Reading science fiction like it matters since 1989.
As we sent the last issue, 279, to our printer, intending for it to ship as usual within the month of publication, we were suddenly informed that our printer had been sold to a larger outfit in Pennsylvania and was closing down its New Hampshire facilities at the end of October. Then one of their machines broke, delaying the issue another week, into very late October. Then they ran out of paper (since they were closing, they could order no more) and had to send the issue to Pennsylvania to print and ship. The end of the story is that it shipped in early November from Pennsylvania. We hope you have it—we haven’t seen it yet, as I write in mid-November. Obviously we were being prevented from easy communication with our old rep during October, who we can gather was leaving the company somewhat abruptly. This issue, 280, is the first one printed and shipped entirely from the new operation in Pennsylvania, and we hope for a return to smooth operation and a happier experience all the way around. Even though we are late.
The World Fantasy Convention in San Diego and Capclave in Maryland happened in October, and Albacon did not, so pictures this time (pages 3 and 23) are all from World Fantasy, plus one from a visit to Cindy Lee Berryhill and Alexander Berryhill Williams before the convention started.
The publishing industry continues its grinding changes month by month, and Amazon keeps many buyers happy and enthusiastic by continuing to sell (or lend) things to read below cost. Just as the Great Recession is moving the middle class lower, leaving only the wealthy rising, so publishing is depressing the midlist and cutting from the bottom of the list, in an attempt to leave only the most successful. Publishing is also trying very hard to release ebooks, as many and as fast as possible, to take advantage of the device-driven sales that ought to take place before and after the Christmas holidays, as well as when any new of updated device is marketed. It remains to be seen whether the average published writer will benefit significantly in terms of income. Than again, the whole world economy is readjusting in significant and mostly unpredictable ways in the winter of 2011–12.
Dragon Press is still attempting to weather the economic storms by selling our back issues inexpensively in bulk (see prior editorials, or email us and ask). And by encouraging you to renew your subscriptions. Climate change is giving us some challenges, not the least the unexpected foot of snow here on Halloween weekend. But most of all, the challenge of putting out more issues is very real. We are discussing various electronic strategies for promotion and publication, and we encourage you to take a look at, and tell your friends about, the newly updated <www.nyrsf.com>.
—David G. Hartwell
& the editors
A PDF copy of the NYRSF issue in which this TOC first appeared is available for purchase at Weightless Books.