Atomjack - Main

I just wanted to let everyone know that Susurrus Press's first print anthology, Neverlands & Otherwheres, edited by Yours Truly and the Rev. Brian Worley is now on sale here.

I lived in Japan for a few months a few years ago, and one of the best experiences I had was the Halloween party. Everyone knows the Japanese propensity for costumes--but what surprised me were the gaijin costumes. We had on our team a Santa Claus, a homemade (and terrifying) grim reaper, the Blue Brothers, John Lennon, a Mexican championship wrestler and ...I went as one of Lord Zedd's Putty Patrol. In a sea of amazing costumes, mine was undoubtedly the most awful, the cheapest, the least convincing, and the absolutely last thing you want to see skin-tight on an overweight man. My entire costume had come from the dollar store. I had my own Mexican wrestling mask, spraypainted silver. A gray long sleeve undershirt with a black Z spray-painted on it. Gray gloves, gray toe socks, gray flip flops, gray boxer shorts and gray pantyhose. I jumped around and went "Blubblubllbuublllblbuubllbublbubllbu" a lot.

I can't possibly think of a way to tie that in to anything important or relevant to this issue, except to say: there are lots of things you could use as costumes in this issue's stories. We have a blue-eyed Mexican, a Gameboy, Mrs. Prichard, David Hasselhoff, a goverment man in a gorilla mask, Ishtar the black slug, and a poem. $10 to the best poem costume! (Not really, but if you can make yourself look like a haiku, bravo.)

We have some truly exceptional stories this issue by Deborah Walker, John Medaille, J(ae)D Brames, Tim W. Burke, Mari Ness and Atomjack alum J. M. McDermott. We also have two fantastic poems by F. J. Bergmann and artwork by ReginaldBull/Felix.

Also, on the Susurrus Press blog, we have a review of Atomjack alum and friend Robert Laughlin's first novel, Vow of Silence. An interview with Robert is forthcoming.

There is also news about Atomjack's upcoming pay raise, format shift, and an exciting new e-anthology.

And lastly, before you dive into that sack of stories like a pillowcase stuffed with bite-size Snickers and those gross black and orange things no one under the age of old eats, I'm pleased to announce that Atomjack will be purchasing two XO laptops from One Laptop Per Child in November (and one laptop per Atomjack Editor Cosmic, tee hee hee). They are specially made laptops designed as teaching tools for children, and Atomjack is happy to send one into some deserving little kid's grubby, sticky fingers.

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