Cybling Welcome to chat Ellen...
Techyo Hi Ellen LTNS!!!!
Atvar Hi Ellen
Cybling Ellen...Silver Birch, Blood Moon ('99, Avon) is your fifth anthology of fairy tale themes "re-imaged" for adults. What or who influenced you to begin this series, and do you see further additions to it?
Ellen_Datlow Re: Silver Birch and the rest of the series. Terri Windling approached me several years ago (we had already been co editing the YBFH) and asked if I was interested in working with her on a fairy tale series for adults. I said "sure." Now SHE got the idea from Tom Canty, I believe, which is partly why he wanted to do the cover art and design for each title. We have one more volume coming up - Black Heart, Ivory Bones this spring. We also have a children's fairy tale anthology coming out this spring from S&S--A WOLF AT THE DOOR, for 8-12 year olds. # 12 of YBFH has been in the stories since August.
Atvar I haven't been 8 in years
Cybling About how many Anthologies do you have in the works right now Ellen?
Ellen_Datlow I've just finished Vanishing Acts, an sf antho about "endangered species" for Tor. That will be coming out this spring. I'm of course, working on the 13th YBFH, and my agent is trying to sell a big ghost story anthology. That's it right now.
Cybling Do you invite specific authors to contribute to your anthologies or do you ever accept unsolicited manuscripts?
Ellen_Datlow I contact many of the writers I've worked with on other projects initially, when I'm working on a new antho, but I generally put the word out via word of mouth. I won't generally put out an actual market report on a project but would never turn away an author just because I haven't specifically asked them for a story. So it's always a semi-open market.
Cybling Ellen, do you think that online publishing has a future?
Ellen_Datlow Absolutely yes. But the big problem right now for webzine publishing on a professional level... and by that I mean a paying market and a paying job for the editor--is how to make enough money to support the enterprise. Ad sales can only go so far and without an ad salesperson, the editorial staff has no time to both put out the webzine and earn the money to keep it going. Hopefully, there will be (soon) a breakthrough in figuring out how to support online content via sponsorships from major corporations, underwriting magazines, etc. Maybe, in the near future, subscriptions will become more popular.
Cybling You have quite a few "name" authors published in your online magazine, Event Horizon. Do you find that authors are still reticent to publish online?
Ellen_Datlow Surprisingly, to me anyway, some of the authors you wouldn't think, are reticent-e.g. Ted Chiang, who worked for Microsoft doesn't want to be published online. For the most part though, if you can pay a writer, she doesn't seem to have a problem with online publishing.
Techyo Do you think the people who read online fit the same profile as people who read offline? In general that is.
Ellen_Datlow To tell you the truth, Techyo, I have no idea. I can only go by the feedback from our readers. Many of them are writers with whom I've worked. I know they read print magazines and EH. They may not read other online publications though. I do think that editorial voice makes more of a difference than the venue. If someone likes what I publish, they'll follow me, so to speak wherever I edit (if they're at all computer literate). Perhaps that's optimistic on my part, but it seems that way.
Techyo LOL yes this drew me to EH. [G] Can I ask if there's any one thing you learned or brought from your work with OMNI that's helped a lot with your current online work?
Ellen_Datlow Working on OMNI Internet helped me figure out what does and doesn't work online. Some of our experiments were carried over, like our "round robin" which became "superstrings" on EH. Of course, it also gave me an "in" with all the writers I've worked with over the years, so that I could "hit" them for stories.
Cybling You do Anthologies, and EH...do you have anything else on the burner for the future?
Ellen_Datlow Yup. I'm now acquiring erotic sf/f/h for a new website called theposition.com which is launching January.
Atvar Did someone say erotic? theposition.com I like that title.
Ellen_Datlow We'll be publishing one original piece of short fiction a month. So far, I've bought a story by Kathe Koja.
Techyo Cool Kathe Rocks.
Ellen_Datlow It's kind of modeled on nerve.com according to the editorial director, Jack Heidenry. He is someone who worked at Penthouse on and off for many years. Also, I may be starting a full time short story editing job online but can't talk about it right now. Finally, I'm consulting editor for Tor Books.
Techyo SO the GMI connection is still there?
Ellen_Datlow Techyo, I'm still friendly with a few people from GMI. My former tech guy still comes to help me with my computer...
Ellen_Datlow and I get the gossip from him and the photo researcher [g]
Techyo LOL cool. So in a sense this media is a "good ole boy" network in that who you know does help?
Ellen_Datlow Techyo, any field is really. Connections and a good reputation in that field helps. Nothing will help if you've burnt your bridges or have burned former colleagues.
Techyo I thought so, but it's good to hear you confirm that.
Ellen_Datlow In fact, Techyo, I find my colleagues have been exceptionally kind to me since I lost the OMNI job.
Techyo Well we all miss OMNI, Ellen. It was a one of a kind thing. We were gifted to be able to read. Thanks. [G]
Ellen_Datlow Techyo, I miss OMNI too. It was a beautiful magazine and pretty easy to work for. As long as I get left alone by my bosses, to buy what I want, I'm happy.
Cybling Thank you Ellen for dropping by to chat with us today...
Techyo Thanks Ellen and good to see you again!
Atvar Bye Ellen!
Ellen_Datlow Bye, and thanks for having me. It's fun.
