Most people visit Strange Horizons to read the fiction, I’m sure, but since you’re among the select few who visit my blog the odds are if you go there it’s to read Mark Plummer’s column, just like I do.

Whatever your reason, now is the time to show appreciation by supporting the online magazine’s fundraiser.  

Founded over a decade ago by its first editor, Mary Anne Mohanraj, Strange Horizons is staffed by volunteers, and is unusual among professional sf magazines in being funded entirely by donations.

These days Niall Harrison is editor-in-chief, fiction is handled by senior editor Brit Mandelo and editors Julia Rios, An Owomoyela and Jed Hartman, and many others run departments and support the work.

The 2012 fund drive aims to raise $8,000, with stretch goals up to $11,000 — increasing pay rates for poetry (if $9,000 is raised), reviews ($10,000), and introducing fiction podcasts ($11,000) that would, like the rest of the magazine’s content, be freely available online.

All donors are entered into a prize draw which includes novels by Alaya Dawn Johnson, Mary Robinette Kowal, and Angelica Gorodischer, original artwork by Alastair Reynolds and Marge Simon, magazine subscriptions, and tarot readings. Prizes will be announced in batches throughout the month of October.

The full press release follows the jump.

Press Release: For Immediate Release

Strange Horizons launches 2012 fund drive with donor prizes and bonus content

www.strangehorizons.com
[email protected]

Monday 1 October, 2012

Strange Horizons today launched its 2012 fund drive, announcing an official target of $8,000, with stretch goals up to $11,000. Donors will be entered into a prize draw, can choose to sponsor 2013 magazine content, and will see their contributions counted towards the release of bonus magazine content, including a new story by recent Hugo Award-winner Ken Liu. The fund drive will run through October.

Writing in this week’s issue, editor-in-chief Niall Harrison described 2012 as “a year of change” for Strange Horizons, with new editors in the fiction and poetry departments. Continuing that theme, this year’s fund drive is the magazine’s most ambitious to date, with the aim of improving the magazine in several departments: increasing pay rates for poetry (if $9,000 is raised), reviews ($10,000), and introducing fiction podcasts ($11,000) that would, like the rest of the magazine’s content, be freely available online.

Three promotions support the fund drive:

1) A special issue of Strange Horizons has been commissioned with individual works being published when certain donation thresholds are met. The special issue includes bonus stories, poems, and articles. The first piece to be published, when $2,000 is raised, will be the first installment of a new story by Ken Liu, “Good Hunting.”

2) All donors are entered into a prize draw which includes a range of books and special offers including novels by Alaya Dawn Johnson, Mary Robinette Kowal, and Angelica Gorodischer, original artwork by Alastair Reynolds and Marge Simon, magazine subscriptions, and tarot readings. Prizes will be announced in batches throughout the month.

3) Donors whose contributions reach specific thresholds will be eligible to sponsor works published in Strange Horizons in 2013, or to receive Strange Horizons merchandise.

Strange Horizons is a donor-funded and volunteer-staffed magazine of and about speculative fiction, founded in 2000 with a mission to highlight new voices and perspectives in speculative fiction and related nonfiction. Since its founding, fiction and poetry published in Strange Horizons has been nominated for awards including the Hugo, World Fantasy, Rhysling, and James Tiptree Jr Awards. For more information or interview requests, contact Niall Harrison at <[email protected]>.

Links:

Fund drive main page: http://strangehorizons.com/fund_drives/2012/main.shtml

Fund drive special issue: http://strangehorizons.com/fund_drives/2012/special-issue-index.php

Fund drive prizes: http://strangehorizons.com/fund_drives/2012/prizes.shtml

1 October editorial: http://www.strangehorizons.com/2012/20121001/looking-e.shtml