Unsung heroes

Chris Steib, the editor-in-chief of a new web-based magazine entitled Void Magazine contacted me recently to tell me about it. The magazine's mission: a new literary endeavor that strives to support readers and writers who have been underserved by the mainstream, commercial publishing industry.

Chris' enthusiasm and the magazines mission caused me to reflect on the unwavering dedication of editors and others throughout the US and beyond who work at literary magazines, very often uncompensated or for a nominal salary at best. They are truly unsung heroes because they do their work quietly and out of pure passion for good writing whether it be prose or poetry. And authors are grateful because literary magazines provide the portal to getting published for many, many of us. Simply put, the existence of literary magazines is an essential element in any society that calls itself civilized.

Anyway, I read the inaugural edition of Void Magazine and liked it a lot and you can check it out yourself by going to my "Literary Mags" sidebar and clicking on the mag's title. Also listed on the sidebar are two other magazines I like: the Bucks County Writer Magazine (which is a subscription literary mag that published my short story Prayers for a Bully last year) and another free magazine out of Philadelphia called Philadelphia Stories.

Additionally, Philadelphia Stories hosts free readings in and around Philadelphia once a month and, on account of the Trade Paperback release of A Son Called Gabriel next week, they've invited me to read with two local poets, Scott Anderson and Penny Dickerson, on Monday, June 6th, 7.30 pm at Mugshots Coffeehouse, 21st & Fairmount Avenue Philadelphia, PA.

On another note, next week will see the posting of my first book review, which will be a nonfiction.

[technorati: Philadelphia, Bucks county, Literary magazines, ezines]