How you can support Apex Magazine

by Jason Sizemore

After yesterday’s post asking for reader feedback about a ’subscription’ option to Apex Magazine, I received many emails of support. Apex Magazine has a large base of loyal fans willing to toss a coin in the hat to keep the ‘zine going. It was a nice boost of confidence.

To that end, we will go forward with the ’subscription’ plan. One reader commented to me that it’s like donating to NPR…you make a token payment to keep the content free (and alive). I liked that comparison because I’m a big NPR junkie! Via the Apex Book Store you’ll be able to make your annual subscription donation. Anyone subscribing for $25 or more will receive a copy of Descended From Darkness: Apex Magazine Vol I.

You can subscribe by clicking this sentence.

I’ll keep a subscriber database like I did back in the Apex Digest days. On a yearly basis, I’ll remind you that your subscription is up.

Alternatively, you can straight up order a copy of Descended From Darkness for $18.95. All profits from the sales of the book goes straight into the Apex Magazine fund.

Thank you for all the great feedback. Looks like Apex Magazine will be around for quite awhile!



Apex Magazine and options

by Jason Sizemore

**An update to this post**

There’s been some debate on the series of internet tubes about workable business models for online content. Some, like Cory Doctorow, believe free is good. If you give out a quality freebie, people will shell out money for more of that product. I like to think of this as the ol’ street dealer’s trick of giving out samples of coke to get people hooked on their drug. Others have argued to me that offering content such as short stories online, you have to go to a subscription or pay-per-play system.

I can’t say either one has worked for Apex Magazine. A combination of the two has not worked. Sponsorship worked for two months before enthusiasm for it died.

I’d like to try an alternative.

I’d like to see how many fans of short fiction (and Apex Magazine) are out there that would donate $10 (or more) on a recurring, yearly basis to help pay for magazine costs. Our yearly cost is around $10,000. Doctorow was given $10,000 to write one single story. For your $10,000, you get 24 months of Apex Magazine.

If you’d like to give Apex Magazine a hand then please send me an email to jason@apexbookcompany.com. I don’t want to start collecting $10 (or more!) from people unless I know there are enough fans interested.

Please spread the word by reposting and retweeting this blog post.

Jason Sizemore
editor-in-chief



ANNOUNCEMENT: Apex Halloween Contest Winner & Runner Up

by Jennifer Brozek

After the Apex Halloween Story Contest submissions were whittled down to the top fifteen entries, I read them. All of them were good stories but, as all authors know, ‘good’ doesn’t cut it with anthologies. The story must both suit the theme and play well with the other stories already chosen for the anthology. It is my pleasure to announce the two winners of the Apex Halloween Story Contest.

The top prize goes to Bev Vincent for his excellent story, “The Fingernail Test.” Bev’s story will be published in the Apex anthology, Close Encounters of the Urban Kind at $0.08/word.

The runner up prize goes to Jonathan McKinney for his story, “Shiny Eyes.” Jonathon’s story will be published in the Apex anthology, Close Encounters of the Urban Kind at $0.05/word.

There are three honorable mentions: “Don’t Follow Any Ugly Dogs” by Daniel Johnson, “Finger Prick” by Val Muller and “Pod N” by Michael Britton.

Thank you to everyone who submitted a story to the Apex Halloween Story Contest. We appreciated each and every one.



November issue of Apex Magazine has been posted

by Jason Sizemore

This month we present a special “international” issue of our online magazine. Lavie Tidhar, editor of The Apex Book of World SF, guest edits this issue and brings us three excellent selections from around the globe. To round things out, Charles Tan interviews Malaysian author Tunku Halim and Lavie writes an editorial about the international genre scene.

Editorial: “A Celebration of World SF” by Lavie Tidhar
Interview: Tunku Halim by Charles Tan
Short Fiction: “After the Fire” by Aliette de Bodard
Short Fiction: “Benjamin Schneider’s Little Greys” by Nir Yaniv
Short Fiction: “An Evening in the City Coffeehouse, With Lydia on My Mind” by Alexsandar Žiljak

Enjoy!




 

Pre-order B.J. Burrow’s The Changed

The Changed

It’s not the end of the world. It’s just zombies.

Chris is an ordinary guy with a boring job, a perfect fiancée, and plans for a happy, if predictable, future. But when the dead stop dying and become, instead, simply “changed,” ordinary isn’t so comforting anymore. Wandering stray animals suddenly develop a taste for flesh and brains, and while most of the human zombies might be harmless, can anyone really be sure?

With the help of a morning show shock-jock who has recently turned into a zombie and the burnt-out walking remains of a businessman, Chris becomes the backbone of a fight for undead rights among the fear, prejudice, and uncertainty dividing the living and the not quite dead.

The Changed is a bit of a ‘milestone’ title for Apex because it is our first novel-length publication (and 18th book overall). For long time fans and those of you new to our business, this book should be of great interest!

Publishers Weekly review:

Burrow’s debut is a swift-moving, pathos-free, creatively amusing riff on zombies from the zombie perspective. On a day like any other, the newly dead just stop dying, and the world learns that zombie movies have gotten everything wrong. Christian Scott and his fiancée, Erin, have uncomfortable run-ins with the zombies, who call themselves “changed”; then Christian joins their ranks, as does Erin’s favorite shock jock, Nicholas Buckman. Disturbed that the living can call the military in to flambé any of the changed for any reason, Christian and Nicholas decide to start their own political party. While running for senator, Christian must constantly duck his gun-toting father’s attempts to put him down. In hilarious interludes, Paula Dean cooks a zombie fish and Elmo reconciles with a zombie Zoë on Sesame Street. The prose styling is nonexistent, but there’s plenty of charm. –(Dec. 2009) Publishers Weekly

Pre-order and get a free PDF of the book. The Changed is due for publication on December 1st.


The World of SF is here!

Congratulations to The Apex Book of World SF editor Lavie Tidhar for receiving a Last Drink Bird Head award in the category “International Activism.”

What the heck are the Last Drink Bird Head awards?

As Jeff VanderMeer states on his blog: “The purpose of the awards is to celebrate those in the genre community who enrich us with their time, energy, and words, often for causes greater than themselves. Finalists for this year’s award were chosen for efforts in 2008 and/or 2009. The winners will be announced at the Last Drink Bird Head Party at the World Fantasy Convention in San Jose, California (October 29, 8p.m., Imperial Parlor, 20th floor). Winners will receive a bird head figurine, a certificate, and chocolate.” Seems like a noble enough purpose to us.

One of the factors cited that contributed to Lavie’s nomination was his Apex anthology The Apex Book of World SF. Don’t miss out and order today!