Judy Cashner.
Our amazing authors, including David Gerrold, William H. Keith, Ron Collins, Laura Resnick, Stephanie Writt, Angela Penrose, Annie Reed, Dean Wesley Smith, Lisa Silverthorne, Kristine Kathryn Rusch, and Travis Heermann.
Our fantastic editors, Dean Wesley Smith and Kristine Kathryn Rusch.
Our energetic narrators: Jane Kennedy, Jerimy Colbert, Kristine Kathryn Rusch, Dean Wesley Smith, Matt Buchman, Barton Grover Howe, Kip Grant, Dan Duval, Chris York, J. Steven York and, well, ok, I narrated one, too.
Our awesome subscribers.
And last, but most certainly not least, our Kickstarter supporters.
We couldn’t do this without you all. Thank you!
Allyson Longueira is publisher of WMG Publishing. She is an award-winning writer, editor and designer.