Apex Book Company

Five weeks into this APEX DIGEST ONLINE business, I’ve had some people say to me: Sizemore, what’s the game plan?

It’s a bit confusing, but there is a method behind the madness. It goes like this…

Every other week we run a new story. These stories abide by the submission guidelines outlined on our website. Essentially, these are stories you might have found in the print version of Apex Digest. For these, we pay five cents per word. Anybody can submit their work.

On the weeks we don’t run a new story, we run one or more reprints. The reprints aren’t bound by the rules of the online submission guidelines in that they aren’t required to be dark SF. They can be dark fantasy, horror, or SF. Or a combination of those three. Usually the reprint will accompany an interview of that story’s author. And quite often, these authors will be writers within the Apex roster of talent. For instance, last week we published an interview and stories by Wrath James White and Maurice Broaddus. I’m a firm believer in “synergy.”

Most of our reprints are solicited.

I’d like to point out that the new, original stories aren’t bound by anything more than our submission guidelines. We give Random Joan’s submission the same level of attention somebody like Jennifer Pelland might receive.

Another aspect of the game plan has to do with generating web traffic via the short fiction, non-fiction, and other features. This web traffic is supposed to turn into added book sales on the website. The goal is that the additional booksales will support the online content. I am hoping they feed off of each other and both grows and grows!

So I ask from the bottom of my heart to not be shy when looking at some of our excellent book titles.

Finally, articles by Lavie, Adrienne, and myself will be on a near-weekly status. Every week we will feature a Popped Culture comic from Justin. We’re always open to non-fiction proposals.

I hope you’ve enjoyed the first month of Apex Digest Online (ADO). Let’s keep that momentum rolling!

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Jason Sizemore is the publisher and editor-in-chief of all things Apex. During his free time he writes weird fiction that can be tracked down from his personal website at http://www.jbsizemore.com. If you’d like a chapbook of his fiction, Webs of Discord can be bought from the Apex Shop.