Long Live Penumbra EMag!

by Brian Griggs

Anniversaries are a big deal. I don’t think that I need to remind anyone of the elaborate parties that werewolves host every full moon (they’re rip-roaring events, to be sure) and everyone knows that the exploding giants of Erb’durindian can bring the house down. Don’t get me started on how husbands on Shazbar 3 have no excuse for forgetting anniversaries even though the planet completes an orbit every 55 days. You and I know that, whether you’re a squidfolk, an automaton, or somewhere in-between, anniversaries are a big deal.

It should come as no surprise, then, that Penumbra’s anniversary is an event to watch. Rumor has it that Paulis is grilling up some sim-steak and galta-fish for the potluck. Kyr is bringing his patented pre-fab coffee, which I hear is to die for. And for the first time in a long time, Wendell, Custodian of the Galaxy, will not have to clean up the whole thing afterwards.

It’s a time to celebrate, a time to enjoy hanging out with characters from all branches of speculative fiction. Because where else can you find great homages to Ray Bradbury one month and then the next be immersed in the zombie apocalypse? If you’re a fan of the imagination, Penumbra is your place.

I’ve enjoyed having stories run in issues of Penumbra EMag and it’s not just because I love seeing my name on their beautiful covers (thank you, Celina Summers and Kelly Shorten!). I know that when I have a story in an issue of Penumbra, I know that I’m a part of something bigger than myself. Fans of speculative fiction who are fans just like me will read our stories. I know that it’s about the quality of the story, the believability of the unbelievable, and not limited to what some big corporation says is good. (This is where I ask people to purchase a year’s subscription, right?)

I love that Musa Publishing is keeping great short stories and poems in the hands/ereaders/tentacles of spec fic fans because it is an art form that I don’t want to see disappear. There’s a powerful lineage with spec fic short works. Imagine a world without the kid genius going to Battle School or without the mind-altered man and his mouse, Algernon. The world would be drastically different, like “stepping on a butterfly while hunting a Tyrannosaur” different. Penumbra is doing its part to find this generation’s up-and-coming greats.

So here’s to Penumbra EMag! Happy anniversary! May your issues keep coming and may your trade routes be free of deathbots.

Brian Griggs is the World's Tallest (Non-Guinness Endorsed) Librarian and has been an educator for 12 years. He knows that there's hope for the next generation when a student raves about how crazy the ending to Ender's Game is or when he hears a student shout, "Long live the fighters!"

Find more updates from Brian on his website or if you have a recent deathbot sighting, you can message him on Twitter.

First Anniversary Greetings from the Editor in Chief

by Celina Summers

Penumbra is one year old today.

How bizarre is that? A year ago, we pushed our first issue out on a raft made of bamboo into the hurricane that is publishing, and the darn thing didn't sink! In fact, that raft is still going, gradually strengthening along with the changes and additions we've made to the magazine, and now we have hundreds of you on board as well.

That definitely makes the journey more pleasant, as it should. When a magazine gains an audience, a dedicated readership, it's much easier to determine what types of stories they like.

So to me it only seems fair that you, the Penumbra reader, gets to toss us your two cents' worth on this, our first anniversary. If you could take a minute to answer the poll we've posted on this page, it will assist us as we continue to build Penumbra into the type of speculative fiction magazine that you want to read.

It is our greatest hope as we continue our mission to meet the needs of the readers who have been stranded after the demise of some of our long-time favorite sf/f magazines. We want to continue to grow and develop with our readership—a readership that multiplied swiftly after we offered to fulfill the contracts with the Realms of Fantasy subscribers. After we assumed those subscriptions, everything at Penumbra suddenly seemed more real…more pertinent.

With today's release of our Edgar Allan Poe issue, we've come to the next step for Penumbra. We will seek recognition from Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America and other spec fic organizations. We will strive to publish stories both from familiar names and debut authors. We will seek additional markets, reviewers, and awards recognition for our authors and their stories. We will continue to offer industry master classes to the authors, staff, and interns of Penumbra and its parent company, Musa Publishing, in the hopes of better equipping writers for careers as professional writers.

But above all, we will continue to offer you, the reader, the best examples of short fiction possible in every issue.

As an editor, I have to tell you that this year has been an absolute pleasure for me. I've enjoyed reading every submission, every story. I've been honored to work with a pair of amazing columnists, Lori Basiewicz and Richard C. White, who I think are among the best spec fic columnists out there right now. And then our staff: Alisha, who does layout and design; Brandie, who keeps me running on time; Dianna, who started with us at seventeen, continues to do a grown-up job at her internship; Sarah, who's not only the first set of eyes on Penumbra submissions but also does our monthly book reviews; Jane and Jude, our newly arrived interns; Cory, who has worked with me from the beginning to create the internal aesthetic and catch all those pesky comma mistakes; and, of course, my partner in crime Kelly Shorten, who creates the most visually stunning covers I've ever seen for a digital-only magazine.

Thank you for being a part of the Penumbra experience. We look forward to seeing you every month, right here, with a new issue for you to enjoy.