From the category archives:

Zines

Some Recent Print Appearances

by Bill Ward on July 12, 2010

in Promo, Zines

A gang steals a dangerous designer drug in a bid to control the streets of New Old Philly, a demonically-possessed warrior battles hellspawn in a post-cataclysmic world, and a victim of the inevitable zombie apocalypse writes a final letter to his ex-wife. Seems the gods of genre have blessed me with a perfect trifecta of [...]

{ 3 comments }

Heroic Fantasy Quarterly #3

by Bill Ward on January 6, 2010

in Promo, Zines

I’ve been reviewing each issue of Heroic Fantasy Quarterly as it comes out (which you can read here and here), and have been really impressed with both the quality and the variety of the offerings on display. This time around I have the pleasant task of announcing my own inclusion in the issue, with a [...]

{ 2 comments }

Strange Horizons Looking for a First Reader

by Bill Ward on December 8, 2009

in Zines

Just a quick note to point readers in the direction of Strange Horizons call for a volunteer first reader. If you don’t know, Strange Horizons’ is a consistently good pro-rate ezine, and they are looking for someone to wade into their slush pile. A year or so ago I waxed nostalgic about my own slush [...]

{ 1 comment }

Moorcock on the Couch

by Bill Ward on December 3, 2009

in On Books, Video, Zines

Lately I’ve been listening to — and loving — a science fiction oriented podcast called the Sofanauts. Sadly, just as I got to the point where I had listened to all of the thirty plus episodes and was eagerly awaiting more, the man behind the ‘cast, Tony C. Smith, announced he was putting the project [...]

{ 4 comments }

Heroic Fantasy Quarterly #2

by Bill Ward on November 8, 2009

in Zines

Back in August I wrote a review of the debut issue of Heroic Fantasy Quarterly, and declared it a zine to keep an eye on. Issue Two of HFQ appeared at the end of September, and I’ll admit I’ve been way too busy to dig in to it. Finally, however, with my reviewer responsibilities for [...]

{ 2 comments }

A Stirring in the Ruins

by Bill Ward on October 17, 2009

in Zines

So, you know that bit in every apocalypse when the plucky survivors find that bit of greenery growing in the fire-husked rubble of whatever cityscape they are currently foraging in for ramen and shotgun ammo? That little shoot of something, maybe a bean plant (which has the advantage of being much more practical than a [...]

{ 1 comment }

Calls for Slush Readers

by Bill Ward on September 16, 2009

in Writing, Zines

A couple of online magazines have recently posted calls for slush readers, Every Day Fiction and Fantasy, to be exact. A while back I wrote a three-piece article all about the benefits of taking a stint as a slush reader called Get Thee to a Slush Pile, and in it I share my personal experiences [...]

{ 8 comments }

Help Support Ralan’s Webstravaganza!

by Bill Ward on September 11, 2009

in Black Gate Blog, Writing, Zines

For my 200th post (huzzah!) I’d like to direct your attention to a web resource for writers of incredible usefulness. Ralan’s Spec Fic & Humor Webstravaganza which is, if you don’t know, a free listing of magazines, anthologies, book publishers, freezines, websites, and any and every conceivable other venue for the publishing of fiction. Until [...]

{ 3 comments }