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I would like to tell you about a new short story journal that I started at the end of May when Gold Dust Magazine ceased publication. As some of you may know I was the Prose Editor on Gold Dust for the entire 16 years of its existence, but as everyone else on the staff except Adele Geraghty gradually left to do other things it became too much work for the two of us to do on our own so we reluctantly threw in the towel. Gold Dust had a great run and built up a terrific reputation.
I decided to take the opportunity to launch a project that I'd had at the back of my mind for a long time. Rather than write about it at length here I'll give you a link to the announcement that I put out to launch it: http://davidgardiner.net/Announcement.pdf
The basic idea was that I would ask short story writers to allow me to publish their own choice of their best story, whether previously published or not, provided they hadn't signed away their rights and, within reason, regardless of length. I would publish the stories in a paperback book style journal called Personal Bests Journal and all sales income would be divided equally between all the authors with a story in the book. The world's first "Fair Trade" short story collection.
The response was large and immediate. Within the first three weeks I had almost 150 submissions, most of them absolutely first-rate. Although I had intended to launch Issue 1 shortly before Christmas, the best possible time to launch a book of any kind, I found myself propelled forward on a great wave of enthusiasm from all the contributors and the first edition is now actually live on Amazon, although awaiting more reviews to go on the back cover.
The book has 300 pages and 31 short stories ranging in length from 700 to 12,200 words, each one of them its author's No. 1 choice of their own best work. I think this could be a very successful enterprise. If you want to submit something for consideration for Issue 2 just send it along to me as described in the "Announcement" document above.
Best regards to all.
David.
Here's the link to the book:
David, so good to see you back. 😀 A brilliant venture for you! Want to let you know I found Personal Best Journal on the US version of Amazon and have it on order along with a couple of poetry books and one on Justice Ruth Ginsburg. Recognized Omna, Geoff and Adele as members on the original UKAuthors and managed to read the first part of Omna's story, which intrigued! Feel pretty sure that's a portrait of you on the cover editing away in your cellar, right? 😀 😀 😀
This is Shelagh aka freya aka britgrrl, by the way. In case you haven't a clue who belcanto is!
Posted : September 24, 2020 10:00 pm
Topic starter
Hello Freya. Indeed I remember you well. You helped me to "Americanise" the text of my first novel, Sirat.
Thanks very much for that amazing essay on my most recent venture. Extremely kind of you. I only found it today, about ten months after you put it in. Not only Issue 1 but also Issue 2 have now been published and the project is going very well. Here is the link to the second issue. The book has only just gone "live" and only the Amazon US page seems to be working at the moment: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B099C5P3SQ/
If I told you everything that has happened since we last corresponded it would make a sizable novella. Most of it has been good and I'm still in the land of the living. How about You?
Best regards, 🙂
David.
This post was modified 3 years ago 5 times by sirat
Posted : July 20, 2021 2:10 pm
@sirat Heavens David! How great to hear from you. I've read every good story in your first issue (and what a thick, impressive journal it is) and discovered who imagined and drew/painted your 'portrait' on the cover! Loved all the separate pages and pics of your selected writers' bios, too. What a great way to offer all of them a wider exposure and step-up into the publishing world. And equally sharing all profits with them is my idea of the right way to go in this all too cynical and capitalistic world.
I am fine David though have nothing like your numerous adventures and exciting byways to report! Not writing at all, currently. But that could change. I really miss the integrity and in-depth responses of your presence on UKA. Are you too busy to consider a return in some fashion?
A heads-up: your link for the 2nd issue is missing! Please provide. 😀 😀
Posted : July 23, 2021 5:58 pm
Topic starter
First, let me try that link again. Maybe to make it work I have to link it to a piece of text. Let me try THIS.
To be honest I do seem to be pretty busy these days. I'm inclined to take on too much. I'm involved in running the Waltham Forest podcast radio station Forest Radio and also helping several people to publish their books. I'm also in the process of compiling another short story collection of my own, since I haven't published much work of my own since 2012 ("Engineering Paradise"). In recent years I've gone over almost entirely to editing other people's work in one form or another, which I like doing (appeals to the old schoolteacher in me) but I think I would like to do a bit more original stuff very soon.
Nice to hear from you. I hope that like me you get back to your own writing before too long.
Best,
David. 🙂
Posted : July 23, 2021 9:14 pm
@sirat that works David! Great cover! Are those UFO's? Knowing you, could very well be. 😀 😀
Posted : July 26, 2021 8:16 pm
