Mount Zion Town Cryer

Volume 2 issue 1 is moving right along.  Ryan and I met last night to read some submissions and evaluate the overall contents of the upcoming issue.  One problem we face is that we currently do not have enough accepted stories to fill the issue.  While we have made headway, we will not be able to publish this month as we had hoped.  All that was to say that we still need submissions.  The issue is over half filled, but most of the stories we have accepted have been flash pieces.  We are in need of some longer works, preferably over 3000 words.  For those of you that are interested, we will consider up to 10,000 words or longer but please query. 

Some time ago, Ryan and I made the decision that we would rather publish late and have a good full book than to rush some questionable content through just to meet a deadline.  For those of you who have been waiting, we are moving right along and hope to have MZSFR out soon.  We only have a handfull of stories left to read, so if you have been waiting to send something in, now is the time.  I would like to thank you for your continued support and I hope to be hearing from you soon.

 Mike Poole, Publisher

Posted by Mike at 01:23 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

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Whats New With Mount Zion.

We are now up to date on submissions.  The few stories we do have are about a week old and will be finished off on Tuesday.  Vol. 2 issue 1 is well underway and if you have any good tales to submit -- please send on.

Ryan and I have been getting some really good stories.  And I'm sorry to say, we have rejected some really good stories because they do not meet the pg-13 rateing set forth in the guidlines.  After much discussion, we have decided to put togather an anthology with a more liberal policy toward language, sex, and violence.  This will include all those jucy tales that were banned from Mount Zion Speculative Fiction Review due to content.  We will NOT take any erotica.  However, we would love to publish some good stories.  Look for us soon to be posting another submission inbox for the anthology.  It is still in the early stages of planning, so bear with us on the release date, we have yet to set it.  More information is forthcoming.

All our orders are up to date.  If you have not recieved your order by first of next week, please send me an email (mpooleATmountzionpressDOTcom).  We have also revised the way we do our shipping to increase the speed in which you will recive MZSFR

Continue reading "Housekeeping" »

Posted by Mike at 02:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (169) | TrackBacks (0)

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Did you know that MZSFR is printed on a "home office" type laser printer and bound by hand?  That's right every issue that we mail out has been individually handled by real people.  While this is satisfying (from a craftsman perspective) it is also inefficient.  Actually the hardest part is folding the damn beautiful covers so they wrap properly around the bound pages.  Although our folder is a fairly heavy duty dingus (and man is she heavy) it just wasn't made to heavy stock paper.  We lovingly refer to her as "The Bitch" because at her worst she ruins every other cover.  One for the price of two! 

So where are we now?

MZSFR Vol. 1 No. 2 is being hand bound just like the first issue. Contributor copies are printed, cut, and bound.  We will be putting on covers tomorrow and mailing them Wednesday.  Subscriber copies will follow immediately.

Frankly if we could continue doing it by hand we would.  I enjoy turning a box of cut pages and covers into bound books.  Alas, it's just not efficient.

Posted by Ryan at 08:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (93) | TrackBacks (0)

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From time to time Mike and I google “Mount Zion Press” or “Mount Zion Speculative Fiction Review” and see what comes up.  The first time we did it we received a much needed (at that point) shot of confidence.

Having just googled, I discovered that Jason Sizemore’s “Preacher Ira May Bowling” is up for the Southeastern Science Fiction Achievement Award, administered by scidimensions.  Pretty cool. Here’s the whole list.

Of course, he’s nominated for a few other stories too, so I’m not sure what’s going on.  Can you nominate yourself?  Nah.  Way to go Jason.

In case you didn't already know.  Jason publishes the great and getting greater Dark SciFi mag Apex Digest. 

Posted by Ryan at 08:20 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

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Feeling the Heat

About two weeks ago Mike and I were thinking we had things well under control.  We knew we had a good stock of stories (maybe almost enough to fill V1N2), plenty of time before our final proof deadline, and more experience than last time around.

 Suddenly we are about a month from our April deadline and felling the heat.  We need more good stories.  We need art.  We...

We will get it done.  I had hoped to have some kinks worked out before V1N2, but alas, not to be.  Finances are tight and Mount Zion's budget is hand to mouth (we hoped to sell more copies so we could buy more toner).  We need a computer and software upgrade.  More importantly, I am hoping to find a printing partner so Mike and I can get out of the hand printing biz.  That's right, every copy of MZSFR has our fingerprints on it.  I staple; Mike folds the covers; I glue; Mike stacks tight to cool. 

Posted by Ryan at 03:31 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

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It had to start somewhere. 

Mike and I decided we'd have a blog devoted to Mount Zion and the divers parts thereof.  Right now the biggest part is Mount Zion Speculative Fiction Review (henceforth MZSFR).  In the future we will be adding posts according to how Mount Zion Press grows. 

Why The Cryer?

 If you've read the "About Mount Zion" page on the website you know that we named the Journal after a fictional town in East Tennessee.  We have each written a couple of stories tied to Mount Zion (although none have yet been published).  Ideally we want to create a shared setting for what Jason Sizemore calls "Hillbilly Horror." 

 In coming weeks we are goin to post some information about Mount Zion, Tennessee.  Feel free to use it in stories.  Submit them to us or others.  Only add to the Mount Zion Mythos, if you are willing to share your characters with others.  This kind of thing is best done if we don't step on each others toes.  If you like a character in someone else's story, email them and ask if you can use it. 

A note on Aesthetics 

I am very unhappy about the look of The Cryer and plan to change it as soon as I can. 

Yrs.,

Ryan 

Posted by Ryan at 09:39 PM | Permalink | Comments (171) | TrackBacks (0)

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