A Question ...

Here's a little question for all you authors out there. Readers can chime in too, I suppose --

What format would you prefer The Open Vein to be in:

(a) The current format: bi-monthly, non-paying, 8-12 stories per issue.

or

(b) A paying format (probably around 1/2 cent/word, but maybe a flat payout), released twice a year (maybe 3 times), 6-8 stories an issue.

I'm slowly working my way toward reaching the eventual goal of paying authors for their contributions, although I need to work out a way to generate some revenue first. How much revenue I can generate will determine how much I'd be able to pay and how often I'd be able to publish.

Should I decide to offer payment, obviously the competition will get much more fierce; I'll be very selective, and I'm sure the sheer volume of submissions would increase as well, expanding the playing field.

It's really my intent to help previously unpublished authors snag a credit, but not at the expense of quality writing. And, for those whose great work I decide to publish, I'd ultimately like to be able to compensate them for it, even if it's modest. So, give me some feedback on which kind of zine you'd like submit to and read. I look forward to your responses!

Regards,
Justin Burning, Editor - The Open Vein

Bad News: Issue Three Delayed

Hello, horror hounds! There's some slightly sad news to report, unfortunately: the third issue of The Open Vein will be delayed a couple of months.

It was scheduled to be released on November 1st, but alas, my own wedding and related receptions/parties/get-togethers are taking place all throughout the month of October, so I won't have much time to work on the issue.

And, since the Christmas issue will be out in the first part of December and I can't go competing against myself, I've set January 2008 as the new street date for issue 3. It probably won't hit on the first, as the issue normally would, since that's a holiday. But look for it on the 2nd!

The issue is filled, though, and features the work of a number of talented authors, such as A. David Smith, Lee Pletzers, Brandon Perkins, Richard Pitaniello, Chris Ward, Annick Sever, and more!

I apologize for the delay, but I promise it will be worth it!

Welcome!

Hello, folks. Welcome to The Open Vein's little spot in the blogging world. Hopefully, I'll keep this thing relatively active. I'm usually terrible at blogging, but we'll see how it goes. This blog will allow me to keep a more active line of communication open with the writing and horror worlds, and maybe share an interesting tid-bit or three:

1) As you already know, The Open Vein is going to be publishing a Christmas issue in the early part of December, and spots are filling up! We're only going to feature five stories or so, and three are filled, so throw those horrifying yuletide yarns my way soon! Please see our website for submission details.

2) I am in the very, very first stages of considering opening a small press under The Open Vein imprint, that will be dedicated to publishing small print runs of horror/bizarro/black comedy pieces of novella length. I would be paying authors for their work, publishing 1 to 3 books a year, at about 200 books a print run. Should I do this, I would be very selective about what I published, looking for highly original horror, stacked with strange and grotesque ideas, with a twist of the hilarious. Right now, nothing at all is official and I'm just trying to feel my way around the pool, checking the width and depth, seeing if I'll sink or swim. I've met some extremely talented authors via The Open Vein and I think it's tragic that they're not published, so I'd like to help out those sorts of folks. Please leave me some feedback with your opinions.