I am delighted to announce that two of my reviewers from The Fix, Val Grimm and Elizabeth Allen, are starting up a new short fiction review venue: The Portal.
As I’ve said time and again, I believe strongly that short fiction has intrinsic value as a storytelling form, that it isn’t merely a stepping-stone to novel-length works. And it’s regrettable that it gets such short shrift in the publishing world. So I was thrilled when I learned that Val and Elizabeth were undertaking this project.
They’re currently seeking reviewers, and I encourage folks to step up. Being a reviewer is a great way to stay up-to-date on what short fiction is being published, to contribute to the industry, and to grow as a writer—and also to get your hands on review copies and ARCs of magazines, anthologies, and collections.
Here’s contact information for and some information about The Portal and its mission statement from Editor-in-Chief Val Grimm:
Hi folks!
I (Val Grimm), René Walling (one of the chairs of the Montréal Worldcon), and my friend Elizabeth Allen are starting a new online short-form fiction review, The Portal (like The Fix, for which Elizabeth and I both used to write). Unlike other review publications which focus solely on Anglophone markets and activities, we intend to carry English coverage of work and reports on SF and fantasy literary activities among writers and fans in regions around the world and languages other than English as a regular and central part of the magazine, alongside reviews of the same British, Canadian, and American short fiction markets previously covered by The Fix.
We are seeking reviewers, as well as bureau heads in various regions (some posts are already filled).
Like The Fix, there’s no money involved—this is a labor of love. At the most we’ll maybe set up Google AdWords or something to just pay for the hosting, although that probably won’t cover it. (:
If you’re interested, please let us know at:
val dot grimm at gmail dot com.
All the best,
Val Grimm
Editor in Chief, The Portal
