OK, I've hinted, insinuated, and been patient for some time now.
Here's the long and short of it: Polyphony 7 will rock your socks off, but you have to BUY it! The nice words and pats on the back are great, but if we don't get the requisite number of pre-orders, POLYPHONY WILL BE DEAD!!!!!! I don't know how to say it any more clearly. I hear a lot of people claiming that we can't lose Polyphony and that Polyphony is great and it's an integral part of the small press and that we should really support Polyphony.
OK, so DO IT! . . . I'm re-posting the announcement that Deborah and I released earlier this month. Now buy one. Then tell your friends to buy one. Then tell your friends to tell their friends to buy one. Tell all your blog readers that they should buy one, too. I swear to you, this is the best Polyphony thus far - and I've read all of them cover to cover. But you'll never know that if we don't get enough pre-orders. This is no joke. Polyphony will be dead, gone, deceased, and never again published if we don't get enough pre-orders. This is not a drill. This is not a test. This is the real thing. This is not a ploy to make oodles of money. Those orders are needed to keep Polyphony afloat, else it is gone for good. Enough words. Lay your money on the table. Prove that you love Polyphony.
There, I said it.
Here is the original missive:
In 2002, the Polyphony anthology series debuted. Conceived as a short fiction venue for stories that would skate gracefully across the boundaries of science fiction, fantasy, magic realism, and literary fiction, it was quickly recognized as the standard bearer for cross genre work. Since then, the series' six volumes have become a vital, unique collection of voices in literature of the fantastic.
Polyphony has been twice nominated for a World Fantasy Award and the stories therein have been featured in several "Year's Best" anthologies, along with garnering accolades from several award judges and committees. Polyphony authors range from multiple-award-winning seasoned writers to the previously unpublished. The series is truly a melodic interweaving of many voices: old and new, speculative and literary, heralded and unknown. Polyphony has not merely crossed literary boundaries, it has reformed and redefined them.
The harsh economic climate threatens to kill this vital series. Wheatland Press is asking for your help.
The authors have graciously made concessions to make Polyphony 7 a reality. They've agreed to a reduced pay rate to see the volume published. Now we need readers.
In order to publish Polyphony 7, Wheatland Press must receive 225 paid pre-orders via the website by March 1, 2010. If the pre-order quantities cannot be met, Polyphony will cease publication. It's that simple. The preorder link is at (
http://wheatlandpress.com).
If the preorder number is met, then Polyphony 7 will be published on or about July 1, 2010.*
We have heard from many in the SF/F literary community that Polyphony is a vital part of landscape. We agree, but we cannot continue without your support. We hope that you will support our fine authors and their art by becoming part of the Polyphony community and pre-ordering a copy of Polyphony 7.
*The fine print: If we do not receive enough orders by March 1, then all pre-orders will be refunded immediately. Do feel free to buy another Wheatland Press title while you are stopping by the website! Those will, as always, ship immediately.
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determined
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