BFS Journal #15

[Rolnikov]

Just a note to let you know that although Stuart Douglas has stepped down after returning to help us out with #14, we'd still like you to send your ideas and articles in to the usual address for #15. For the time being the emails will come through to me, but we hope to make an appointment to the position soon.

[Rolnikov]

If you would be interested in taking over as editor of the BFS Journal with this issue, here's our chair Phil Lunt, announcing the vacancy:

http://www.britishfantasysociety.org/forum/index.php?topic=3915.0

And there's a job description here on the vacancies board:

http://www.britishfantasysociety.org/forum/index.php?topic=3635.0

There's quite a bit of work involved, but issues are only planned to come out every six months and there are lots of us on the committee with publishing experience who can help you figure things out, and in a pinch help with things like typesetting and proofreading.

[Rolnikov]

Please note the new email address for submissions to the journal: bfsjournal@britishfantasysociety.org.

[AllenStroud]

Hello All.

Just a quick update. Journal 15 is just being finalised. I hope to be getting the copy to the printer next week.

[MrGrimstone]

Loving BFS journal #15, which arrived this morning. Highlight for me, so far, is the brilliant piece on LARP by Kolin Ford. That hobby is definitely on my bucket list!

[jared]

My highlight as well - a really good, educational piece. I don't know much about LARP, and that was a great intro!

[Peter Coleborn]

Pleased to see the piece on Tanith Lee, truly one of the giants of FANTASY. The Alchemy Press only published one of her stories in Urban Mythic 2 so I envy NewCon . She is one of my favourite writers.

Allen Stroud states that he wants submissions on "fantasy, horror and science fiction" and adds "Our focus is primarily on the former". This concerns me because the BFS is supposed to be all inclusive and it shouldn't officially focus on one element of the FANTASY genre. I suppose DH is trying to redress the apparent imbalance from previous years. Just be careful that fans of horror are pushed away as a result of this focus.

Actually, this reminds me of the age-odd question of what, exactly, is fantasy fiction. That's why I wrote FANTASY, above. To me, fantasy includes ALL aspects of imaginative writing, from King to Tolkien and all points between.

[Rolnikov]

Definitely inspired me to try her books. Don't think I've read any.

[Peter Coleborn]

Definitely inspired me to try her books. Don't think I've read any.

So many to chose from.

[Rolnikov]

I thought I had quite a few, but I must have been thinking of C.J. Cherryh. I've got eleven of her books, but only read one so far. The one I've got by Tanith Lee is Sabella, in an old Daw edition. Must dig it out.

[AllenStroud]

Pleased to see the piece on Tanith Lee, truly one of the giants of FANTASY. The Alchemy Press only published one of her stories in Urban Mythic 2 so I envy NewCon . She is one of my favourite writers.

Allen Stroud states that he wants submissions on "fantasy, horror and science fiction" and adds "Our focus is primarily on the former". This concerns me because the BFS is supposed to be all inclusive and it shouldn't officially focus on one element of the FANTASY genre. I suppose DH is trying to redress the apparent imbalance from previous years. Just be careful that fans of horror are pushed away as a result of this focus.

Actually, this reminds me of the age-odd question of what, exactly, is fantasy fiction. That's why I wrote FANTASY, above. To me, fantasy includes ALL aspects of imaginative writing, from King to Tolkien and all points between.

Thanks for the comment Peter, always comes down to how you define it really. The order of priority was reflective of the society's name and the way in which types of writing tend to group themselves. My piece in BFS 14 focused on the fantasy and horror function of myth, so I don't really see an exclusion here, more an inclusion. However, since taking on the editor post, many contributors have asked me for a theme and this is about as far as I'll go on that. I don't particularly want a themed journal (at this stage) other than to give priority guidance.

New members might see the BFS as Fantasy only. It isn't. By stating the three genres (or subgenres) in order people have a clear impression and can ask me to clarify should they want to.

[Peter Coleborn]

Thanks for your reply.  If you look back over the history of the BFS there have been times when it was too horror or not enough horror -- but it has always tried to champion the range of Fantasy from LOTR to Tanith Lee to CL Moore to Jack Vance to REH to HPL to Ramsey Campbell to Stephen King to Lord Dunsany to MR James to ... just about anyone / everyone. Thus the word "Fantasy" in the British Fantasy Society means all kinds of imaginative work. I'm sure you'll maintain a balance and help make the BFS great again.