We hope to see you at World Fantasy in San Jose… only days from now. Some of the Shimmery crew will attend. Among them: Shimmer editor-in-chief Beth Wodzinski, plus editorial assistant Sean Markey, and associate editors Christie Skipper and Grá Linnaea. Drop us a line if you’re going to be there and would like to get together.

FYI: Make sure you already bought your 2009 membership, as the con is sold out; people are looking for memberships now on the WFC lj page.

See you there!

The stories are:
The Hand of the Devil on a String, by M. K. Hobson, Issue 9
The Shape of her Sorrow, by Joy Marchand, Issue 9
Dresses,Three, by Angela Slatter, Issue 8
The Hummingbird Heart, by Angela Slatter, Issue 9

Congrats, authors! I’m thrilled to see these stories getting recognition.

We put Issues 8 and 9 on sale a little while ago when stories from those issues got nods for Best American Fantasy; the sale’s still on. Here’s your chance to get these issues for a very affordable cost.

We’re thrilled! Congratulations to Kuzhali, Aliette, and M. K. Hobson!

To celebrate, we’re having a sale on those issues: $3.00 off! That means:

• Issue 8, print edition, $3.00 (plus shipping); electronic, only $1.00.
• Issue 9, print edition sold out, but you can still grab the electronic for $1.00.

Order your copies today, and read these terrific stories for yourself.

Alex Wilson

Here’s a special treat: a video of Alex Wilson reading part of his story, The Spoils of Springfield, from Issue 10.

I love this story for its insightful social commentary and gruesomeness. Also, it cracks me up. Alex’s reading does a lovely job of conveying all those elements.

Want to read the rest of the story? Grab your copy of Issue 10 today, either in the free electronic version, or a sleek print copy.

“They are unfailingly well written, which gives hope for the future of the genre. … Read this issue of Shimmer to get a look at the future giants of the field.”

Our authors are already giants to me, but I expect even greater things from them all in the future.

Grab your copy of issue 10 today: either the free electronic version or the sleek print edition.

Red and Grandma Inside the Wolf, by Carmen Lau, a fresh take on a classic tale.

No Place Like Home, or, Building the Yellow Brick Road, by Krista Hoeppner Leahy: A secret history of the Wizard of Oz.

Crepuscular, by Ben Francisco: A snowman, a hairdryer, and tragedy.

Seek Him I’t'Other Place Yourself, by Josh Storey, an incredible Orpheus-inspired story.

An Organization Man in the Time Long After Legends, by Jen Waverly, a tale of a long and wearying battle against monsters.

Five Letters from New Laverne, by Monica Byrne, a breathtaking story of stigmata and love on a distant planet.

I’m really excited about all these, and looking forward to Issue 12.

Click here to hear Silvia!

Want more Silvia? Check out her blog, and her new venture, the Innsmouth Free Press, a fictional newspaper publishing faux news pieces in a Lovecraftian/Cthulhu Mythos universe, as well as original short fiction stories.

We’ve made Issue 10 available for free: download yours today, or consider a subscription.

Next in our Author Spotlight series: Claude Lalumière. Claude’s story, “What to Do with the Dead,” is part of the Lost Myths project, a collaborative effort with artist Rupert Bottenberg, an “eclectic offering of mythological webcomics, fiction, art, & more,” coming in 2010.

“What to Do with the Dead” is the most charming story about corpses I’ve ever read; it was irresistible.

As a special treat, Claude reads one section of “What to Do with the Dead” below, accompanied by Rupert’s illustration.

Click on the illustration to listen. Thanks, Claude and Rupert.

We’ve made the whole issue available as a free download: download yours today, or consider a subscription.

Sam Tomaino at SF Review weighs in: The stories in Shimmer are like pieces of rich fudge, all very different but quite delicious. It is worthy of our support.

Grab your copy of Issue 10 today: you can download the electronic edition for free, or subscribe. Delicious stories waiting to be read!

Stephanie Burgis starts us off by reading a selection of her story “Blue Joe.” For more about Stephanie, check out her interview.

Every once in a while, you get a story in your slush that just seems right: everything about it clicks for you, and you snap it up. Stephanie’s prose is so strong and clean that I immediately trusted her to tell a good story, and she kept her promise. As Stephanie says in her video, this is a personal story for her, and the authenticity shines through.

To read the full story, download Issue 10 free, or subscribe!